Authors: Daelynn Quinn
Chapter
17
Time
doesn’t exist in the hole. I have no concept of day or night. I sleep and
awaken, but I don’t know for how long either lasts. All of my dreams are
collections of memories of my time at Crimson. All of my waking thoughts are of
Evie, Marcus, and my intentions to get out again.
During
my waking hours I work out to keep my body strong and fit. There’s not a lot of
wiggle room in this dungeon, so I utilize every inch of space I have. I run
laps around the room until I’m too tired to continue. Then I turn and run in
the other direction until I can run no more or I’m just too dizzy to stay on my
feet. I started doing pushups on the wall while my arms were too weak to hold
myself up. Then I graduated to knee pushups on the floor. Now I do regular full
body pushups. With the handcuffs still gripping my raw wrists, the positioning
is awkward. I can feel myself using muscles I didn’t even know I had. Now I’m
up to eighty pushups, three times a day. Squats, lunges, sit-ups. If I can do
it with my body, I do. I don’t waste idle time sitting around feeling sorry for
myself. Every second is precious time to use or waste. And I choose to use it.
I
don’t know exactly what it took for Respa to get the information we needed, but
she did. She knew the ins and outs of Crimson, which rooms were occupied at
what times, when Enforcers took their breaks, which Enforcers were more lax
than others, the comings and goings of certain vehicles, every possible exit
from the building and gates.
Lynx
devised a plan using the prison blueprints and her knowledge of architecture
and building construction. She mapped out an escape route to the warehouse
through the air ducts. Respa had planned the time of our departure, so that our
absence would go unnoticed and we’d be able to sneak into the back of a cargo
van heading out to pick up more “refugees,” just before it left the warehouse.
I
had managed to convince Marcus and Evie to come with me. Lynx also brought
along Clover, who seemed even angrier about being in here than I was. Respa
remained insistent that she stay despite my constant prodding, but agreed to
cause a distraction in case we’d been discovered escaping.
Even
though the air ducts were wide and passable, they were still a nightmare for
any claustrophobic. Evie could slink through and maneuver around very easily.
But Clover had to struggle quite a bit more than the rest of us, being so large
and bulky. Marcus took the lead, making sure we were in the clear before taking
the next step. Evie was behind him, followed by me, then Clover, and Lynx
brought up the rear, helping to push Clover through the especially tight
curves. Although he was integral to our plan, there were times I really wish he
hadn’t come. I was so worried we would be late and miss our opportunity to
escape.
Marcus
paused when he reached the grate that led to the warehouse. He brought a
ratchet that Clover had picked off of a mechanic a few days earlier, and
loosened the bolts on the grate. After what seemed like an eternity we began to
move forward.
There
were stacks of wooden crates in front of the air duct, which made entering the
warehouse unseen rather easy. Unfortunately, they blocked our view, so it was
difficult to assay our surroundings. Once everybody was out, I peered around
the side of the crates. It looked like a typical warehouse: dull gray
cinderblock walls, a 3-story high ceiling covered with rafters, flickering
fluorescent lights. To the left a staircase ascended the wall to a single door
and an elevated walkway spanned the perimeter where Enforcers were supposed be
posted at all times—it was empty. On the floor were wooden crates like
the ones we were hiding behind and all kinds of vehicles facing the open garage
doors.
I
caught a glimpse of a middle-aged man with a black baseball cap climb into a
small white cargo van. Marcus nudged me, a signal that it was time to go.
It
was late at night, so there weren’t many people there. A group of Enforcers
were huddled around a table playing cards. I suppose that’s where the missing
Enforcers were—playing games and goofing off instead of staying at their
posts. Glenn was among them. They were so engrossed in their game; they didn’t
even look up when we scurried between the stacks of crates toward the van.
The
engine started just as we got in. I was surprised the driver didn’t notice the
shift in weight, especially after Clover climbed in and shut the door. The back
of the van was empty except for the five of us. We began to move forward.
We
made it
. I hugged Evie and loosened my grip
on her, knowing that we would be okay. We were going home. Home, where we could
begin a new life. Just Evie and me. And maybe Marcus, if he wanted. He’d make a
great father figure for Evie. And I’d have to be a mother to her. A role that
absolutely terrified me after what happened to Lex. Now I would be thrust into
that position with no other options. But I couldn’t allow myself to fall victim
to my fears now. We were going home.
