If it wasn’t Monday, it could be Sunday, or Tuesday, but it didn’t matter anymore, it never did when you are a captive child in Octo Valley. You only knew the day in the morning, if the General would say the day. You slept in a bunk bed with another Inkling. They never call you by your name, only with a code name, so that if anyone would recognize you, you wouldn’t recognize them.
It was midnight, two inkling girls were still up. The cell they were rundown, like every other cell. Rotting beds, creaky rusted bed frames, a toilet, a sink, and a small window that was the only thing that lets light in. Even with these conditions, the two inkling girls were already up and heading to a brick in the wall. “Are we going to see him again Lilyflower?” Whispered one of the girls. The other nodded “Yeah, we are Dot”.
The two pulled on the brick as hard as they could. Soon, it revealed a small passage. Lilyflower crawled in first, then Dot went after her. They kept crawling through the ragged passage until the texture of the ceil, walls, and floor became smoother. Lilyflower turned to the left, a grate was in the way, tapped on the grate in a pattern and waited until hearing footsteps heading their way. Dot sat next to Lilyflower nervously as she saw two hands pulling on the grate to let them in. “General H?” A tone of confusion came from Dot, Lilyflower only crawled out and gave him a tight squeeze. “Dot, Lilyflower, I’m here to take you home” H stated. The two girls’ eyes widen “Really?!” Dot cheered as Lilyflower looked up at him “Did you find our real information H?” She asked.
General H nodded as he had two folders in his hand “Let’s start with Dot since she is the youngest”. Dot looked at him as he began reading “Dot, Your real name is Alexandra Younger, You are as of this moment 7 years old. Your family lives in SeaGreen Cove, east of Inkopolis” he cleared his throat “You’re Mother; Janet Younger, works for the LoC agency. Your Father; General "L”-“. Dot’s mouth was agape. Her father was a octoling? But why would he keep her here? Did he not know about her capture? "General L-” H continued “He never knew about the King’s plans to capture children, if he did- he would have hidden you”.
“So what does that make me?” Dot asked. “This makes you a Mimic-Firefly InkOctoling Alexandra…” H replied. Lilyflower stared at her friend “Alexandra- It such a pretty name, I hope my name is pretty, just like yours!” She marveled. H looked over at Lilyflower “Now, let’s get on with you”. Lilyflower looked at him excited as he began reading “Nathalie Boomerville, you turned 10 a few weeks ago, You were taken from SeaShell Shore, west of Inkopolis”. Nathalie looked up at H. He only made split second eye contact and looked away to keep reading “Your parents Alice J. Boomerville and Alka Boomerville are very rich, You have one older sibling Annabell J. Boomerville, and two younger siblings, Corey and Abigail Boomerville.. That’s all for now that we have here”.
“But what about my species? What am I? Am I a Octoling???” Nathalie asked, getting frantic. They had told her all her life that she was a Octoling, but it can’t be true! She would resemble the other Octolings wouldn’t she? H only looked at her “I can’t answer that.. We don’t know if Vampire Squids are really Squids, or even if you are a Octoling, Not even the Humans could figure it out..”.
She only nodded as General H grabbed their hands. He sped walk until the closest exit to the research faculty. “Keep headin’ south of this place as soon as you exit this door, once you find a small shack; talk to the squid who lives there, tell him to lead you to the Agency, They will help you get home”.
The two girls looked at H, then, as the door rose to revile a sliver light. H pushed them out and closed the door slowly. The girls ran and didn’t look back. Nathalie; looked back once. Her eyes were watery, as she thought about everyone who she called family.
Alexandra called her.
She looked back.
She ran.
She’ll remember.
That the letter H will always be her favorite letter.
She’ll be back to save him.