Number 501 (Needs Editing)

Through The Guilty Sands

We followed all the guards in and Dynam locked closed the door behind us. We were still wondering where we had to go from here. We just kept in line and soon we saw Reckt. She was in the front of the line, swinging around her key card like she was so proud to have it. She then clipped it onto her side pocket and began leading all the guards to a secret door I had never caught glimpse of before until now. Reckt pressed a button and it opened, letting all of us go inside. I was starting to guess that the beds were down here. I always wondered where all the guards slept. We all kept walking, me, 304, Jaquil, then Allice, in exactly that order. I was about to walk by Reckt so I put my head down as well as the others and slipped right on by like a normal every day guard. But like Dynam, I felt her gaze staring at me. I felt like at any second, she was going to expose all of us and we all would be in a prison cell like prisoner 500. I wasn't going to let that happen. If they managed to find out we were standing before them, and they attempted to take us to a cell, I would fight back until they killed me. There's no way I'm coming this far without seeing the outside for a little bit. 

Beds were in sight. Nice, padded beds. Even through the armor of the uniform, the bed was more comfortable then the one I sleep on every night. I wonder how the sand feels to sleep on. I layed down onto the bed, back down, staring at the ceiling with hope in my heart. We couldn't leave now, we had to wait. Wait a long time. Until everyone was asleep. Fortunately I managed to stay awake for the time being and once it was about two hours later with half the guards snoring, I climbed out of bed and went to wake the others. I crouched down beside 304's bed and whispered, "Hey, come on. We're getting out of here."

He opened his eyes and smiled like never before, "It's about time." He spoke. We woke the others quickly and went out the same way we came in but we were still in the security center. The security center was a large room with doors everywhere. But only one was labeled exit. However, we needed a key card to get out. A prison guard key card. Not regular prison guards. The top ones. And there's only two in existence, the one used by Dynam, and the one used by Reckt. Jaquil took one for the team and managed to steal Reckt's right off her pants when he walked by. Apparently he happened to be a great pickpocket thief. We all had eager smiles and we couldn't wait to see the outside. 

Allice began to rush us, "Hurry up! I don't know how much longer we have on the crime watches!" He whispered a bit loudly but kept pushing us towards the door. I grabbed Reckt's key card out of Jaquil's hand and swiped it through the slot next to the door. A green flash brightened the room and the door was unlocked. 

"Anyone want to open it?" I asked.

304 stepped forward and placed his fingers on the handle, and pulled. Wind swept through our hair and we could feel the instant heat of the desert, even through night time. We were used to freezing cold temperatures in here, out here though, I can't even explain it. There was nothing but long miles and miles of sand piles stacked onto one another. We could even see Earth in the distance, way out in space. Along with many other stars and the moon of course. 

"Hurry!" Allice said and pushed all of us out the door. In fact he pushed hard enough that we all fell out and rolled down the sand pits, we looked back to see the door close slowly and lock once and for all. It was final. We were out. I climbed up and brushed the sand off of my chest and legs before speaking, "Well, we made it."

"Yes. Yes we did." 304 added. We looked over to Jaquil and caught him staring up into the sky and almost tearing up. We could read his mine right then. All he was thinking was that he had never seen something so beautiful in his entire life. 

"Alright, let's get far away from this hell hole." Jaquil said and then wiping his eyes. 

"Yeah, I think we all can agree on that plan." I said, taking more steps farther away. And we all heard that dreadful sound that made us all want to puke. We heard multiple sirens go off from inside the prison and then someone over the intercom speak, "This is not a drill! I repeat this is not a drill! Four prisoners are AWOL at this moment. Keep all others locked up until further notice."

Jaquil looked at all of us from the front, him being the farthest away from the prison, and started running even further. Running and running, sand being sprayed back either into our face or our socks. I forgot how hard sand is to run in but I pulled through and lost my energy about 3/4 of a mile later. We eventually collapsed into the sand. Sun rise was above us. We couldn't go back now, mostly because we didn't want to. But even if we did, we wouldn't be able to find our way back. And thanks to all that running, now we're thirsty. It's just like Allice said. Only two more days. 

We awoke the next afternoon, probably around two I would say. Allice woke up first and pushed everyone else until they did as well. It was weird not to wake up in the dark. It was weird not to wake up and stare at a brick wall. It was weird. We all yawned upon awakening and suddenly the bright sun was too much for us. We all put our ams above our heads and squinted our eyes. Way too bright for us. Eventually though, as the hour went by we became more used to it. Our day became nothing but hours on end walking through the endless sand pits of the desert. 

"We need water." 304 spoke, his voice strained and almost too sore to talk. I tried collecting as much spit in my mouth as I could and then swallowing it all at once but it wasn't the same as a fresh cold drink of water. After a while, I wasn't able to gather any spit. My mouth was completely dry. 

"Any ideas?" Jaquil asked the rest of us.

304 hesitated to respond but ended up giving a response anyway, "Have you thought about drinking our own piss yet?" 

"No!" Allice yelled at him. "Don't do that. You'll end up more thirsty afterwards."

I didn't know how that was possible. I'm gonna be honest, I thought about it too. But just because I thought about it doesn't mean I would actually do it. It's disgusting if you ask me, but I guess you got to do what you got to do when trying to survive. 

"Any other ideas?" Jaquil asked the rest of us, finally stopping in his tracks and waiting for us to give him an answer.

"Maybe, we uh," I was trying to think of what to say. I really had no idea what I was talking about but I really just wanted to seem smart. "maybe we can find the highest sand mound and look for water from there?"

"Sounds like a plan." Jaquil said and began walking again. This time, instead of blindly walking where no one knows the destination, we were actually hoping for something.