A
flood of relief washed over me for about three seconds. Then the back doors of
the van flew open and there was Glenn, sneering at me. He lunged forward,
snatched Evie from my arms, and then slammed the doors shut, inches from my
face, as the van took off. I tried to open the door to get out, but Marcus held
me back.
“Don’t
Pollen,” he protested, “that’s what he wants you to do.”
“But
I can’t leave without her!” I pleaded.
“We’ll
come back for her,” he said, “I promise. If we go back now we’ll all be
condemned.”
“But
what if they hurt her?” I asked.
“They
won’t,” said Marcus. “I don’t care what he says, Glenn still loves you. He took
Evie because he knew you would come back to get her. He wouldn’t hurt her if
that meant losing you.”
“He’s
already lost me.”
“I
know. But he’s still hanging on to the hope you’ll change your mind. Trust me.
I’ve been there,” he said.
We
all jerked toward the front as van began to slow to a stop. Marcus placed his
finger to his lips and we all froze. According to Respa, there were two fenced
perimeters surrounding Crimson. She mentioned a possible third one, but said it
was unmanned.
The
plan was to get out at the second gate, as the Enforcers were checking the
drivers, and take control the van. Respa assured us that they don’t check the
cargo at the first gate, but as we were sitting there silently, I could hear
voices just outside the back doors.
The latches on the doors screeched as they slowly twisted and my
breathing intensified. The voices quieted as the sound of my rapidly beating
heart took over. Marcus cracked his knuckles and turned to look at Clover.
Clover gave a brief nod of assent.
Just
as the doors cracked open, Marcus and Clover drove them forward, knocking down
the Enforcer who opened them along with another man, the driver, I presume.
There were three more Enforcers, two men and a woman, standing just beyond the
reach of the doors. Marcus and Clover jumped out of the van with such force
none of the Enforcers had the time to aim their weapons before they were pushed
to the ground. The third man turned and ran back toward the warehouse. In the
dark distance, illuminated by the floodlights outside the prison, more Enforcers
were mobilizing, running towards us and getting into their vehicles.
I
suppose the Enforcers were ill prepared for an event such as this. After all,
this was the first escape ever attempted at Crimson since the virus, and most
of the Enforcers were just ordinary citizens wearing a crappy blue uniform.
I
crawled out to see Marcus striking an Enforcer’s head with a cudgel he must
have swiped from one of them. I had to jump over the legs of another Enforcer,
whom Clover was straddling, punching his face. It’s obvious he and Clover
didn’t intend to kill the Enforcers, just keep them out of our way. I reached
the drivers door just as the driver was scrambling to get in and somehow found
the strength to yank him out and throw him to the ground. I got in just as Lynx
was entering the other side. To my relief, the engine was still running. I
honked the horn to signal to the guys that we were ready.
The
vehicle jerked down slightly with the weight of Marcus and Clover in the back.
A muffled shout came from the back just before the doors slammed shut. “Go!”
I
put the car in drive and stomped on the accelerator. I could see the second
gate approaching quickly. It was closed and two men stood before it, but I
pushed the pedal to the floor with no intention of letting up. They ducked to
the side, only after they realized the van was speeding up instead of slowing.
My whole body tensed and my arms flew over my face as the van crashed through
the gate, ripping a hole through the metal fencing which screeched as it
scratched the side of the van. The windshield cracked, but I could still see
the road ahead. Behind us, there were at least five vehicles on our tail.
Alarms blared and lights flashed all around Crimson.
Oh my god, what have we
done?
I
hadn’t realized the implications of our plot when we had planned it out. I
guess that just shows how naïve I truly am. I actually thought we’d make a
quiet escape and nobody would realize our absence until the next morning. How
wrong I was. Now we had half the facility chasing us and if we couldn’t get
away, well, I didn’t want to think of what would happen to us.
My
foot pressed the accelerator all the way to the floor, but the van wouldn’t go
any faster, and our pursuers were quickly closing the gap. I’d driven about a
mile or two and Crimson was out of sight. All I could see behind me were
headlights and the flashing blue lights of the Crimson vehicles. Respa must
have been mistaken about the third gate, since all I saw out there was pasture
with woods beyond.
The road up
ahead curved and I was forced to slow down. Out of the corner of my eye I saw
Lynx gripping the dashboard, and staring straight ahead. She looked quietly
focused, nothing like the nervous wreck I was.
