บท 2: A Hope To Survive

Almost fifty slaves stood inside an arena with at least forty lions.

That was the game the prince wanted to play.

The slave girls looked at the lions who were looking at them with hunger-filled eyes.

Their faces went pale as they saw the lions for the first time in their life.

When Evelyn suddenly pulled her hand, only then did Peri remember to run.

"Eve...lyn..."

She stuttered out Evelyn's name and held her hand tightly.

Evelyn didn't have the time to turn around and comfort Peri.

The arena was filled with screams of slave girls, growls of lions, and excited cheers from people.

Then came another scream. The sound of the flesh being torn was so strong and close that Evelyn herself shivered.

"Don't turn around, Peri."

Evelyn said as she continued to run with Peri. Coincidentally, Peri was about to do that.

At the same time, the loud announcement fell in everyone's ears.

"Ladies and gentlemen, enjoy the show! All these lions are domesticated by Prince Rafael himself and they have been kept hungry for a week only for this occasion."

The people cheered more loudly.

In response to these cheers, Peri couldn't stop the tears that were threatening to come out of her eyes.

"Eve...lyn...why....they are ...so cruel...to us?"

She asked in a choking voice.

Her foot was in pain and she knew Evelyn must be in pain as well...more than her.

Their bodies didn't have much energy. After all, they had only drunk water for the last two days.

"I can feel it...it is r...running behind ...us."

Peri whispered in a horror-filled voice.

In the pile of disappointment and despair, Peri heard Evelyn say in a breathless voice

"We will stay alive as long as we can."

Peri, however, didn't have any hope left. They could run...but for how long.

On the other hand, Evelyn looked towards the iron door from where the lions had been sent inside.

She was running towards that door. If someone from outside could be let inside, then there must be a way to go outside as well.

However, a sudden collision made her stagger and Peri's hand slipped out of hers.

Evelyn turned around to hold Peri's hand again but the scene in front of her eyes left her blank.

One of the lions was above Peri.

As if it felt her eyes on itself, it raised its head and looked at her with hunger-filled eyes... almost promising that she would be the next.

And then it lunged for screaming Peri.

But something suddenly blurred its eyes and it roared in irritation.

Evelyn threw more sand toward the lion's eyes when she saw it was trying to open its eyes.

She didn't know how but she dragged Peri out from the lion's clutches. Her heart was jumping against her ribcage.

Peri was scared out of her wits. She was trembling. Her whole body was in pain. Her clothes were torn from here and there and she could still feel as if the lion was holding her.

When Evelyn held her hand to run again, she couldn't help but say

"I can't run anymore."

Evelyn didn't respond because she couldn't leave Peri behind.

She had met Peri only four days ago...the day she had been brought to this Empire Alfaros.

Peri had given her the food that she had saved for herself.

She couldn't leave Peri here alone when they were facing death. So she gave the hope of being saved to Peri.

"That iron door...we need to go there. We ...will try to find some way to get out."

Peri looked towards the door Evelyn was pointing to. The door was slightly blurry to her but when she heard Evelyn's soft voice, she felt there was still hope.

The screams inside the ground continued. Amidst everything, they successfully reached the door.

There was a peculiar lock on the door. Peri didn't know how to open it. But she recognized it.

These kinds of locks are usually placed on the closets of noble family members. She had only seen it once in her life when she had been bought by a minister.

But how could they open this lock? The slaves were not supposed to know how to open them. They were not taught so.

However, the next moment Peri saw Evelyn stepping forward. She saw how Evelyn rotated it in different directions for different number of times. She did it so many times that Peri couldn't remember anything at all. But Evelyn seemed to be very experienced and confident in what she was doing.

Her eyes widened when she heard the sound of 'Click'

Peri couldn't believe that Evelyn knew how to open the door. She immediately opened it wide and stepped out first.

Evelyn was about to do the same but when she raised her leg to take a step forward, she was pushed inside by someone.

And the door was slammed shut.