The outcome of our efforts is even greater than I imagined. All of the prisoners from all the districts have agreed to cooperate. It seems that this prison is equally unbearable for all of us. Even the people whom I've had a hard time with in the past (like Dave and his sister from the feline district) are on our side now.

We've been gathering in the dungeon for our meetings. I have relaid my plan to the participants - the plan Dagur and I have devised together. As Dagur told me some weeks ago (three weeks have passed since we made the deal), my plan was far from perfect. He helped me modify it so that we'd reach perfection. Knut is returning next Saturday, so I will soon have to fulfill my part of the deal. When Dagur takes care of Derek as he's promised, that is.

Apart from the prisoners, many administrators too, have agreed to cooperate. Jared from the canine district, Shon's good friend, is with us. Mei, the panda headwoman of the bear district, and Son Goku, the headman of the monkey district, have joined us as well, just like Annabelle had predicted.

We're operating in secrecy. Those who are against us know nothing of our plan. We've decided to escape right after Knut returns and I tell him of our plans. I haven't disclosed these last details to anyone, though. I know they'll be against it if they find out. I haven't told them anything about Dagur and our promise either. I don't know what the feline prisoners might think of Dagur, and I don't want to ask and find out. If I want to escape, everything must run smoothly. Even a little disagreement between our ranks might result in complete failure.

The date of our break-out is February the 1st - the first day of the last month of winter.

"I've got to say, Theo - I didn't think you'd turn out the most daring of all of us."

Annabelle's drinking a bottle of blood. We're in our cell now. Yelen's been sent back here after Bob found out about Rufus' intentions to marry her and forbade them to have such a serious relationship. So, now all the three of us are together, like in good old times.

"Hmph, you shouldn't have underestimated me! Not only bikers know the true values of life. We, artists, have always been free-spirited."

I drink from my bottle. If Annabelle thinks only bikers know the true joy of freedom, she's greatly mistaken.

"Heh, cheeky!" She smiles.

We both laugh. The months of being locked up together have done their thing - she and I have become good friends. Yelen, on the other hand, isn't that close with either of us. I guess the only thing she truly cares about is how to escape and start a new life with Rufus, as she's always wanted.

"Ladies, it is supper time!"

Rufus opens our cells. Yelen embraces him with joy. Annabelle and I follow them outside. We stand in the vampire line as before and head to the dining hall. Yet, this time, like at all times during these past weeks when we've secretly been meeting up and conversing about our escape plan, all of us prisoners are giving one another smiles as if children who are up to some mischief. The raven guards know what it's all about, but the bats don't, so we try not to let them notice.

We enter the dining hall. Here too, many prisoners exchange smiles. I go to the counter to get my food from the cooks, while Annabelle has already taken a seat with the bear deviants.

Merpeople cooks give a bowl of bean soup to all the prisoners who have no ties with any guards or overseers. However, once I walk up to them with my tray, they only give me a sign to pass and serve the other prisoners after me in the line.

"Excuse me! Aren't you going to serve me?"

"There's not enough food."

"That entire pot is full of soup, and you're telling me it's not enough for everyone?"

Either they have gone out of their minds, or something nasty is going on here.

"We've received the order from our district," the main chef, Melanie, answers.

"Oh?" I smash my tray to the counter. "What kind of an order, I wonder?"

The prisoners stare at me astonished. They too begin to suspect something is up. They're eyeing one another to find answers, but none can provide any.

"The order not to serve Theo Sinclaire," Melanie replies. "You've insulted our headman. We merpeople must uphold his pride."

My blood begins to boil. Their headman is Derek. So, he's gone as far as to make me starve? A witty move considering the fact that all cooks in this prison are merpeople. But he's underestimated me just like Annabelle and the others have. He thought I'd be patient? - Well, I'm not.

"Where's Derek Karcharias?"

My clenched fists make the cooks understand I'm serious. They all look at Melanie with troubled faces.

"Where is he?" I repeat louder.

