The Escape

Chapter 3: Reunited

It gets a lil more juicy here my loves:)

Luke was in his room, still lightly sleeping off the drugging. The once-open door was closed, catching the eye of Kalisha and Avery. 

"Do you think they're taking out his stuff? Did he get away?" Avery asked with wide eyes.

"I don't know, maybe we should check, but we have to make sure the caretakers don't see us," Kalisha replied. 

Avery's eyes lit up. "I have an idea! We can pretend we were sleeping late, and look during breakfast. The caretakers all go in so they won't be looking out here."

"That's perfect Avester, great idea," Kalisha said with a smile. The two got into bed and pretended to be asleep.

The caretakers called everyone into the cafeteria. Glady's took a lap around the rooms to make sure everyone was out of their rooms. If the kids were sleeping, she didn't wake them up, instead, she let them miss breakfast. When she saw two figures in Kalisha's room, she kept walking.

"Sha, I think she's gone, now's our chance," Avery whispered into Kalisha's ear.

They quietly got out of bed and peered out into the hallway. The caretakers had all gone to eat, so the two tip-toed to Luke's room. Kalisha gripped the door handle, she was cautious, trying her best to prevent any creaks. The institute was in bad shape, the paint was peeling, cameras were dusted over, and the doors creaked. It was almost impossible to avoid making a sound, and the two winced when the door made a low groan. 

Kalisha pushed the door open carefully. It was dark inside, so she took Avery's hand and led him inside. She closed the door, once again cringing at the noise it made, and switched on the lamp. 

Avery's mouth opened and Kalisha went silent. There in the bed, a bloody and bruised Luke was lying. His skin was paler than when they had last seen him, there were faintly purple circles under his eyes, and veins that formed lightning streaks coming from the far corners of his eyes to the start of his hairline. What looked like dried blood was crusted along the side of his neck and led to red blots along the collar of his shirt. 

He looked like an abused child, and Kalisha saw him as one. He wasn't the bright and determined Lukey she had known, he was just a kid. A hurt and tortured child that failed to escape, and would now face pain she could never imagine. It broke her heart. 

"Oh god Luke," was the only thing she could say. Avery was gripping her hand, she felt his clammy palms against her cold fingertips. Avery's other hand came to her arm, he was hugging it like a toddler holding onto its mother. She guessed that's what she had to become, she had to protect Luke and Avery as best she could.

"We need the others, we can't wake him up, he should have some time to process this on his own," Kalisha whispered to Avery. His eyes were blank, his mouth had closed, but his thoughts were clear in her mind. Help Luke, please make him better. 

"We will" she sent back to him. 

Avery and Kalisha carefully left Luke's room, still holding onto one another, and they entered the caf. Nicky, George, Iris, and Helen were sitting at a table together. They looked like a group of friends in a school cafeteria, they were giggling and whispering to each other. Kalisha and Avery pulled up two chairs and sat down with their friends. 

"Hey sleepyheads," Nicky said with a goofy smile. 

"Nicky, no jokes right now, I have news," Kalisha said harshly.

Nicky's smile faltered, he looked confused. "What's going on?" He asked

"It's about Luke, he's here, and he looks hurt, bad," Kalisha stated.

"He looked like dead," Avery added quickly.

"What? Are you serious?" Helen said. "Man, I really thought the kid was gonna do it, but I guess no one ever escapes this hell on Earth." She added

Kalisha looked stern. "We have to help him, I don't know how, but all of us need to work together. Maybe Maureen can give us some supplies, but we have to be fast. They're probably going to start torturing him any minute, so let's move."

The kids stood up and announced that they were going to their rooms.

"Food poisoning," Nicky said aloud. "We all gotta use the shitter, it's gonna be bad, I wouldn't come within 50 feet."

"Nicky! You're gonna get us caught, shut up." George whispered. It wasn't a quiet whisper, more of an I'm so done with you I can't even use the energy to talk to you kind of voice.

The kids moved quickly, some went to their bathrooms to collect tissues and cups of water. Iris and Kalisha went to the ice machine to collect ice for Luke's bruises and asked Maureen for help. Nicky kept watch for the staff. 

They all met up and the entrance to Luke's room with supplies, took a deep breath, and went inside. 

Luke was no longer asleep, he was sitting on his bed looking dazed. He didn't seem to notice the large group coming in.

"Hey... Luke? It's Kalisha. We are going to help some of your cuts and bruises. Just stay still, and keep resting."

Luke seemed to open his mouth as if to speak, but he closed it and seemed to give them a half-nod. 

The group got to work. Iris brushed out his tangled hair and wiped the dirt from his face. Kalisha began putting ice on the bruises around his ribs and stomach. Avery and Nicky got to work on cleaning up his ear, they wiped the dried blood from his neck and carefully unwrapped his mangled ear. Luke flinched as they pulled the bandage, his ear seemed to have stopped bleeding, but the flesh was still raw and hadn't formed any scab yet. 

"Luke, we need to clean it out, it's gonna hurt, but you're strong," Nicky said, he wasn't sure if Luke could hear him, but said it anyways. Nicky pulled out one of the small alcohol bottles from the vending machines and poured some of the liquid onto a tissue. He gingerly helped the tissue to the remains of Luke's ear and finally pressed it against the wound. Luke made a raspy scream and Nicky slapped his free hand over Luke's mouth. 

"I know it hurts bud, but you have to be quiet, I'm sorry." 

Luke looked at him and shut his eyes tightly, nodding again. Nicky removed the now bloody tissue from Luke's ear and replaced it with one soaked with cold water. He pressed the moist tissue to Luke's ear and began securing it with scraps of fabric Maureen had given them.

The group stepped back and admired their work. Luke was still in bad shape, but it was better than before, and that's what mattered.