[Day 3] Trapped

by **Amora Jade** on February 27th, 2014, 1:03 am

Previous Threads: Day One + Day Two

Season of Winter, Day 59, 513 AV
Location: Trapped in an Abandoned House

It seemed that the sun was never going to rise, that the harsh night of winter would prevail for eternity in the hai that was the cottage. The crisp air stung her throat and chapped her lips, causing her body to shake violently. The fire that had kept her warm for two days now failed to light no matter how many desperate attempts the thief made. Amora awoke to the hearth being soaked from the snow that had melted through the boards blocking the top of the chimney. With shaking hands she gathered her fire-making tools and stowed them away in her pack, giving up on trying to find warmth within the fire again.

The last bit of food she had left from the incident that caused her to be trapped now found its way into her stomach, leaving her unsatisfied and thirsty. She knew she’d need to find a way out on that day, otherwise she’d either freeze to death or dehydrate. Amora pulled her jacket tightly across her chest and tied the belt-like fabric used to close it securely around her waist. After sitting on the ground for only a couple more ticks she finally found the strength within her to stand. From the previous days she found that trying to jump and grab the ledge of the large gaping hole in the roof would prove to be nothing but a failure, so she didn’t even attempt it.

Instead, she walked towards the door again and put her right shoulder into the hard wood, trying with every bit of will she had to push it open just enough to let herself out. She used her feet and body weight to try and put more and more pressure on the wood. Her feet slid out from under her one at a time, forcing the thief to walk backwards with them in an attempt to stay up.

Creeeaak…

The thief could feel the snow on the other side giving a bit, allowing the door to open another inch, but still not enough to let her out. Amora pushed with all she had in her. The door slid another couple inches and excitement grew inside her, allowing adrenaline to surge in her gut.

A loud popping sound was all the thief heard before a mountain of snow, ice, and boards from the door’s frame fell on top of her head and around her, causing her to slip and fall onto her side. Pain surged from her bruised ribs, she was lucky none of the heavy wood hit her- being due to the angle it fell. With a groan, Amora shifted to lie on her back and scooped some of the snow that just blocked her path out over her face. The cold stung her skin and lips, but she really didn’t care. The thief felt defeated, feeling that she may as well just let it take her.

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by **Amora Jade** on December 2nd, 2014, 3:34 am

It wasn’t until she could no longer feel her cheeks that she decided to sit up. With minimal speed she lifted her back from the floor, the snow plummeting to her lap along with bits of ice and water. She used both hands to rub her face violently, trying to warm it up again and come back to her senses.

Amora looked to the door, only to confirm that her escape route was then completely blocked once more. The door frame and part of the ceiling collapsed, therefore causing the winter mess that sat on top to fall. It formed a sort-of barricade to keep the door still and not allow much room for anyone to pass through. The thief didn’t have the patience to fool with it any longer. Instead, she got to her feet and began to angrily pace back and forth.

Her stomping and movement helped to heat her up and put her back into a state of mind where she could actually think again. She marched over to the hearth, angry that the wood she had been burning was now soaked.

“Why?! Why the petch are you wet?! It hasn’t even rained! The rest of the building is dry, why the petch are you wet?!”

Amora lowered herself to her knees and grabbed the wood from the pit, throwing it behind her and finding a puddle underneath it all. Frustration grew as she tried to figure out what happened. A small drop of water hit her on top of the head. The thief gritted her teeth and looked up into the chimney, only to be hit by another drop of water right on her cheek.

The moment she opened her mouth to curse at the water she noticed the cracks between the wooden panels that covered the top of the chimney. She could see the faintest light peeking through them. To her, this meant there was no more snow sitting on top of it. It meant that she could have possibly just found her way out.

