Try and Catch Me

Secrets and Lies (3)
As per usual, she went to the back door of the store as calm as possible. When she got in, Yolly was preparing to open the store. Lia proceeded to bar the door, much to Yolly’s surprise.

“What do you think–” Yolly started but Lia pressed a finger in front of her lips.

She gestured for Yolly to go to the second floor of the house. Frankie had woken up and went over the window. Lia snatched the curtain from his hand before he could open it and gestured for him to be silent too. She signaled for them to join her in the corner of the house far from any windows.

Once they were safely hidden from the view outside, Yolly spoke with alarm. “What is happening girly?”

“We are being watched.” Lia let those words hang and sunk into the people in front of her. “I heard them by the riverside. They were planning to abduct me tonight. They were watching us since yesterday. Be careful, I think someone might act as one of the customers.” The words tumbled from her lips, one after another.

Yolly sunk to the floor. “This was what Tamara was talking about.”

“But why turn to me? I’m living quietly.”

“You lived with your mother so they think you might know something about making medicine. Or other things…” Yolly shook her head as if to clear it. “Let’s not make assumptions. We need action. You need to leave the town today.”

“I don’t know those other things. And anyway, where would we go?” Lia asked.

“There’s no we,” when Lia tried to protest, Yolly put out a hand, a signal for her to shut up. “We will distract them.”

“That’s dangerous! I can’t let you do that!”

“It would be more dangerous for you if you are caught. I promised your mother.”

“Still–”

“Mother was right. We are more adept at hiding. Don’t worry about us.” Frankie chipped in.

“Even if we go separate ways there’s no telling that we would be safe!”

“That’s true. But we have to take our chances. You have to go to the capital.”

“What? What’s that got to do with this?” Lia could not keep up with this turn of discussion.

“You want to save yourself and your mother, right? Go take the exam and be a scholar. If you have a position, you’ll have power, it would be harder for them to do a move against you. And with that position, you would be able to find your mother.”

Lia felt like the world was turning upside down right in her very eyes. She was getting dizzy with all the things that were happening. “I don’t–”

Yolly gripped Lia’s arms, so tight she winced. “No time! Come on, you need to pack.”

“How will I go to the next town? I don’t know if I’ll survive in the forest! Let me go with you! This is–” She was exasperated. “This is absurd!”

“We’ll all die together if you come with us. Besides, weren’t you living like a vagabond with your parents before you live with Tamara? Don’t tell me you forgot about that after just living comfortably?”

Lia wanted to cry and scream and say that it was not her. Of course, she did not know how to live alone in the forest. Of course, she did not know how to fend off bad guys or wild animals. She was doing herbs. She was not a fighter.

But she also knew that whining and crying would get her nowhere. The clock was ticking. If something was off with their routine the men would think that they knew what was happening already and she could not have that. They would all die.

Lia packed her clothes while Yolly opened the store as usual. Frankie’s task was to prepare Lia’s food and weapons.

“What would become of the store if we leave? Shouldn’t we tell the mayor and the doctor?”

“I’ll post a note to them. Don’t worry about us too much. Worry about yourself,” Yolly said.

“I think it would be better if you disguised,” Frankie whispered, offering her a small smile in what, Lia thought, he hoped to be a reassuring smile. He passed a hat to her.

Lia tried them on and thought of a better idea. “Do you have a scissor?”

***

In the afternoon, a young man went out of the store and looked like he was heading for a good time. Frankie always goes out of the store to play somewhere before dinner.

But this time it was not Frankie. It was Lia.