A Life I Never Knew

Chapter 66

Antonio Pov

10 years old

"Number One, get a move on it"! A large guard said as he pushed me into my cell.

Scooting myself into the corner against the cold concrete wall I look around the blood-stained cell. The walls and ground are covered with blood.

The blood of friends, foes, and myself.

My body is littered with scars and wounds while my stomach is in knots from not eating for who knows how long.

With my cat-like reflexes, I quickly catch a mouse that has luckily crossed my path. I look at the small squirming creature in my hand and I see myself within it. A pitiful creature about to be devoured by a monster.

Hunger consumes me and I know it'll be another night of starving if I do not eat. I tell myself, that whatever it takes to survive, I will do it.

Like many other nights, I quickly inhale the mouse. Afterward, I find a questionable puddle of water that leaks from the ceiling to help wash it down.

I take the time to examine my body to see the extent of the damage today. I take note of the open blisters on my feet and hands. Bullet grazes on my arms and face from being shot at. Along with countless other injuries that will have to heal on their own unless they decide to intervene.

As long as I'm an asset to them I can survive but the moment you show signs of weakness you are dead.

For as long as I can remember I have lived inside this cell. They call me number One and tell me what to do and who to kill. They train us every day without fail and it's a battle of survival of the fittest.

We are taught how to wield any, and all weaponry including combat fighting, and their specialty, assassination. They feed us the bare minimum leaving us to fiend for ourselves.

If we are lucky we get a bowl of rice and if you completed training within the top ranks you get two bowls. Unfortunately, if you did anything that is considered disobedient you get a severe punishment.

Clank Clank

My head immediately swings around identifying the sound. It's a signal we use to communicate with each other. The kid next to me usually wants to talk but I never respond.

You cannot get close to anyone in this place it's just better that way. I have seen families torn apart and killed right in front of each other or worse made to kill each other simply because that's how they control you.

"Hey, number one, are you awake"? Number 20 asked from the small hole in the wall.

Number 20 is the last ranking soldier as his number represents. He's frail, weak and most of all he's stupid. He believes he can escape this place and go back home, wherever that is.

He's been inside the cell since he was six years old, and claims to remember his family. From that day I've hated him because he remembered his loving parents as he would describe them. He would sit against the wall and tell me stories of his old life.

Like I cared or even listened to the nonsense he was spouting. No matter if I replied or not he would talk and talk. He was so annoying I could feel him smiling through the thick wall when he spoke about them. Truly annoying.

Without a word from my side number 20 continued to speak.

"Did you get rice today? I saw Captain Gerald scolding you before. Are you alright?" He asked.

Captain Gerald is one of them and I despise him with my entire being.

Number 20 continued.

"I failed training again today, so I didn't get rice either, hehe," he laughed that annoying laugh. How could he laugh in this situation? He's been starving longer than anyone.

I look beside myself and see I have one mouse left I was saving for later. Grabbing the mouse I crawl to the small hole and push it through. It's not that I care or anything I just don't want to smell a rotten corpse next to me for months.

"Thank you Number One"! He happily accepted the meal.

"Hmph", I replied.

I lay on my back and stared at the ceiling until my eyes betrayed me and closed. It's usually impossible for me to fall asleep but tonight was different. I was in bad condition and needed it desperately.

I must have dozed off into a deep sleep because the next thing I knew I was awakened by screams of terror. It's not unusual to hear but these screams were different accompanied by thick clouds of smoke.

I hurriedly run to the cell door hoping to see anything. Upon gripping the bars I immediately burn my hands. A fire broke out inside the dungeon and without a way out I might die.

"I can't die here," is what I remind myself.

Through the darkness and smoke, I begin to crawl on the ground to find the knife I made.

"Here!" I found the weapon and made my way back to the cell bars. If I can reach out and pick the lock I can escape.

I've always had plans of escaping but needed more time. Also having something to defend myself with was a must.

With no time to spare, I begin to try over and over again to pick the lock. With my small frame, it's easy to fit between the skinny bars. The thick smoke starts to burn my eyes and restrict my breathing.

"Come on!" I berate myself to move faster.

Click

The lock opened and I swung the door open and stealthy stepped out into the smokey hallway.

Cough Cough

I stop in my tracks as I hear someone wheezing and coughing. Focusing my eyes to see through the smoke I see number 20 inside his cell. He seemed to have inhaled a lot of smoke and was close to falling unconscious.

"So annoying," I say as I begin to pick the lock to his cell door.

I rush inside and place his arm around my neck luckily he's not completely unconscious.

"N-Number One is that you?" he asks between breaths.

"Shut up, save your energy we need to get out of here," I said. Thinking back that's the most I've ever said to him.

"Haha, you are helping me again you're my only friend here you know," he says.

"I said shut it," the fire is getting worse and it's hard to see. Knowing the layout of the dungeon came in handy.

Not only are we dodging fire but if we're caught trying to escape we'll be dead either way. The dungeon is beginning to collapse. I can see the exit only a few feet away. We can make it.

Gunfire erupts and without warning a bullet shoots right through my leg causing me to fall.

"Number One!" I hear number 20 yell out.

Large pieces of concrete are raining down like hail in a storm. Number 20 helps me up and we run for the exit together. We are exhausted and wounded yet the exit is right in front of us.

The rocks are falling harder and faster than before wanting to bury us alive. Even with my gunshot wound, I'm faster than number 20. Only a few inches behind me he's keeping up.

We can make it.

Looking back I could see the walls of the dungeon completely caved in and rushing towards us. If we don't hurry it's the end.

"Hurry!" I yell out to him.

"Number 20, thank you for being my friend," he said as he ran forward and pushed me out of the dungeon.

The dungeon collapsed leaving nothing but rocks and dust.

"NOOOOO! Why! Why! You were supposed to go back to your family! We were supposed to escape together.

Number 20 sacrificed himself for me to live. I realized that he was my only friend and family. On that day I vowed that if I ever have a family again I will do anything to protect it.