I was born in flames.
In a world where survival was earned through fists, blood, hunts, and death, childhood was nothing more than a weakness that disappeared with time.
I was thirteen when I learned that running could only save you for so long.
My feet tore through the dry grass as I ran down the narrow path. Every breath scraped against my throat. My heart hammered against my ribs.
Behind me the footsteps were slow and steady.
She wasn't even trying to catch me quickly.
That frightened me more than anything.
"Little Li."
Her voice drifted through the trees.
Calm,almost playful.
I didn't look back.
"Running again?"she said
I clenched my teeth and pushed myself harder.
The woman behind me laughed softly.
"You've always been troublesome."
I hated that voice.
I hated the way she spoke as though she already owned me.
The path ahead split into two.
I chose the left,bad choice my mind screamed at me.
The grass became thicker, slowing me down. My breathing grew heavier, and the footsteps behind me grew louder.
I looked around desperately.
Nothing,Then I saw it.
A broken piece of wood lying beside the path,I stopped as my hand reached for it.
The footsteps stopped too.
Silence,I crouched behind the tall grass and held my breath.
For the first time since I started running, I wasn't thinking about escape.
I was thinking about fighting.
The woman's shadow appeared between the grass.
"Little Li?"
She stepped closer.
One step,then another.
I tightened my grip around the wood as she got
Closer,Closer.
Then
Now!!
I sprang from the grass and swung with everything I had.
THUD!
The wood struck her hard,She stumbled backward with a sharp gasp and surprise.
I didn't wait to see if she fell.
I ran.
My legs screamed.
My lungs burned.
But I ran faster than before, for a few seconds, I believed I had actually escaped.
Then I heard her behind me.
"Interesting."a laugh rang out
Her voice had changed.
The playfulness was gone "You've finally learned to bite,I will savor you very well."
My blood went cold as heard what she said
I looked back.
She was standing again licking her lips with an intense gaze glaring at me.
And this time, she was running.
I heard her footsteps getting closer.
I pushed myself harder.
My legs were already numb, but I refused to stop.
Then something struck my back.
My body flew forward.
I hit the ground hard.
Before I could crawl away, a hand grabbed the back of my shirt and lifted me from the ground.
I kicked wildly"Let me go!"
The woman sighed.
"You really are troublesome." I twisted around and tried to bite her hand.
She moved before I could.
Then
BANG!!
Pain exploded across the side of my head.
The world tilted.
The trees blurred.
I heard her voice one last time.
"You should have stayed home, Little Li."she laughed.
Then everything went black.
When I opened my eyes, there was nothing but darkness.
My head throbbed.
For several seconds, I couldn't remember where I was.
Then I tried moving.
Clink.
Clink!
Something pulled against my wrist.
I froze.
I looked down at the metal cuffs.
My hands were chained to the wall.
Panic rushed through me.
I pulled again.
Nothing.
I pulled harder.
The chain didn't move.
"Damn it…"
My voice sounded small in the room.
I looked around.
A single oil lamp burned on a wooden table several steps away. Its weak light barely reached the corners.
The room smelled of dust, old wood, and something bitter.
Medicine.
I swallowed.
Then I remembered.
My father.
His face.
His blood.
The day everything changed.
It had been my birthday.
I had been waiting for him to come home.
He never did.
Instead, his closest friend arrived.
He told me my father had been killed.
My father had been working with the Ghostwanderers Mercenaries when another mercenary group ambushed them.
Most of them died.
My father was one of them.
His friend survived.
At first, I thought he had come to help me.
I was wrong.
He took control of my father's business.
And then he decided what would happen to me.
He called it a beneficial arrangement.
He wanted me to marry his sister which was way older than I am since I couldn't take care of the merchandise,but I knew he wasn't a Buddha,I saw the desire in his eyes as he looked at my fathers treasure vaults
So I ran.
The night before everything was supposed to be finalized, I escaped.
I thought I was free,I wasn't.
A soft laugh came from the doorway,my breathing stopped as a tall slender woman stepped into the light,she wasn't smiling anymore.
She walked toward me slowly.
I recognized her.
She was the one who had chased me and caught me,She crouched in front of me.
"Awake already?"she said with a smirk
I stared at her.
She tilted her head.
"You look angry."
"Let me go."I said not to hopefully
She smiled "No."
I pulled against the chains again.
"Why?"I asked broken.
"Because if I let you go, you'll run."she answered without blinking
"I'll run anyway."I repeated,That made her laugh.
"That's exactly why I can't let you go." She stood as she began humming a little tune.
A strange, childish song.
"I caught the little rabbit…"
She looked down at me.
"…and locked it in its cage."
I glared at her.
"I'm not a rabbit."
"No?"
She leaned closer "Then what are you?"
I said nothing looking her furiously
Her smile disappeared "Your father's son."as she said slowly
My chest tightened but won't tear up I said to myself,she knew exactly which words would hurt.
She turned toward the door "Don't make this harder than it needs to be, Little Li."
I watched her leave.
Click!
The sound the door locking echos through the room
I stared at the chains then at the door.
And slowly, I began searching the room.
There had to be a way out,there always was.
I just had to find it
Even if it took everything I had.
I wasn't going to die in a cage.