Free Elysium. Part One. by Kelvin James Roper Page A

your ears into next week!’ Betty said, pushing the door open cautiously. ‘I ain’t meant to be talking to yer, so don’t go compellin’ me to do so,’
     Priya smiled at that. She looked slyly at Selina and winked before turning back to Betty. ‘What’s you’re name, love?’
     ‘Mind yer own!’
     ‘Is the gentleman we spoke to last night, Mr. Semilion… is he your boyfriend… Your lover?’
     Betty rounded on Priya, her brow darkened. She pointed a stubby finger at her, saying, ‘Mr. Tupper is my employer! Lover, indeed, I’ve never heard the like. How dare you come here and make such claims! Oh, the shame of yer words, they make me quite ill!’
     She turned and walked to the far end of the corridor between the cells, opening a gate that lead to a third cell and tugging on the curtain within. The gloom lifted a little more and turned the grey stone the colour of ivory. She told them to keep still before unlocking Priya’s cell, making her way cautiously behind her and opening another set of curtains. A plume of radiant light set Priya’s hair ablaze, and even Betty couldn’t help but admire the shimmering ringlets in a flicker of jealousy before the familiar rubbery scowl returned. She locked the door behind her and entered Selina’s cell, pulled away the third and final curtain, which brightened the cell-block to an almost dazzling white.
      ‘This is an old public toilet,’ Priya said, rolling over and looking behind her. ‘Look, you can see where the u-bend’s used to connect to the tiles.’
      Selina turned to inspect the floor, noticing similar holes in her cell. ‘This is a toilet?’ she said to Betty.
      ‘Used to be that it did. Long time ago now…’ she looked around as though finding her bearings. She pointed at Selina. ‘That were the ladies,’ she turned to Priya and shrugged. ‘Looks like you drew the short straw.’
     Selina laughed at Betty’s evident glee, baring her teeth. Priya watched the dimples on Selina’s cheeks with a nonchalant joy; it was refreshing to see her smile so brightly after all the angst and worry. She looked beyond Selina’s shoulder towards the barred window and waited until Betty had stepped outside before whispering, ‘Do you think if we got out of these ropes then we could make a run for it?’
     Selina shook her head, ‘No, she’s locked the doors. Besides, you tried last night and…’
     Priya slipped her hands from her binds, flexing her fingers dramatically and grinning. Selina watched, startled, as Priya rose from the crate and pulled herself up to the window. She released two brass fastenings and heaved it open a few centimetres, though the heavy bars on the exterior prevented its opening any further. A draught ruffled her hair and blew sparkling motes of dust into a frenzy.
     ‘Priya!’ Selina whispered sharply. ‘Priya, close it and sit down!’
     Priya remained at the window, her eyes closed and her lips curled into a smile as she felt the warm sun on her luminous face.
     Selina pleaded again, ‘Even if we got out they’d hunt us down,’ there was a moments silence. ‘You go, Priya, I’m staying here. I just want them to believe we mean them no harm and that we’re no threat. That Semilion guy seemed fine once he got that gun out of our faces. He seemed quite reasonable. He’ll understand, and he’ll let us go.’
     ‘You hope... What if this council of his doesn’t agree? What if they tell him we’re too much of a threat to their cosy little community? What if they say we have to be done away with?’
     Selina blinked, uncomfortable that Priya had voiced her own fears.
     Priya looked disappointed, and was about to say something as footsteps, with a brisker pace than that of Betty’s sounded on the steps outside. Selina panicked, and silently implored Priya to sit back down. The footsteps stopped and muffled conversation could be heard. The person outside was retreating and having a conversation with