The Fall

13. Free

1.18.20

Connor's POV

The silence of the prison was beginning to make me go insane, but I have to listen out every single day for shifts in the guard rotations. The man in the cell next to me had given me as much information as he had before getting taken away by some men in lab coats, and I haven't seen him since. I had been able to construct a rough plan for getting out, but I also had to figure out whether or not the rounds of the guards changed from day to day. I just hope that I get out of here before I succumb to whatever fate he did.

As much as I wanted to get out of this hellhole, the man was right; it was a very difficult feat. A lot of thinking and rethinking had to go into my final path, but I knew it would work as long as the rounds stay the same. I stood up slowly before taking a walk around my cell to keep my legs functioning, and all I could hear was the breathing of my fellow inmates. Snores surrounded me, and I knew that if there was any time for me to try and escape it would be now... I just have to hope they haven't made a sudden change from what I predict the guards to be doing at this moment.

I picked the lock with the piercing that had previously been in my navel before slipping out into the hallway, and I didn't have the time to think through all of the things that could go wrong right now; I need to focus on the skill required in getting free. I snuck down the corridor avoiding all of the camera's field of vision, and it was going pretty well until I stepped in something almost as sticky as super glue. My foot was trapped, and it was now that I realized exactly how secure this place is; it's rigged with boobytraps, and even beyond that there's cameras and guard dogs. I don't know how I ever thought it was a good idea to try and break out of here.

I ended up leaving my shoe behind on the sticky patch before moving forward again, but this time I was focused on where I was putting my feet; the last thing I want is for my foot to be stuck directly on the substance; it would be impossible to get free and I would be hurt for sure once I was caught.

I managed to find the stairwell up, but my body was already starting to get tired. From what I understand, the different stairwells up were at opposite sides of each floor to make it harder for people to get out, and my stamina was already horrible. This was a high risk high reward situation, and I'm clinging onto my belief that I can ascend to the top floor. Of course, the constant traps that I had to avoid and the sheer distance was against me, but there's never been a challenge I couldn't complete. I won't allow this one to be the first.

By the time I had managed to climb 8 of the 10 floors, I felt like I was going to become a puddle on the floor. The only other option was the elevator, but it was always heavily guarded. You would think they would protect the stairs as well, but they probably figure that no sane person would be trying to do what I'm currently attempting. A lesser being would have given up floors ago, but I was only a few more floors from the top. I'm surprised no one has noticed I'm absent by now.

Of course, just thinking that jinxed me, and the worst sounding alarm ever flooded through all of the hallways. The sound brought a lot of pain into my head, but I knew that I couldn't let it effect my escape; I have to get the hell out of here if it's the last thing I do. I surged on through the pain, but I would still have a hard time considering they were locking everything down. I'm sure that the stairs are now being blocked by a lot of guards, but I luckily had a plan for this that I really didn't want to use. 

On the lower floors there wouldn't have been much I could do about an alarm going off and foiling my attempt, but up here there was less security. Therefore, they didn't really think much about someone trying to climb in through the ventilation system, and I was able to squeeze my rather large body into the area. I must say that it was like fitting a square peg in a round hole, but there wasn't really that much I could do about it.

I was able to fit all six foot four of me into the vent just before some guards ran by to search for me, and I was reminded that someone must be watching over me to get me this good of luck. I army crawled badly through the smaller metal chamber in order to reach the larger central one, and I knew that I was nothing even close to quiet but that didn't matter to me; I have to get out as quickly as possible. 

It was hard for me to find the passage up onto the first floor from inside the vents since I was so disorientated, but once I did all I had to do was go find an exit to the outside world and I would be home free. The closeness gave me a new version of hope that I had never felt before, and it was almost as if this was about to be the happiest day of my life. However, that title had to go to the day that Larp was born, but this one is pretty far up there. That's an achievement considering how many days I've been alive.

I finally caught the scent of fresh Autumn air, and I made my way after the taste of freedom. My body may have been caught up in the crawling motion, but my brain was already outside with the stars and crickets. I was able to see the opening now, but my heart fell to see it was smaller than even this area. This is going to be a tight squeeze; there's no room for error. I know that once I get out of here I can use my wings to fly home, but I don't know if I'm going to fit.

I looked out of the cover for people nearby, and I was delighted to see that most were still in the building; they have no idea where I am, and they assume that no one would be able to get outside on their own power alone. I guess that I'm not as unfit as some people seem to think that I am. I began to work on sucking in my gut enough to get through the hole, and it actually wasn't as hard as I thought that it may be. My body came out with a pop, and I flung my wings out before disappearing. I'm free.