Amora knew that it would be difficult to force a nail through stone, so the planks probably weren’t secured. Slowly she put her right boot into the shallow puddle in the pit and ducked her head under the entrance, squeezing her body into the narrow opening. As she stood she realized she had enough room to shimmy her way up. It would definitely take more energy out of her than she really had left in store, but it’s the only way she could think to escape. The thief took a moment to contemplate how she’d find her grip on the walls and how she’d be able to safely shimmy her way up.

“This isn’t gonna be easy, better be worth it,” she said as she looked up the chimney once more, her cheek again being hit by a small droplet of water. “Goddess please don’t let these boards be nailed down…”

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by **Amora Jade** on December 2nd, 2014, 3:55 am

Both hands were placed firmly against the stone walls, barely two inches from either side of her body. Once she felt secure enough she placed her left foot on the wall in front of her. She tried to push herself up, but her foot slipped. Another attempt in the same direction, this time she was able to push herself up, but really couldn’t move with both feet on the same wall. The thief lowered herself once more, this time she turned herself sideways in the chimney, it was a bit wider on either side of her that way, not allowing her hands to be as securely be placed on the stone, but she was willing to give it a shot.

Starting with her left foot again she hopped a bit and placed it on the stone, quickly following it with her right foot on the other side. Now she was off the floor of the hearth, but only a few inches. Slowly she slid her left foot upwards then secured it again by shifting more of her weight onto that leg, which allowed her to easily move her right foot upwards and even out her weight again. Amora slid her hands upwards and repeated the action once more. She was able to do it about four times before one of her feet slipped, causing her to turn sideways in the chimney and be stuck in an awkward position about four feet from the floor of the hearth.

The dark-haired girl shifted her weight around in an attempt to re-secure her left hand and foot, but failed. With a hard thud she hit the ashy stone bottom of the hearth. Water and dirt sprayed onto her clothing and skin. Now she was mad.

Amora gritted her teeth and growled underneath her breath as she stood up in the narrow chimney again. This time she decided to go with her first strategy of putting both feet on the stone in front of her and her back on the opposite wall. She pushed her backside against the hard stone and positioned her hands parallel to her bottom and slightly to her sides. In an awkward fashion she had to keep her legs and feet far apart to account for the opening in the hearth in order to secure her position until she could shimmy her way above it.

With a hard push upwards on her hands and the toes on her left foot she was able to move her right one up, then followed by the other. Next she put pressure on her hands again and slid wool coat against the opposite side of the hearth in an upward fashion. Then again with her right foot. She slid the soul of her boot against the ashy stone surface to re-position it and become nearly parallel with her body before she did the same with the left. Now she was above the opening and in a much safer spot to continue. The girl slid her boots inward slowly until her legs were shoulder-width apart and continued her ascent.
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by **Amora Jade** on December 2nd, 2014, 4:16 am

“Slide right foot up, then left foot, then bottom, again.”

Mentally Amora began to chant her sequence as she very slowly performed it. Slowly the bottom of her right boot slid up the stone once more, then her left. With every ounce of strength she had in her she transferred some of her weight to her palms and pushed them against the chimney. Finally she was close enough to the top without hitting her head on the wooden planks. Very carefully and slowly the girl lifted her right hand above her read to touch the splintering wood that blocked her exit.

Gentle pressure was put towards her fingertips to see if they would budge. For a tick they would not, but she dared to push harder in a desperate need for escape. They budged. Her heart raced with excitement and a full smile spread across her lips as a gentle laugh escaped her belly. Still she moved with slow, steady movements so that she wouldn’t fall back down and hurt herself. The boards were nailed to each other as a makeshift lid to put on top of the chimney, but they were not secured. She guessed the people who once resided in the building didn’t really plan to come back. The harsh wood scratched at her fingertips a bit, but she didn’t care. It took nearly a chime for her to slide the wood off the stone. When she did the sound of it hitting the roof was the most beautiful thud she had ever heard.

“Ok, twice more.. twice more and I’ll be out.”

