The Lost City

He had to force himself to act. Sucking in a breath, he gripped the edge of the gritty building and peeked around the corner. The cobblestone street was empty. His eyes flickered to the mountains that lay north of the city and then to the sun that was slowly making its nightly decline into their pointed peaks. He had been ducking through the maze historians called a city for hours, desperately trying to find the route back to the safe mountain path.

A trickle of sweat dribbled down the back of his neck and jerked back into the alley as one of the citizens of the city suddenly appeared down the street. He pressed his back against the cold building, praying the resident would pass on by without noticing him. When the alarm failed to sound, he let out a shaky breath.

His mind was desperately tearing through plans for escape. He risked another look around the corner and willed his body to move into the open street. Grimacing at the beat of his shoes on the stone road, he forced himself to move faster before someone noticed the noise.

“Halt!”

The word, so crisp and close behind his head, made him jerk and he crashed to the ground. His body trembled when he turned and found a double-sided ax pointed at his nose.

“The penalty for entering our city is —“

“Death?” he gasped.

“No,” the Amazon’s pouty lips curved into a smile. “Slavery.”

Another warrior joined her sister, the single ring in her ear glinting under the last light of the sun. One strong hand hefted him to his feet.

“Strange,” he mumbled, staring into her brown eyes. “I don’t feel like running anymore.” With a shrug of the shoulder, he followed the women deeper into the strange city.



Warrior Notes ▼

Written for: "Daily Flash Fiction Challenge" 
Prompt: Someone lost in a strange city
Word Count: 300