6 A Plea For Escape

There had been many people who had sought to leave and run away from the camps of the Crude Land. And many that had done so as well. Of course, with how they lived, not all of them were in good health and were reliant on their families that provided for them.

It was these healthy or stronger individuals who would find their families as burden and decided to leave. Even if their options outside the Crude Lands might be limited, but they still wished to return to society. It didn't matter what position they might find themselves in, but they reckoned it would still be better than here.

But Asher was not like that. He had never once thought about leaving Tess behind. 

He knew the sacrifices she had made to raise him from a baby as well as the grueling hard work she had done. This was also the reason why she was unwell right now. 

Asher glanced at the wrinkled face of Tess that was marred by age and decades of hardship. Her eyes still carried the same tenderness they did, the first day she had seen him. That alone was enough for Asher to never have the heart to abandon her.

"You HAVE to leave Asher!" But Tess was having none of it. 

"Tess is right Asher, you still have the privilege of leaving." Berk agreed with the woman. "You were not born here and were brought as an infant. No one outside will know who you are and neither will they know you lived in the Crude Lands. You are not an Exile!" he tried to convince the boy.

~clink~

Small stones fell from the roof, creating a low echo in the tunnel. It was a common sight in the mines, and a faint tremble could also be felt.

Most of the people had already gotten used to them and mostly ignored them. Only when they got stronger beyond a certain level, would they think that the mine was collapsing.

~Ripple~

Another pebble fell into the puddle next to Asher, making him stir and look at his grandmother.

"You have a great heart, Asher. I know you're only here because you chose to stand up against the Overseer for his injustice. Something like that might not be valued here, and is lost on all the people here." Tess spoke in a heavy tone. "But outside… There are still many places that greatly value it. It is there that you will find your worth. Go there… For yourself and me. I do not have much time here. You will only be wasting your potential caring for me." She added with moist eyes.

"I…" After hearing their words, Asher didn't know what to say. 

Asher could tell that Tess really didn't wish for him to stay here. In fact, it was something she had wished for since years ago. She didn't want him to live and grow here in a barren place like the Crude Lands.

~Sigh~

Berk placed his hand on Asher's shoulder and gripped it, making the boy look at him.

"Going to Mine number fifty is better than here as you'll at least be free to move around in the mine and not be chained. That is how you'll have a chance to get free." Berk stated.

Asher tried to get a hold of his emotions and forcibly calmed down, hearing the words of the two elders.

"Even if that is true, how will I actually run away?" Asher questioned. "They have too many guards watching the entrance of the mine." He said, feeling confused.

"Indeed… but they don't have anyone watching the other exit." Berk said, surprising Asher.

"What…? But there are no exits… The entrance is the only exit," Asher replied before his eyes widened with realization.

"There is another… Twenty years ago, there used to be not one but two exits. But the second exit had its roof collapse and it got flooded with water. After that it was abandoned and no one goes there," Berk revealed. "You will have to swim through the flooded tunnel and get through the collapsed rocks. There is still a gap that is big enough for you to squeeze through." He explained.

"How do you… Know this?" Asher was surprised.

"I once… Tried to escape as well." Berk replied while touching his blind eye with the scar.

"That's how you got blind?" Arthur said upon seeing that.

"Yes… it was a punishment for trying to run." Berk replied. "I almost succeeded too… But right at the end, I saw that the tunnel was not enough to accommodate me. Having no choice, I was forced to return." He said, surprising Arthur.

"Why didn't you speak about this before?" Arthur inquired.

"I didn't want anyone else ongoing on a journey that might spell their death. That tunnel is not safe and has been unstable for a while. The flooded path is also quite deep and you'll have to hold your breath for at least a minute, if not more, to get through it. 

It will be a tough and dangerous journey… But you have no other choice." Berk answered.

Asher thought over it all and was quite uncertain about it.

"You can do it, Asher. It is also the only way they will have no suspicion that you escaped. They will simply think you died inside. There are many that have died in that mine from falling rocks and were never found." Berk stated, trying to encourage the boy.

With how dangerous the task was, Berk didn't even know if they would be successful in getting him to leave. It was honestly something he might have recommended to Asher, but he saw the fire in the boy.

He knew he had the courage and drive to do it. Not to mention, Asher was still fit despite not having the best food to eat.

This was one of the reasons why they had been able to mine beyond their quota everyday. Asher had great stamina, unlike all the other children of his age. This, combined with Berk's excellent ability of finding ore veins, the two managed to mine decently.