"Looking for me, Theo Sinclaire?"

I turn around to face the man I've been longing to kill ever since my first and last whale-hunting when he pushed me off the cliff. Beholding him up close fills my heart with incense. That arrogant smile on his face makes him all the more disgusting.

"You have no right to forbid them to serve me!"

"Oh, but I do. You see, they belong to my district." His smile deepens as he fondles my hair.

"Don't touch me!" I push his hand off. I am barely able to hold myself from biting him. "Either you tell them to give me my food, or you will become my snack instead!"

"Oh? Is that a threat? Well then, I dare you to try!"

His blue eyes pierce mine. But they can't scare me. I've met creepier gazes before and I've withstood them. Compared to them, this is child's play. My deal with Dagur will have to be altered, it seems. I cannot wait for when he takes care of this bastard. I must do it on my own.

I get off the counter, but my eyes are set on Derek. I'm giving him a sign to follow me because I'd like to settle the matters right here and now. I've only moved to free space for the other prisoners to get their food.

Everyone seems to have forgotten about hunger, though. They all are staring at us, with excitement. I guess they can't wait for the show to begin - a rebellious prisoner against the headman of the merpeople district. The guards aren't watching, so now's truly the perfect chance.

I dash at Derek, with my claws and fangs ready. He parries my blow with his claws and pushes me off. I plunge on again. I struggle against him, trying to land a bite at least somewhere so that I'd poison him as he deserves.

"You'll never beat me. I'm a shark if you've forgotten."

He swings his claws at my face. I jump back to avoid them.

"Sharks are fish. Fish are a snack!"

I scratch him on the muscled chest he's always been showing off with pride. He grunts in pain. The blood trickles off his skin. It makes me all the more ecstatic. He does seem like a good breakfast.

"You slut!"

He charges at me and bites me on the shoulder. It is my turn to scream. I don't back down and bite him on the neck, on my part. As he yells and lets go of me, I stab him in the abdomen and shove him off. He collapses to the ground. He spits blood as I've not only hurt him but also injected venom into his body. He's got what he deserved.

"Hey! Halt!"

Some feline and merpeople guards encircle us. The felines grab me. The merpeople kneel beside their downed headman. Some of them - the healers - begin to treat him. Rufus and Ronald arrive too, with their group of vampires.

"Theo, how could you?!" Rufus frowns at me.

"He wanted to make me starve!"

"You should've called me!"

"But he was so annoying_"

"Enough!"

Bob approaches us. He is followed by a lot of feline retinues in soldierly trousers - the grand administrators, his direct henchmen.

"Theo Sinclaire, I've warned you about what would happen the next time you dared break the rules!"

"It was Derek who_"

"Silence!" Bob thunders. "Lord Derek has full rights to order the merpeople as he sees fit, while you, as a worthless prisoner, have no right to lay a finger on him!"

The merpeople help Derek stand up. He glares at me. I gather he wants to kill me with his own hands. I'm having the exact same feeling about him.

"I've had enough of you, Theo Sinclaire!" Bob says. "It's time to execute you."

Claws grow on his hands. This time, even Rufus can't help me, because I've indeed broken one of the highest laws, unlike back in the vampire administrative hall. Back then, he stood up for me, because I was innocent. This time, I'm guilty.

Bob snarls and swings his claws.

"Stop!"

Bob's hand freezes in mid-air. The entire hall silences down. This voice is like nothing I've heard before. It is calm and collected, but so stern that makes goose-bumps run down one's spine. Feet are thudding steadily onto the floor. Someone's coming.

Everyone bows down - Bob, Derek, Ronald, Rufus, the other administrators, cooks, guards, overseers, and prisoners. They all show respect to the one who's entered. I eye him with curiosity, only to receive more shivers because I easily guess who he is.

A barefoot man as tall as Knut, with the same type of snow leopard fur growing on his arms and legs, dressed in black trousers, a shabby white t-shirt, and a thin black coat with a hood that covers his face.

It is the warden.