Thriving in The Dark [(TDM) ENG]

VII

I could hear my heart pounding in my chest as we walked toward the gate. It beat so fast I didn't even feel cold. This is my last night ever, I thought, as the soldiers pushed us forward to move faster. Every inch of my body was shaking in fear, and that gave me a great dose of adrenaline. This can't be the end of my story, I kept telling myself.

Once the first group of Yellows got to the gate, the PSFs signaled something to one of the camp controllers and the electrified fence suddenly went off, and we gasped. There was no sound, no nothing, we all just felt it. I remember working so close to the fence and feeling its vibrations so hard to the point of being afraid to lose control, since it was the biggest electrical source in the whole camp. But now it was all gone, and that was a relief, actually.

That situation still seemed so unreal to me. I knew that we were all going to die, but I didn't fully realize it yet. But then, another camp controller opened the gates and I saw the outside. That's when it hit me. That's when it got real. 

My eyes widened and I almost screamed. I wanted to uncuff myself and run. I couldn't let them take my life, I was not ready to go. For the first time in years, I wished my mom was there with me. I wanted her to hug me and caress me like she used to do before I changed. But she wasn't there because she decided to abandon me. And now I was going to die because of her.

After the first groups of boys got outside, two PSFs came and walked our group through the gate. All the girls turned to look at each other in disbelief once we got out. I'm sure we had all dreamed of that moment many times during the years we spent in the camp. But that was not the exact scenario we had in mind. 

I kept looking up at the starry night above me and thinking this can't be the last time I see it. I wouldn't let them take it away from me.

There were three military trucks parked outside. The PSFs started uncuffing the boys and impolitely boarding them one by one into the first truck, along with the next group. They shut the doors and told the driver to start the truck, and we all watched it go. I stared at its figure getting smaller and smaller and I didn't even notice that they already started boarding us in the second truck.

There were only four soldiers left, the others had already gone back into the camp. One was in the driver's seat of our truck, one was boarding us in and the other two had already finished with the third truck. There was only one PSF to deal with.

I waited for the third truck to be out of sight to actually start thinking it through, and I came up with a pretty good plan. I wanted to take the others with me as well, but I knew it would not be possible, and it made my chest so heavy I couldn't even breathe.

I felt the adrenaline racing through my whole body as the soldier started to uncuff my wrists. I looked at Claire inside the truck, and she looked at me. It was our language, the silent one with no words. 

I'm sorry, please forgive me. 

She closed her eyes and nodded. Don't be sorry, go for it.

Because of course, she would always understand.

The soldier had finished uncuffing my ankles and had already grabbed my arm to throw me inside when I flooded his walkie-talkie and earbuds with energy. His whole body was shaken by the electricity and he passed out on the ground, convulsing. The girls still cuffed behind me gasped loudly and stared at me, terrified. But I didn't have time for that. I took a deep breath and started running, never looking back.

It took the driver a whole five minutes to figure out something was wrong. I had enough time to run almost half a mile, before I started hearing gunshots. I was too far into the woods for them to actually see me, but it was still terrifying. I had absolutely no idea where I was going, but every place would be better than Thurmond. I ran and I ran as far as my muscles and lungs allowed me. I rested, and then I ran again.

From that moment, I would live in the streets and hide from everyone else. I would do everything it took to survive.