Second Chance

Chapter 40

I walked out of the cellar, planning on going back to my cell. I have felt a lot more tired since the doctor injected me with that weird liquid, but at least the visions, headaches and nosebleeds stopped. Although, if I was going to escape from here tonight, and I did happen to trigger the visions again, I did not have anything to keep them at bay. I guess I would just try and fight through the pain, since I did not have any other option.

As I was walking back to the doors that led back inside, a guard approached me. "Blok, you have a visitor." He told me gruffly.

Again? I just met with Morgan yesterday. "Thanks." I muttered, turning back around and walking towards the gate.

I didn't know what she needed, or why she would come back so quickly. I walked into the visiting area, and saw to my utter shock that it was not Morgan. It was Maria.

"Maria." I breathed, running towards the fence. "It's so good to see you, I thought I would never see you again."

"Hello, Justin." She gave me a sad smile. "I'm glad to see you too. Morgan told me that you're okay, so that's why I came. I just wanted to hear your voice again."

"Well, it's true. I'm okay. I need to tell you something though." I brought my voice down to a whisper and leaned closer to her. "I'm planning on escaping, and I'll hopefully be free tonight. I want you to come with me."

Maria stared at me in shock. "Justin." She said faintly. "I'm not sure that's a good idea. Wouldn't it be safer to just stay put?"

"I'd be rotting behind bars for forty years if I stay. I don't care that this isn't safe. If it means that I'll be free, I'll take that chance, even if I am on the run for the rest of my life." I said firmly.

Maria gave me an unreadable look for a moment, then said. "I'll wait for you, but I can't help you break out. You have to do that on your own."

"Okay." I nodded. "We'll be running into the forest by nightfall. So if you're there by then, then we'll be able to meet up." A thought struck me, and I added slowly. "Actually, you could stay with me until then, since I have the entire afternoon free."

"How would I do that?" She asked, tilting her head.

"There's a stream in the forest, if you follow it towards the building, you'll find this pipe with the bars sawed off of it. Crawl inside the pipe, and you'll find an opening in it a little ways down. Go through the opening, and it'll lead you into a tunnel. Follow it through until you reach the end, and above you will be a hole. Above the hole is a cellar, and I'll be waiting for you there." I explained slowly.

Maria looked overwhelmed and scared, as she backed up a step. "Justin, I don't know if I can do this." She said uncertainly.

"Yes you can, Maria. I know you can do this." I said softly, curling my fingers through the fence. She sighed, then intertwined her fingers with mine. "I really miss you, and everything we did together. I just want to be with you again."

"I want to be with you too." She said quietly.

"Then come find me," I pressed, starting to smirk. "No one will be there besides me, so we can do anything we want."

She grinned slightly, then said. "This is totally stupid, you know that, right?"

"Yeah, but that's what's so fun about it." I answered.

She laughed a little, then said. "Alright, Justin. I'll do it."

"Thank you." I said quietly, pulling away.

Before I could go, Maria said. "Wait." Then pulled something out of her pocket. She handed it to me through the bars, and I realized it was Riley's pocket knife. When I took it, I saw his face for half a second, then it was gone.

"Thanks." I breathed. "How'd you get it?"

"Morgan gave it to me. She got it from her mother, who probably got it from someone at the courthouse." She explained. "I'll see you soon, alright?"

I looked back at her, then said. "Alright."

She gave me one last smile, then walked away. I pocketed the knife, then made my way back to the cellar. When I opened the doors there wasn't anyone in the room, which was good because I wanted my privacy with Maria. I moved the crate aside, revealing the hole, then sat on the crate as I waited for her to get here. I could feel the pocket knife on me, but I resisted the urge to touch it. I didn't know what it would do to me, and I didn't want to risk getting another nosebleed as I was making out with Maria.