A to Z Challenge 2020: M is for Mistake

This is a continuation of B is for Birthday. It was followed by F is for Follow, H is for Hunted, and K is for King. You may want to read them first if you haven’t already. 

 Mistachke

Barry just stood there wondering what to do. It’s not that he had a choice. He was only a 13-year-old boy. In some cultures, he may have been considered a man, but at this moment he felt so much like an unprepared kid that he was frozen in time, consumed with doubt and fear.

He looked at the message and map again and reminded himself of all the skills he had learned about mindfulness in school. He sat down on the ground, closed his eyes and took slow deep breaths. He tried to focus on his family and friends. He pictured in his mind the hero that he wanted to be. As he calmed down, a plan began to emerge. He would follow the map as best he could but remain slightly off the path that he was instructed to follow. This would allow him to see and hear anyone that might be near him, who meant him harm and give him time to avoid them. When he arrived at the captive’s hideout, he would stealthily attempt to gain access and make contact with the queen and the captives. His hope was that at that point they would be able to figure out a way to make an escape together. 

The key to all of this was not to be caught. Barry studied the map carefully. There were enough landmarks on the way to make it easy to follow. He managed to avoid a few animals and people; not sure if they and anything to do with the magician. He reached the spot where the map showed the captives were being kept. It was a cave.  There didn’t seem to be anyone guarding the opening. Barry hesitated for a moment and then entered the cave. 

After taking a few steps into the cave he stopped and listened for any voices or sounds of movement. When he heard none, he took out the flashlight that had been given to him, by the king, and turned it on. He slowly progressed further into the cave. 

He came to a fork in the tunnel of the cave. Down the right fork, he could hear the voices of people. The voices were of people of many different ages and genders. Barry could hear things being moved around. He heard some heavy breathing, some men complaining, some women screaming, some crying children, and someone who was clearly giving orders. These must be the captives. 

Down the left fork, Barry only heard the voice of one woman. She was clearly talking to someone, using a very regal sounding tone. It must be the queen. Barry decided she should be the one to contact first. Without much thought, he walked straight down the fork to the left and soon came face to face with the queen herself. 

The queen stared at Barry, with that same penetrating eye as the king had. She looked at the flashlight in Barry’s hand and realized at once, from its insignia, that it had come from the king. Before Barry could utter a word, the queen turned to the guard, who had been the one she had been talking to and loudly ordered, “Quick, go and get Hyde. It appears we have a new slave to work with the others in the cave!”

It appeared that both the king and Barry had made a big mistake. The queen didn’t need rescuing; She was working with the magician, not against him and Barry had walked right into her lair. He was now their captive. He was again frozen in time, doubtful and scared. How was he going to help the captives now?

to be continued in Q is for Queen