Approaching
the curve I was torn between the need to slow down and the compulsion to
escape. As we veered to the left I flinched in horror as I realized I misjudged
the arc of the curve. I tried to brake, but it was too late. The van had
already tilted up on its side tires. In a moment that seemed to last twenty
minutes, we rolled over like wet clothes in a dryer. Glass shattered and I felt
a burning sensation across my face as a shard sliced right through the skin,
from my forehead, across my nose, down my opposite cheek.
Amazingly,
the van landed right side up and with my adrenaline still coursing through my
veins I leapt out of the van and helped Lynx out. She looked bruised and sore,
but in good condition. Marcus and Clover made it out as well, with superficial
bumps and bruises, though Clover has a conspicuous limp in his right leg.
Headlights
of the Crimson vehicles were approaching and we had no choice but to carry out
into the field. There was a wooded area in the distance and I knew if we could
reach it we would be safe under the cloak of the trees and darkness, at least
for the night.
Lynx
hung on to Clover as he struggled to run. Marcus and I took the lead. Car doors
slammed behind us and Marcus grasped my hand and pulled me, urging me to run
faster. I couldn’t stop myself from looking back to see flickers of
flashlights. But when the pops of gunshots sounded I turned back and forced my
legs to dart faster.
Finally
we reached the edge of the woods. Marcus stopped and pulled me against him as
we waited for Lynx and Clover to catch up.
“We
need to split up,” he said, looking down at my teary eyes.
“But
I don’t want to leave you,” I beg. Marcus wrapped his hands around my neck and
gazed into my soul. The flickering flashlights morphed into stars. The
explosions of gunfire were booming fireworks, raining down over us. It was the
romance of my engagement night all over again. But this time I felt more in
love. More sure of myself. Marcus was the man I was meant to be with. Not
Glenn. When he pressed his lips to mine, my body weakened and strengthened at
the same time. I was relaxed, yet confident. A missing piece of my life was
restored. I was no longer afraid of what lay ahead for us. I didn’t want to let
go of him, but somehow I found the will to, knowing that we would find each
other again.
By
the time Lynx and Clover caught up with us, Marcus pushed me away. I watched
him longingly as he and Clover dashed into the woods towards the right. Lynx
pulled me away and we went left. After the trees safely concealed us we split
up. I kept running, even though the gunshots had stopped and I didn’t see the
lights anymore.
I
must have run about two miles into the woods before I approached an unusual
landmark. A nine-foot column that had no place in a wooded area such as this,
stood amongst the trees. It wasn’t like any architectural construction I’d seen
before. It was dark, sleek and metallic, like a shiny missile standing upright.
As I closed in on it, I could feel a strong energetic pulse radiate through the
air. I decided to stay away from it, not wanting to risk myself for the sake of
curiosity, and continued past it on my path. Then I blacked out.
Chapter
18
I
feel like a helpless teenage girl in a suspenseful horror movie as the heavy
door screeches open and I am blinded by the light from the hallway behind the
large figure standing in the doorway. The bulky man enters and hoists me up
from the floor by my elbows. My wrists are raw from the handcuffs, which he
removes, but my muscles are strong. I could easily get up and move on my own,
but I play the part of the weak prisoner allowing the Enforcer to half-carry me
out the door, dragging my feet. I don’t want them to know that I’ve been using
this time to my advantage and I certainly don’t want them to get suspicious.
I
still don’t know how long I was imprisoned for. More than two weeks I would
guess. Possibly even a month. Without the luxury of witnessing the sunrise and
sunset, it’s hard to say. I just hope that Marcus made out better than I. He
probably doesn’t even know if I’m still alive. He’s strong, resilient, but
doesn’t hold on to hope very well when it comes to women in his life. I pray
that he hasn’t given up on me. The Enforcer leads me out into the hallway where
we are met by two more Enforcers, who escort me to my new room.
At
the entrance to the wing, there are two armed Enforcers. Hmm…I don’t remember
them being armed before, at least not the ones working inside the building.
Something else is different around here. The tension in the air. Fear even.
It’s almost as if the air is filled with fibrous webs that threaten
entanglement. It’s suffocating.
One
of the Enforcers at the entrance pulls out a handheld scanner and scans my
temple. Dizziness consumes me for a few seconds before it passes.
“McRae,
Pollen. Age twenty. Cell number two-seventy. To the left and straight back,”
says the Enforcer. They step out of the way and we proceed to my new domicile.
Temporary, of course.
I
have no roommates this time. Just a single bed cell at the end of the
cellblock. The woman in the room next to me is a mute, and her roommate barely
acknowledges my existence. I guess they won’t be helping me in my escape
attempt.
