Heaven

Chapter Four

I realised I could feel my toes. Not completely, but just enough.

I slipped out of bed. Careful not to make a sound, I squeezed through the crack in the door. The corridor was dimly lit by a big green exit sign. I crept around the corner and followed the signs.

I walked past rooms of snoring and the occasional television blaring. I glanced upwards to the next sign and saw a giant clock hanging on the wall. The clock had a brass rim and hands pointing out to shining roman numerals. One thirty am.

I stopped abruptly at the next corner, as a doctor strolled right in front of me. I felt the breeze as he past. That was too close. I listened intently, making sure they were no more unexpected surprises.

I crouched, peering around the next corner. The office was up ahead. If I just get past there, I'll be free.

A trolley rolled past heading to the exit. I seized the chance and commando rolled into the bottom of the trolley and covered myself with a tablecloth.

I held the base of the trolley, gripping it tightly. It was coming up, the exit was coming into view, and I could almost taste freedom. I was so ready to get out of this hell hole.

I prepared myself to jump. I kneeled on all fours, lowered my head so I didn't hit it on the way out and went into stealth mode, fast and quiet.

The exit came into view a lot faster than I had imaged it would.

300 metres.....200 metres....100 metres...50 metres

All of a sudden the trolley took an abrupt turn, shaking what I heard to be plates above me. It barged through white doors in the opposite direction from the exit. The trolley stopped sharply and a man walked away, back through the double doors.

I poked my head out of the tablecloth to check where I was. After my eyes adjusted to the strange light, I saw a large sad looking sink stood in front of me. It was surrounded by towers of dirty plates, rows of glasses and mounds of cutlery.

There were more plates on the trolley and what looked to be a half-eaten lamb cutlet. Gross.

As I looked more closely, I noticed the light was coming from a small, skinny window half way up the wall on the other side of the room. I pulled a chair towards under it and stepped up. I pushed the window with my fingers, trying to open it, but it wouldn't budge. I couldn't even find a weak spot. This is going to take forever!

I silently jumped down from the chair, which wasn't very far and walked over to the trolley again. Someone was going to come back very soon, I just knew it. I had to get out of here, now. I picked up a plate and threw it at the window. It sailed through the air and smashed into the window, spraying glass everywhere. I grabbed the table cloth and put it through the hole in the glass so I wouldn't cut myself and jumped onto the window sill.

I looked down and couldn't see the grass. I closed my eyes and fell feet first, quickly landing on my ground beneath me. Well, that wasn't so bad.

My hands felt wet from the early morning dew, which had already settled on the grass. I could now clearly see a hill and paddocks of grass in the moonlight. A highway began to stir to my left. As I turned around, I noticed a flashing strange little light on the side of the building.

I ducked violently, hoping I wasn't already spotted by the security camera. I was stuck. My mind reeled. I closed my eyes to calm down. In my mind's eye, I saw myself reach into the pocket of the dressing gown and pull out a small black object.

I shoved my hand into the pocket and recovered what looked like some kind of gadget. I held it out in front of me, towards the security camera and pressed a button. A thin, red laser beam shot out and zapped the camera, disabling it. Cool. I'm keeping this!

I was finally free. I looked out to the horizon, the sun was bound to come up in no less than two hours. Don't ask me how I know, because I don't know myself.