“Where do you go from here?” Delano asked the children.

“Maselon, we are leaving the city.”

“How do you intend to get there?” As he turned to face Sheldon “The border is secured. Only certain people can pay the fee to leave I highly doubt you have that money.”

Sheldon clench his fist, “We will figure out a way, we have to.”

Delano took a few steps to the car and paused, “All of you get in the car, I will make sure you get there safely, it’s the least that I can do.”

“Thank you,” Natalya replied to Delano, she took Sheldon’s hand as she pulled him along to get in the car, Cindy followed behind.

Elizabeth whispered to Delano, “Do you not know who that girl is brother?”

Delano replied, “I do.”

Sheldon watched the road as the drive was long as they passed through the war-torn streets. The eyes of desperation, poverty and hopelessness which he became accustomed to.

Then coming upon the part of the city that was filled with life, the difference was night and day. It was left unspoiled, the police were active at the borders entrance and even paid no mine to the car that he was in as he drove ahead. It angered him to think that they did nothing.

Natalya must have noticed this because she had gripped his hand as though trying to comfort him. The people here were dressed fancy, the buildings were well maintained, even the road, as they passed everything on their way to the checkpoint to leave the city.

From the distance, the checkpoint to leave the city was far more than he could imagine, it had an extremely high wall that looked unscalable. There were many patrols, the men they passed looked at them with sharp stares and gripped their guns some even had dogs by their sides. Everywhere, he looked it seemed more dangerous than he could have imagined.

The way the ground had been done outside of the road looked as though it contained many mines. He started to understand why many people had never tried to leave in the first place.

They arrived at the checkpoint, it was like an underground car park. There were a few walled rooms that blocked and narrowed the cars passage. He looked at the guards that surrounded the car as Delano got out of the car behind them. He could only see him pass and enter one of the rooms with a guard.

It felt as though Sheldon was in the car for ages and he started to get agitated. He wondered if something had gone wrong or if they were being setup. All kinds of thoughts passed his mind as he couldn’t sit still in the backseat of the car.

“It will be okay,” Cindy said, “Don’t worry too much.”

Natalya also gave him a bright smile, as he saw Delano coming back out of the room, he walked over to their car.

He knocked on their window, “You can get out here.”

Sheldon, Natalya and Cindy got out of the car as the guard look them over.

“Okay, that’s fine we will take them from here.”

“Wait,” Delano said, “Before you go,” he withdrew a pouch from the car as he looked at Natalya long, “Here, you will need this if you want to survive. Also go to The Walking Bar on Duncan’s road let them know that Delano sent you.” He placed a hand on her head as Sheldon watched “Please be safe.”

The guards then ushered them into a car as they left. Delano watched on as Sheldon glimpsed him and the woman that was with him in the back seat until he could no longer see them in the distance.

He wondered what Delano had given, Natalya. He didn’t ask because he didn’t know if it was personal or not. He didn’t want to make her feel emotional about anything, so he just kept quiet as he fell asleep.

Wake up Sheldon, Natalya said to him, we’re here. As his eyes opened, he saw the city which he wanted to go to for so long. He had finally escaped that place he and Natalya both.

He couldn’t help but smile, despite their awful appearance as they got out of the car and the driver left them with this new gentleman. He knew this would be the start of a new life for them and he knew it would be the beginning of his own search.

“Follow me and gave me your, full name’s please,” the gentleman said to them in a rather discourtesy manner, realizing that the kids looked puzzled, “It’s for your Identification Card, if you wish to live in the city, yes?”

The children gave their names as the man called them back, “Sheldon Ainsworth, Natalya Fields and Cindy…?”

Sheldon realized she didn’t know what to say, “She is an Ainsworth as well, Cindy Ainsworth.”

“Please wait there,” he said.

It took a while before they were able to get their ID’s in their hand and were shown to the door.

“Good luck” the man said to them.

The rain was falling, and the streets were crowded with many people going to and fro. Unlike where they were before, here, they truly stood out as people glared at their appearance. They hastened to seek shelter from the rain.

“I think we should head to this place first,” Natalya said, showing Sheldon a map she had managed to snag while they were waiting. “We need to blend in here now.”

“What do you think, Cindy?” Sheldon asked as he noticed that she seemed to be constantly looking off in the distance.

“Yes, that’s fine we should go there first,” She replied.

The map made navigating the streets a lot easier and within a short time they had finally arrived at their destination. Thanks to the fact that it was easy to find the kids were all starved. As Natalya and Sheldon entered the store. Cindy told them she would be back in one minute as she gave Sheldon a kiss on his cheek when Natalya wasn’t looking, that made him blush. She had been acting very strange on their way here. Far more touchy than normal he didn’t know if that was because she was happy or if it was something else, but he received far too many hugs than normal. He and Natalya both, Sheldon wondered, what’s on your mind Cindy?

Cindy turned through an alley as she confronted a man, “There is no need to follow us anymore, I came here on my own accord.”

The man pulled out a cigarette from his box, as he lit it, “That is true, you have kept your word so I will keep mine.”

As she glanced back towards where Natalya and Sheldon would be, “Thank you, John-Tom,”

***

Mathinda had achieved that which she wanted mostly her revenge. She looked at herself in the mirror as she covered over the eye she had lost. No longer had she to pretend to be something she was not and although the city was battered from the chaos, it would soon reach new heights under her leadership. She smiled to herself despite the pain, everything had not been for nothing it had all been worth it in the end. Her god had paved the way, yes, but this was only the beginning.

Her shoes thumped, as she made her way outside. No longer will their worship be conducted in the shadows. The light will know dark, gone was the caring mother…in its place would be the one who would grant despair to all those unbelievers out there. She came to a stop as she looked at the assembled army the remnants of all the gangs and the school finally under her control.