Death is the Start

Hope's Light and Despair's Darkness

Following Blake's instructions Sarah got Chelsea and went to the laundromat. Just as Blake said he was waiting for them there, "Good your both here let's get down to business. Let's start with why I called you two here, I found a way out." Chelsea and Sarah were both shocked hearing this, "What!", they both shouted. Inmates walking around turned their attention to the laundromat quickly Blake pulled out a pair of women's underwear and appeared as if he was doing something degenerate inmates ignored this and walked away some giving him a look of disgust, others giving him a thumbs up. Blake put the underwear down and continued, "Think you can be a little louder I don't think the guards heard you yet. Anyway yes, I found a way out a stumbled on a couple inmates planning an escape, they agreed to take us with them if I kept quiet." Sarah had been stuck in here for months now almost giving up on the thought of leaving is now seeing a glimmer of hope. "So, h-how do we get out?", Chelsea asked timidly. Blake continued to speak, "Before I show you there's something I have to ask you do you guys really want to leave. The outside world will be filled with the undead and we don't know if we'll find anything else out there, we lost our families and home, so we have nowhere to go. Knowing all that do you two still want to leave?" Sarah thought for a minute remembering everything that happened and spoke, "For weeks now I've been having nightmares of unspeakable horrors my body being torn apart and sewn back together and after today I found out that my nightmares aren't even the worst of it. To answer your question yes, I can't take it anymore I have to get out of here." Chelsea jumped in hesitantly, "Yeah m-me too." Blake looked at both of them then stepped out of the laundromat looked around seeing no one around he went back in and walked over to one of the laundry machines. He moved the laundry machine out of the way to reveal a hole in the wall that looked like it went on forever. Blake explained the plan, "This tunnel leads to an underground of tunnels and the guys planning this know the best way out." Sarah then asked, "If they know the way out why are they still here?" Blake answered, "It's too risky the guards will definitely notice that something is going on so they're planning to escape tomorrow with a distraction."

Chelsea then asked, "What kind of distraction?" Blake's face took on a pained expression as he said, "Tomorrow they'll tell the guards about an inmate causing issues and have them thrown into the pit as the guards are keeping an eye on the prisoners in the courtyard, we'll use that chance to escape." As Sarah and Chelsea heard this their blood ran cold, they couldn't believe that they were going to sacrifice someone to escape. Sarah pleaded, "Th-there has to be another way." Blake continued, "There isn't another way ether we leave tomorrow with them, or we don't leave at all." Sarah continued angry this time, "I can't believe that you'd actually agree to go along with this plan just to kill someone like that you that's just wrong." Blake went up to Sarah and grabbed her by the neck of her inmate uniform and spoke in an angered tone, "I think its time that you grew up these people holding us hostage took our home our families, these people will kill without question and if we want to make it out of here alive, we have to be just as cold as them if not more got it." Sarah looked at Blake with fear in her eyes as she slowly shook her head yes. Blake then realized what he was doing and let go of her. Before he walked out, he said to them, "The decoy will be turned in at 3pm exactly and we'll meet here 1 hour after don't be late either of you." With that Blake walked out with Chelsea soon after leaving Sarah alone with her thoughts. Eventually she also made her way back to her cell as lockdown was initiated, she tried to go to sleep but couldn't get it out of her head, eventually with all her might she forced herself to sleep.

