Not So Different

Chapter 21

The calm before the storm is nearly as bad as the actual storm.  During the silence your anxiousness and fear grows so that the storm itself is almost a relief. 

I paced the length of the cell, back and forth, back and forth.  I counted my steps each time and made sure I turned on the same foot every time, keeping a steady rythem in my pacing.  I knew I shouldn't tire myself; I should conserve my energy before our escape.  Lord knew we would need to be at our best, but I couldn't force myself to sit on the floor and stay still. 

"You're going to walk yourself into a rut if you keep pacing," Chris told me from his spot on the floor, watching me with a mix of concern and curiosity. 

"I don't care," I told him in a firm voice.  "I can't just sit still.  If I do I might go crazy."  I emphasized this point of turning on my heels sharply and changing direction.  "I'm just.. nervous."

"I know," Chris told me in an understanding voice.  "I'm anxious as well, but we must conserve our energy.  We have to be on our A game to even have a chance of our plan working tonight."  Chris slowly stood up and layed a hand on my shoulder, halting me.  "You need to calm down and focus."

I let out a sigh.  "I know."  I sat down unceremoniously on the concrete floor and Chris gracefully lowered himself next to me with his cat-like ease.  We just sat there for a moment, silent like the grave and I concerntrated on calming myself.  I let out a long breathe.  "This really sucks, the waiting."

"It does," Chris agreed calmly.  He seemed perfectly at ease, but I could sense a bit of tension behind his words. 

I looked at him straight in the eye.  "What will happen if this doesn't work?"  I asked and I knew I sounded like a child hiding behind their mother's skirt, but I was genuinely frightened by the prospect.  "And don't give me any of the 'It doesn't matter because it will work' bull-crud."

Chris sighed and raked a hand through his black hair, very shaggy for not having been trimmed in a while.  "We will be in the same position as before.  Argon will execute us if he is victorious and likewise if he is not.  He will most likely punish us and Sparrow."

"Lovely," I breathed out and flopped onto my back, feeling rather depressed.  Chris flopped onto his back next to me.

"We have to have hope that it will work, though."  He told me in a reassuring voice.  "If we don't beleive we can escape, then we won't be able to, it's as simple as that."

"Okay," I told him and closed my eyes. 

"What are you doing?"  He asked me curiously.  I held up a finger to silence him.  After a moment I spoke. 

"I am envisioning walking out of this cell with Soarrow and going down the hall," I explained.  "I am seeing us going outside and making a mad dash for the trees or feilds or whatever it is around this place.  I'm picturing our plan suceeding and Argon flipping out."  I smiled at the last part.

"Is it helping?"  Chris questioned and I openned my eyes and turned on my side to looked at him.

I smiled.  "A little bit," I admitted.  "The idea of Argon getting frazzled is quite the moral booster." 

He chuckled under his breath at my joke.  "I guess it is." 

"So what time do you think it is?"  I asked.  "Because we could easily have ten hours until midnight or only a few  minutes for all we know."  I really wished there was an exterior window in the cell so I could at least roughly tell the time of day.  In the cell there was absolutely no way for me to tell the time aside from my now screwed up to heck internal clock.