I
find myself wondering about Lynx. She made it into the woods with me and that
was the last I saw of her.
Did she make it? Did she get recaptured?
Or did she meet the same fate as Clover? She’s a
smart, resourceful woman. I hold on to the optimism that she made it, but I’m
also selfishly hoping that she is back here at Crimson, so I don’t have to be
alone.
Once
I’m settled, the first thing I do is go to the cafeteria. I feast on a large
polystyrene foam plate of pasta with tomato sauce, garlic bread, a salad, and
two cups of orange juice. The food they fed me in solitary was bland and
tasteless. Colorless too. I savor every silky noodle, every crisp lettuce leaf,
and the tart sweetness of the juice. I allow myself to I melt into this moment.
After facing death so many times, I’ve realized how blissful something as
mundane as eating can be. I allow my senses to take hold. This could possibly
be the last truly peaceful moment in my life.
I
was expecting to see Evie or Marcus or even Lynx here. But I don’t recognize
anyone. Well, there are a few familiar faces but nobody I really knew. Gazing
around the room, I notice a few people staring at me. Some with angry
expressions. Some fearful. I must be imagining things. Nobody even knows me.
How could they be angry or scared of me?
Now
that I am nourished I’m determined to find Evie and Marcus again. I stand up to
return my tray when I spot a familiar face. Respa is standing in a dark corner
staring at me. My face lights up as I begin towards her. Then I stop. She
shakes her head slightly at me. That short gesture was enough to tell me it is
not a good time to talk. She turns and walks out of the cafeteria toward the
Rec Room. Something was odd about Respa’s demeanor. She looked bitter,
resentful. There was a fire in her eyes that pointed at me. And I don’t do fire
well. I wonder if our escape got her into trouble with Quorian, or even with
higher ranked Enforcers.
When
I get back to my cell there is a female Enforcer there waiting for me. Her
chin-length blond hair is tucked neatly under the blue cap and her eyes are
dark and void. She says very little and escorts me to a small room in a
separate wing of the building. On the way, I take note of my surroundings. I
count the doors, locate hallways, watch every human body we pass, Enforcers,
officers, janitors and so on.
Before
we enter the room, she checks my pockets and has me lift up my arms into a T
formation while she gives my body a security pat down. Just outside the door,
there is a clipboard inside a bin attached to the wall. She takes it out and
uses a pen to scribble something on the paper, then replaces the pen and
clipboard. A quick glance reveals some numbers, the time perhaps, and her name,
Dana followed by the numbers 421. Perhaps an identification code. Seems
appropriate considering the residents have identification codes embedded in our
tattoos.
The
room is white, windowless, and is furnished with a small table and two metal
folding chairs on each side. This must be one of the rooms they brought
prisoners to see their visitors. I truly do feel like a prisoner now, even if
I’m not wearing handcuffs anymore.
I
sit down and wait for what seems like an eternity, shifting my seat in the
chair and staring at the pattern of tiles on the floor to take my mind off the
discomfort. I can even here a ticking clock in my head.
Tick. Tock. Tick.
Tock.
Finally, the door opens and as soon
as she sees me, Evie flies into my arms.
“Auntie
Pollen!”
“Oh,
Evie I’ve missed you so much.” The Enforcer that escorted Evie, a hulky woman
who could pass for a female wrestler, steps in and stands in front of the door
for the remainder of our visit. I’d hate to get into a scuffle with her. She
must outweigh me by at least fifty pounds. Even though I’m facing away from
her, I can feel the weight of her stare press through my body. So much for
privacy. I guess they want to make sure I don’t take Evie and run again. With
that thought in mind, I take note of the weapons she’s carrying: a cudgel on
one hip, and some kind of holstered gun on the other.
I
sit back down in the chair and Evie hops up in my lap, ignoring the other
chair. She kicks her legs gleefully, and I couldn’t be happier to have her so
close to me again. I truly do love her like she is my own daughter.
“Why
did you leave me?” asks Evie, playing with the long strands of hair on my
shoulder.
“I’m
so sorry, Evie,” I say. “I’ll never leave you again.”
“Uncle
Glenn said you’d come back for me,” says Evie. Uncle Glenn. I
never
referred to him that way. It was always Mister Glenn,
I would tell her, until we were legally married. But that never happened. And
never would. I loathe him so much it’s burned a hole in my heart. I wonder what
other nonsense he may have told her.
“He’s
not your uncle, Evie,” I say. “Glenn is not a part of my life anymore. And he
is not family. Did he take care of you while I was gone?”
