Madness 1.1
I open my eyes and is met with a never-ending sea of blue and green. The only thing in my mind was the memory of free falling, screams of terror echoing through the ravine, I couldn’t tell if they were mine or from the people at the top.
I open my mouth only to feel a burning sensation fill my lungs. Water. I quickly swim to the top, each push making the burning stronger and stronger. I wanted to scream. I wanted to cry. But I kept going until my vision started blurring, the burning ceasing. Everything was becoming cold.
Before I could stop I feel someone grab my wrist, pulling me up to the surface, letting me take in the oxygen that once had been prohibited to me. I feel the person puts my arm over their shoulder before blacking out, falling limp against them.
~~~
5 Months ago
~~~
The sound of jazz music fills the ballroom, guests dining and chatting at every corner while observing from the background. Ali and I stared at the king and queen chatting to a couple of guests at a time while their son sits with some of the guest’s sons. Staring down at his lap while messing around with something. That something was what we needed.
Ali stares straight forward, keeping a straight face to not blow our cover. “When are we going to strike?”
I shrug, “When boss signals us to.” I glance at the large clock in the middle of the glass pillar at the end of the ballroom. “Which should be any minute.”
She fidgets. “Why can’t we just go now-”
The bell rings, drawing everyone’s attention to the king and queen as they straighten up and signal their son to come up.
The curly blonde haired male stands up, stuffing the artifact in the pocket of his suit before going up to his parents, standing in the middle of them wearing a ridiculously huge smile. How I wish I could smother it at this moment.
The king clears his throat before throwing his glass of wine to the air, “Cheers to the victory of the war!” A sound of cheers echoed through the room though Ali and I stay unfazed, only ever clapping our hands along with other people to blend in the crowd.
The Queen speaks up, “And cheers to the future leader of our kingdom, my son!”
We both glance at each other and nod. It was almost time.
We both scatter around the room. I go to the entry while she goes towards the drink stand, the closest place to where the King and Queen were.
The king places his glass down on the table, raising his hand to silence the crowd. The crowd was hushed at his command. A simple gesture could silence a room filled with people but it couldn’t help the kids starving outside of the castle’s walls.
“My family and I hope that you’ve all had an amazing evening. Enjoying the food and drinks, and last but not least, enjoying the relief of stress the war has caused this kingdom. We can finally live in peace.”
After his small speech, the crowd goes wild. People screaming and cheering filled the room, it made my head spin. The small reminders of each cry before a battle began rang in my ears.
“Now, lets us continue until the holy stars bless us with slumber and peace!”
Ali glances at me and nods.
Checkmate.
We both scurry off out of the room, slamming the huge wooden double doors shut and using the wooden table nearby to block it.
“Fire!” I whisper yelled into the earpiece, panic rising as each second grew in without a loud noise after it.
As if on time, a loud boom comes from the room behind the doors, followed by screaming and cries telling everyone to run–
Run for your life and leave them behind.
I grab Ali’s hand and run down the hallway. My long teal, floor down dress dragging behind me.
As soon as we hit the first floor we bust through the front doors, the guards went to ensure the royal family's safety I'm guessing.
Saying that tonight was a lucky bet would be a lie.
It was a curse-filled with a smothering fire of hope.
~~~
The next day
~~~
The sound of kid's laughter rings through the small kitchen. Clara and Handon chasing each other for one another’s toys while giggling if either of them fell or tripped.
Mom sits down on the couch, closing her eyes and leaning back, her wrinkles disappearing making her seem like she was twenty all over again. Before she had the job to take care of five children and a long housed job with barely any pay. Back when it was just the three of us.
Me, dad, and her.
I place her cup of tea on the coffee table, snickering at the difference of names.
She opens her dark blue eyes and smiles, whispering a careful thank you before taking it.
I take my place on the couch beside her. Placing my head on her shoulder. “How was work?”
She smiles weakly. “It was the usual. How was the bar yesterday?”
I gulp.
Right. I told her I was going to the bar for a performance.
“It went. . .” I paused, trying to find the right word. “Fine. . .?”
She hums, placing her head on top of mine, closing her eyes again and letting her breathing steady out.
For a bit, I believed she was asleep until a loud crash comes from Jonathan’s room.
Mom and I both bolt up, running towards his room to see paint plastered all around the floor and walls.
“Oh my Hexa.” Mom breathes out, looking around the too in pure terror as I walk over to a nearly crying seven-year-old Jonathan.
I pick him up and bounce him in my hip as he wails in the crook of my neck. Continually saying sorry while shaking his head.
I hush him down, rubbing his head, trying to calm him down. “Hey look it’s okay. We can just paint over it. . . Right. . .?” I glance over at my horrified mother to see her slowly nod, picking at the dried up paint on the floor.
Jonathan goes down from heart full sobs to quiet sniffles, looking around the room to see the mess he had made with his small painting kit.
Jonathan has always been an art kid, so when mom had seen that the art kit he had been wanting for the past few months was finally in her budget she quickly got it without any hesitation.
Clara peeks out from the side of the doorway, Hanson on top of her, trying to get a better view of what’s happening due to his small size and five-year difference with Clara.
The sound of footsteps echoed through the halls and stop at the doorway.
I look towards the door to see Hieyang and Seungmin looking over the room then at Jonathan, who was covered head to toe in paint.
We stare at the two nineteen-year-olds, confused.
I speak up first. “Is there something you need?”
Hieyang clears her throat, straightening back up. “You might want to see the news report today.”
Mom and I nod. I place Jonathan down and tell him to stay, knowing what was coming.
Clara and Handon try to come along put it elk them to stay back.
They both nod and go into Jonathan’s room.
We walk into the living room and the sound of the news lingers in the background.
Intrigued, all four of us sit down on the couch.
“Yesterday at ten forty-five, a bomb went off in the ballroom of the castle. Injuring twenty guests and luckily none died. The bombing was unknown and so far we have no suspects. The police continue their search through the kingdom looking for any type of clue . . .”
Mom frowns, “Who would want to attack the Castle?”
I feel my breath get caught in my throat. Even if it wasn’t the first time I’ve done something like this, there is always a small pit of worry that fills me. Thinking about the possibility of us getting caught.
I shrug, trying to play along. “Whoever they are, they must have gone insane.”
Mom nods in agreement. A pang of hurt fills me even if it was my life first.
Seungmin frowns deeply, “Do you think they’re the rebels that have been sending threats to the kingdom?”
Does he really think-? I scoff. “I highly doubt it.”
Hieyang sighs. “We never know. If they caused that much of a ruckus in the kingdom then they must be big.”
I need to go.
I grab my phone and walk out the door, not answering the questions about where I was going asked by my family.
After five or so minutes walking I slip into a nearby alleyway, making sure no one was watching.
I drop my phone and open the door at the dead end.
The room I walk into is a dimly lit room filled with around ten to seven people. Ali turns away from the big screen in the middle of the room, smiling at me. “Agent Y/n.”
I smile back, “Agent Night.”
She turns towards the big screen, articles and news reports scattered all over it, each with a different headline, but the same report.
I walk up beside her and scan over the screen, reading each headline.
The attack on the royal castle!
Rebels on the rise?
Is the royal family getting targeted?
“Is the Southern Kingdom safe?”
Ali looks at me worryingly, placing her hand my shoulder for comfort. “They see us as the enemy.”
I laugh my anger out.
These people. I think. These people are being manipulated by their rulers.