With that thought she began her routine again. Right foot first. It slid up the wall with a shaky grace. She secured its position before she began with her left foot. She thought about every movement she made and every breath she took. The last thing she needed was to fall. It might end up being the death of her. Her left boot scraped the stone and its position was secured before she pushed up with both palms and slid her back up the wall.

One more repetition with the feet movements and she was high enough to push her bottom inches from the top. Amora re-positioned her feet in the corners of the chimney so that she would be secured enough without needing to use her hands for a moment. Her palms found the carved ledge of the stone behind her and she pushed on them once more, able to lift herself enough to rest her bottom on said ledge.

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by **Amora Jade** on December 2nd, 2014, 5:03 am

Another laugh escaped her belly as she breathed in the crisp, fresh air outside of that petching building. Her face was blood-red from the straining, her breathing was heavy, and sweat had begun to bead on her brow but she was finally free. The feeling was pure ecstasy. The young thief really hadn’t known she horrid torture that was captivation before those last three days, but now that she had a taste she knew for sure she’d never let herself get into a situation like that again.

Once she caught her breath and it didn’t feel as if her heart were about to burst, Amora slid backwards off the stone chimney ledge and let her bottom hit the shingles of the roof. Once her feet were completely pulled from the stone she laid on her side and rolled to the edge of the roof, then only slowed down a bit to control her fall off of it.

The sudden descent off the tall building caused her to land hard on her bottom in the dirt alleyway beside it. Dust and snow flew into the air around her, but she didn’t care. The pain really didn’t bother her much either. The thief just enjoyed watching at the sky slowly began to illuminate with the rise of the morning sun. She let it’s rays hit her face and smiled at it. Never before had something so simple make her so happy. After fifteen or so chimes she finally sat up, beginning to feel the harsh winter air again once all of her adrenaline had dispersed.

Amora pushed up palms into the dirty snow and slid her left foot under her bottom to push herself onto her feet. A slight stumble from the lack of hydration and the over-exertion of energy she didn’t really have caused her to nearly fall back down, but was able to keep her balance- barely. Anyone who might have seen her would think she was moving in slow motion. Every step she took she had to concentrate on, she didn’t want to fall. Her heart was set on getting home. She needed to get home. There would be water, food, and a warm fire to curl up next to while wrapped up in her thick wool blanket.

The dark-haired girl walked against the side of every building she came to, half leaning on it as she pushed herself to get to where she was going. “I’ll never steal anything again. Ever. I’m done with that. I’ll find a way to make myself useful and actually earn the coin I get,” she muttered to herself as she made her way around a couple of early souls that roamed the streets. “Never again. Just please goddess let me get home.”

Amora pleaded with her body to keep moving no matter the pain. She kept walking no matter the strange looks she got for whispering to herself, and no matter how many easy targets she passed. She was done with that life, and wasn’t going back. It wasn’t worth her last breath to take someone’s coin anymore, or anything off market stands without paying for that matter. She had learned her lesson and she was done.

“Oh, honey!” A lively woman’s voice rang in her head as she was approached by a very provocatively-dressed woman, “My my, you look awful. Here, take this.” Without permission the large-breasted woman wrapped a thin wool blanket over Amora’s shoulders and pulled her in for a hug. A hug. Who the petch did this woman think she was?! The thief was too weak to fight and too pleased by the warmth to even try. “There ya go,” she began as she wrapped the blanket firmly around the girl’s shoulders. Something cold touched Amora’s fingertips as she woman pulled away and looked her in the eyes, smiling. “Now, you better remember me. I’m from Brega’s House of Happy Endings. You can either come there for your own.. pleasure,” she said with a hinting wink, “Or you can send someone else who needs a good time ok?”

The overly-perky woman skipped away, leaving Amora with a very confused look on her face. The dark-haired girl looked down at her right hand, remembering that she had touched something before. It was clenched tightly around something. Slowly she opened her hand and saw some coin laying right in her palm.

“Who am I kidding?” A sly grin formed from her lips and she shoved the treasure in her pocket and pulled the blanket tighter around her body before setting off for home again.

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