“Yes,”
she says. “Glenn played games with me and ate lunch with me. He even gave me
lollipops after the nurse took my blood.” They took more blood from her. My own
blood begins to boil. They have no business doing this to her. She’s just a
little girl. Barely out of diapers.
What could be so special about her that
they have to take so much blood?
“Well,
I’m happy that he took care of you,” I say, obviously irritated, but I try to
hold it together for her sake.
“Where’s
Marcus?” asks Evie.
Marcus.
I still don’t know what became of him after the accident. I know he survived
the initial impact, but he could be anywhere in this vast prison. In another
wing, in solitary, he could even be in a coma in the medical facility. Unless
they executed him.
Do they do that here?
I haven’t heard of it happening yet, but I can’t say I would be surprised if
they did.
“I
don’t know, honey,” I say. “But I’m sure he’s okay, wherever he is.” Evie and I
continue to talk about lighter subjects, some friends she’s made, new clothes
from the closet, and so on, until the monstrous Enforcer gruffly announces,
“Time’s up.”
I
embrace Evie one last time before the Enforcer escorts her out and closes the
door. I vow to myself, once we get out of here I will never let Evie out of my
sight again. A minute later, Dana 421 enters.
“When
will I see her again?” I ask.
“Visits
have been scheduled on a weekly basis,” she answers tersely before leading me
out.
Once
we pass through security and enter my cellblock, Dana 421 abandons me at the
gate. It’s late afternoon already. Time really flew by while I was with Evie. I
didn’t realize I was there for so long. Before my prior escape, I would use
this time to play games with Evie or hang out with the girls in our room. But
I’m all alone now. And I don’t have time for trivial time-wasters such as those
anyway. I have plans to make.
The
lowest floor of the wing, the Rec Room is lined with some empty prison cells,
which contain the “clothes closet,” the shower room, and beyond the stairs is
the entrance to the cafeteria. At the far wall is a seating area with couches
and fluffy armchairs around a large screen TV. Quite a few people gather there
to watch movies throughout the day. The center of the room is more open. There
used to be weightlifting equipment here but it’s gone now. On either side of
the stairs are small tables and chairs set up for games, writing, drawing, and
other leisure activities.
I
sit in a cushioned folding chair at a small round table right next to the base
of the stairs, and pretend to read a paperback while absorbing everything
around me. I notice three Enforcers pacing the floor, something that never
caught my attention before. Two of them, both appearing to be female although
they pretty much all look the same in those silly blue uniforms, meet at the
other side of the stairs and speak quietly to themselves.
“Did
you hear about Gate 23?” says the shorter of the Enforcers.
“The
security breech? Yeah, Griffin mentioned that. Any word on when it will be
accessible?” the taller Enforcer, with long, stick-like legs, asks.
“Not
yet. Officer Wyndham told me to stay away until they get the scanners fixed,”
replies Shorty.
“Whose
on duty? I’d love to work Gate 23. It’d be a nice relief to catch a break from
babysitting.”
Babysitting? Is that what they really think of us?
“Not
sure. I’ll put in a word with Wyndham. Maybe we can both be stationed there for
a day or two.”
The
third Enforcer, a tall, lanky man, joins the two gossiping women. “Hey, nobody
told me it’s time for a break. Back to the floor you two.” Their bodies stiffen
and go back to pacing the common area again.
Gate
23. Now I wished I’d paid more attention to the blueprints Lynx studied. I need
to find out where Gate 23 leads. Perhaps it’s a way out of the complex. Surely
Glenn knows, but I can’t face him after what he did. He probably wouldn’t tell
me anyway. Then there’s Respa. Speak of the devil. Here she comes.
“Hey,
Respa,” I start. But she walks right by me and up the stairs, ignoring my
greeting. I quickly follow and grab her arm, almost causing her to fall. She
glowers at me, “Don’t,” and shakes her arm away.
She
continues up the stairs, not even looking back.
Why is she treating me with
such disdain? Did she get caught as an accomplice in our escape? What happened?
I have so many questions for her, but if she won’t
even acknowledge me how am I to get any answers? I really want to follow her
and demand she talk to me, but I’ve already gained too much attention from the
residents here and I can’t risk causing a scene.
I’m
going to have to catch her alone, which will be difficult considering the extra
security in this place. The only place around here that offers any privacy
anymore is the shower room. I’ll have to get her in there mid-afternoon or late
in the evening when nobody is showering. For now, I need to get some fresh air.