Del Muero

as able to draw the lines?

know what the other

he looked at the patrolling guards. He beckoned o

e turned to see some guards watching them. The gu

be prowling about today', Iohannes suggested. Every

the screams of Gonzalo cast a

von said grinning widely as he m

to make out words skillfully ble

d Devon suddenly. Everyone looked up to see two guards peering at the

e screaming continued. Soon the screams

y will hold him l

dou

er inmates got the me

e will know

alo to be brought back. Gonzalo was returned to the cell the next day. He looke

his breath firs

domly. Each guard is in charge of two or three cells and they take it by turn to pick a prisoner to

tunned the inmat

guard is in charge of let's say two cells, there should be at least twenty three guards

ten guards around at any time. If they work in shifts, there should be a t

two guards in the guar

we planned with fifteen guards

anning?' Alvaro asked

ghtening out information to be used later. He turn

s carried back. Three cells confirmed interest. We cannot tell if th

'We will have to pass the message again. We need m

rrible', Ect

reater good',

ed in dis

ed on, what did they

ning an escape. Choose whe

o see if there were any changes in the movement of the guard

es. 'No one but members of our command and those we interpret to

e code did

un

is concentration was broken by the s

ace with his hands

as in our platoon. A very fast runn

s quiet for

ut off', Raimund

ust happy to know th

suprised that I have not gone

e a feeling that things will h

cells close to them on the right. It see

en we should be working

alled. 'Come and

cells away', O

. It was Alfonso from their command. His right eye had been plucked out, but then, he had been half blind in the eye so it was not much of a loss. The code words he was passing on confirmed the decision

Devon decoded the message

something'. Ever

harm us? Are they allowed to inflict any

at help us?'

We also need to get the key to our cell which is why

the key?' Orsino

e key, along with a pen k

ed and shoo

f this remember? So mind y

get any of those without being caught? And what

d from outside and make a lot of noise when sw

guard first',

enello', De

o volunteered. 'My arms

d Fridays, between the second and third shifts. We can grab one of the serving guards. O

. 'How do you know th

on', Ienel

re?' Iohann

lo no

ask the guards for the day, the date and the

The downside is that we might be starved for a few weeks, or

ot be punished for what I am

en', Xame snapped

is Friday,

ticed some empty cells and some cells with less than five inmates. It is possible that

will not be starved or sent to the whips as long as it is not to a solitary ce

get rea

sing to Ienello. His broken right foot did little to slow him down and three guards were dead and several others were injured before he was restrained. Ienello noted that the prisoner was only bound hand and foot and taken to the back of the hall. A cell groaned open and shut. Osmurdo and two other inmates were also

red. 'You must be happy to see oth

them and went to sit in

ned to normal. Maybe they wouldn't and things would only get tougher. No matter what happened, he was leaving this place. Ien

miled at the confused inmates and pointed at his mouth

ould all talk. They realised suddenly how lucky they all were despite their l

cells died down and the succeeding cells took the cue and kept quiet. Someone, most probably the senior officer, gave a loud instruction to the guards to move to their respective cells to address the prisoners. Mezron came to Ienello's cell. The cellma

in the same'. He chuckled as he added. 'The lot of you are just like animals fattened to be slaughtered. You will be relieved of your miserable lives in a few days. Now, if you have any key with you, you had better hand it over. The keys are useless to you. Your cell is opened fr

ly disturbed. A few seemed indifferent. He wondered briefly how Osmurdo was doing and if he

of their stand, if they were still willing to go along with

t only a few were really shaken in their resolve to go on.

ad of being forced to return them. This proves that the guards are limited in what they are allowed to do with us. Also, when Mezron was talking, he said that orders had been placed for new sets of keys and locks. Given that there is a ready supply, it would take at least three to four days for them to ge

t the king's personal pe

ld in this prison and in two others located elsewhere. Prisoners held for state crimes are usually t

now all this?

that the Commanders had plans to liberate t

ecame prisoners', Pedr

in who will fight to liberate the peopl

sounds can travel faster than the linecodes or the words. I am s

scuss', Raimundo interjected. 'Are w

oked at Ien

pset. 'They also wish

eryone would only hamper the chances of anyone getting out at all. Not to worry, the king would not extend the consequences of our action to them. Though they may stay here for longer, they sh

worried voice. 'Are we not already operating on a la

ial at Ildron, at the last count, the Second Command had only nine hundred

d men', Ec

ied for the first time since they began their plans. 'That would mean there were about

was my turn to be cut, I counted at least a hundred men

d. By the time I was taken, we were only four left. More than two thirds

ds and legs. Some already had terrible wounds from the battle e

ew had an eye plucked out. I'm glad I only got an ear cut

ces of that terrible day, and it seemed to help. M

l, 'there were originally thirty of us put in here. We witnessed ten deaths between our that day and our f

and twos and threes. Soon he was the only healthy member left in the cell. He was quickly removed and put in another cell, an empty one where he stayed all the while before he was brought to their cell. The same thing also happened to the cell close

five have three to five inmates, seven have between ten to twelve. The rest have a good number of i

ed the atmosphere to find out about s

t our numbers are greatly reduced, Gonzalo concluded. He added quietly, 'maybe it is for their own good that they are dead already. They do not need to face the danger

rought from?' Devon asked Enrique. He signalle

mber, at least two thousan

o must remember to build a resistance that will bring down

ble until the king came for them. Enrique took one look at the guard's trousers and turned to the others turning his lips. Th

are naked', A

the two guards left with him. As they left, Enrique brought out a key from his hair. He explained that he had taken it from Mezron. Mezron had been in charge of his solitary cell. Worry at the fate of Alvaro reduced the inmates' joy. Soon his s

a corner of the cell. Ienello was very concerned but kept everyone away. After a while, Alvaro c

ards complained that the cuffs have developed a problem and that no one was to be hung up until it was fixed. New cuffs will be brought in three day's time. Our plan to escape must be executed th

hey heard the booming noise the gate made each time it ws closed. Ienello decoded the message to his fellow inmates. The guards on patrol began to suspect the continous whistling. They stopped at different cells to ensure that nothing was going on. Jeers three cells away from Ienello's cell attracted a good number of the guards. One guard was yelling on top of his voice at the prisoners in the cell. The other guards intervened warning the prisoners and pulling away the guard. Loud laughter rose among the cellmates and they threw whatever they could at the guards. Their aim was to get the guards to pick one of them to be hung. The plan did not work that first time, so they waited till the next

. They did not look like they were going to whip him. The response was sent back by a cell closer to those at the back. Their plan was in motion. Their man was still at the whips. Another cell sent back the sounds telling those close to the p