Night turned to day and Sarah couldn't shake this feeling in the pit of her stomach and when she met up with Chelsea for breakfast, she could see that Chelsea wasn't doing any better. The day went on and nothing Sarah did was able to shake her nerves "Am I really so desperate to escape that I'll leave someone to die to do it?", that thought played in her mind over and over until it was time. The time was 2:55 and Sarah was sitting in her cell suddenly she heard several men marching into the cell area up Sarah watched wanting to see who was the person they were sacrificing. As the guards kept moving, she noticed that they seemed to be at the cell directly below her Sarah's eyes widened as she realized who the decoy was, "No", she thought in her head. She held her breathe as the guards dragged the prisoner out of their cell, with all her might she prayed that it wasn't Chelsea but when the prisoner came into view Sarah remembered that not even prayers can see the light of day here. "Prisoner 8277 we have reason to believe that you have been selling medical contraband to fellow prisoners and for that you are to be punished. Please come with us to the warden's office so that you may receive your punishment.", one of the guards spoke. Sarah couldn't believe what was happening her best friend was going to die, "No", she thought, "It's just contraband right they can't kill her for that.", she hoped that was the case but then heard the words that sent chills down her spine, "She's a goner." Sarah looked around and saw several prisoners talking, "A trip to the warden's office is essentially a death sentence.", a male prisoner said. "They say he acts as a judge but he's more like an executioner.", a female prisoner said in a scared tone. "Talk about lucky two pit betting's back-to-back I'm gonna be rich.", another male prisoner said with a sinister smile. This was it Chelsea was gonna be killed and there's nothing Sarah can do about it. In the back of her mind Sarah remembered what happened two months ago how she lost her home, her family, and the promise she made to Chelsea. As Chelsea was being carried away without thinking Sarah screamed out, "WAIT!" The guards and prisoners all looked at Sarah. Sarah didn't even know what she was doing herself but knew she couldn't let the guards take her, so she said, "You have the wrong person I'm the one selling the contraband."

One of the guards walked over to her, "Prisoner 9377 what are you talking about we have evidence to prove she's been selling contraband, we even found the items in her cell.", the guard spoke. Sarah responded, "I paid her to keep my items, I was afraid that I'd get caught with them but now that she's going to taken away, I won't be able to live with myself if something happens to her because of me." The guard leaned in close and asked, "Don't do this you know what's going to happen right?" Sarah took a big gulp and spoke with confidence, "I'll say it again I am the one selling the contraband take me instead."

The guard gave a sigh and told the others to take Sarah instead. As Sarah passed by Chelsea she mouthed to Chelsea, "Good luck" and like that she was off to see the warden. As Sarah was being moved through the prison she was taken through halls that were presumed to be off limits, each one was horrifying in their own way. One hall had the walls covered in blood and gave off the stench of rotting pigs. The next had cells filled with dark figures screaming and clawing at the bars as Sarah got a closer look she saw that they appeared to be naked humanoid figures. The hallway after that only had one large cell with body parts hanging just outside of the bars and inside it the sounds of a large monstrosity sleeping can be heard. Finally Sarah reached the warden's office a clean and rather elegant pair of doors stood before her and this was somehow able to scare her more then everything she just saw.

The guards stayed outside as Sarah walked through the doors a rather normal looking man was standing there pouring himself a glass of wine. After he drank it he addressed Sarah, "Welcome I take you're the prisoner causing the contraband problems." Sarah said nothing as she shook her head yes. The warden looked her over thought for a minute then spoke, "No... No, no your not the one causing that issue. You didn't do anything in your time here meaning that either my guards made a mistake or you're covering for someone else." Sarah began to tense whoever this guy was he's able to read her like a book. The warden noticed this, "Guess it's the latter then. Oh well care for a glass of wine." Sarah didn't know what to make of this guy its like nothing ever fazed him. The warden poured a glass and offered it to Sarah, Sarah didn't bother trying to reach for the glass. "Oh, where are my manners allow me to introduce myself, you may call my Alex. Now I went out of the way to pour you a glass the least you could do is take it.", the warden said with a smile on his face. Out of fear Sarah took the glass from Alex's hand and drank it, the wine felt like it was burning the back of her throat. "Not much of a drinker, tell me how old are you?", Alex asked. "I'm 17 sir.", Sarah said in a quiet voice. "Damn it's a shame that you'll die at such a young age.", Alex said. "What but you said you know it's not me?", Sarah said in a scared tone. To which Alex responded, "I know but you see", the next words that came out of his mouth shook Sarah to her core, "I don't care who's responsible here all I care about is killing as many prisoners as possible to keep fear in this prison. The moment you stepped through those doors you were already dead", as he said that a sinister grin crept across his face. Sarah immediately lost all color in her face and looked like she already accepted her death. "Guards! She's guilty take her to the pit!", he yelled and just like that the guards dragged away a seemingly lifeless Sarah off to her doom.