The Sitting Alive - Season 3

Episode 8 - Prisoners

Lily's eyes adjusted as she begins to slowly wake up. She realised she is in a prison cell of somesort... she looks at the opposite cell to see Taylor, but Taylor is still asleep unconscious. Lily's eyes fluttered open, the world around her coming into blurry focus. Her face badly ached from the wound she endured during the battle, leaving a bloody scar. The cold, damp air of the cell sent a shiver down her spine as she struggled to sit up. She glanced around, taking in her surroundings: stone walls, a single flickering light bulb hanging from the ceiling, and the iron bars that confined her. Panic began to rise in her chest, but she forced herself to stay calm. Lily's heart ached at the sight of her friend, bruised and battered. She called out softly, "Taylor... Taylor, wake up."
Taylor didn't stir, her breathing shallow but steady. Lily gripped the bars of her cell, trying to see if there was any way to reach Taylor or at least wake her. She looked around, noticing the faint sound of footsteps echoing down the hallway. Desperation and fear gripped her as the footsteps grew louder. A figure appeared at the end of the corridor, and Lily's breath caught in her throat. It was Jenny. She approached with a smirk, a set of keys jingling in her hand.
"Well, well, look who's awake," Jenny said, her voice dripping with mockery. "How are you feeling, princess?"
Lily glared at her, refusing to show any weakness. "Let us go, Jenny. You don't have to do this."
Jenny chuckled, unlocking the door to Lily's cell and stepping inside. "Oh, but we do. Archie and the others have big plans for you and your little friend there. You're not going anywhere until we say so."
Lily backed away as Jenny advanced, but there was nowhere to go in the small cell. "Why the fuckare you doing this? What do you want from us?"
Jenny's eyes hardened. "Information. And leverage. Your group caused us a lot of trouble at Glynne, and now you're going to help us fix it."
Lily clenched her fists, anger boiling inside her. "You won't get away with this. My friends will come for us."
Jenny laughed, a harsh sound that echoed off the stone walls. "Your friends are probably dead by now, or running for their lives. No one's coming for you, girl."
Lily refused to believe her, she had to stay strong, for Taylor and for herself. "What do you want from us?" she repeated, trying to keep her voice steady.
Jenny's smirk returned. "Like I said, information. We need to know everything you know about the virus, your group's plans, and any safe zones you might be aware of. Cooperate, and maybe we'll let you live, and of course... revenge."
Lily's eyes narrowed. "And if we don't?"
Jenny's smile faded, replaced by a cold, hard look. "Then things will get very unpleasant for you all. Think about that while you wait for your friend to wake up."
With that, Jenny turned and left the cell, locking the door behind her. Lily watched her go, a mixture of fear and determination in her heart. She moved to the bars of her cell again, trying to get a better look at Taylor.
"Come on, Taylor," she whispered urgently. As the minutes ticked by, Lily kept a vigilant watch, her mind working furiously to come up with a plan. She knew they couldn't stay here and wait for whatever cruel fate the Marauders had in store for them. They had to escape, and they had to do it soon. Finally, she saw a flicker of movement from Taylor. Her friend groaned softly, her eyes fluttering open. "Lily... where are we?"
Lily felt a surge of relief. "Taylor, you're awake! We're in some kind of prison. Those bastards captured us. We need to find a way out of here."
Taylor winced as she tried to sit up, her movements slow and painful, "How are we meant to get out of here... we're fucked" Uttered Taylor.
"We'll figure something out, I hope" Returned Lily.
Taylor managed a weak nod, her eyes full of determination despite her injuries.
Lily reached through the bars, trying to offer some semblance of comfort. "Yes, we will. Just hold on."
As the two friends faced their dire situation, they knew they had to rely on each other more than ever. But just then, Lily heard a familiar voice. "Lily? Is that really you?" Lily's eyes darted to the cell next to Taylor's to see a familiar face.
As Lily's eyes locked onto the familiar face, a rush of memories and emotions flooded her. Ashton, an old friend from their days at Glynne. He was the last person she expected to see in a place like this. His jet black hair and the addition of facial hair made him look different, older, but there was no mistaking him.
"Ashton...?" Lily's voice trembled with a mix of shock and relief. Ashton nodded, his eyes filled with a mixture of sadness and determination. "Yeah, it's me. I can't believe it either. What are the chances, right? We get thrown back together in a hellhole like this."
Lily's grip on the bars tightened as she tried to process the situation. "How did you end up here?" Ashton sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I was part of another group, scavenging for supplies when the Marauders ambushed us. They took me and my friend Aria over there prisoner and brought us here. We've been here for like a week, maybe more. They've been trying to get information out of us, but we haven't given them anything."
Aria was in the cell opposite to Ashton, she remained rather quiet however. She had long black hair and was rather bony and she looked worn down by their captivity. Lily hadn't noticed her at first, caught up in the shock of seeing Ashton again. "Aria... it's nice to meet you" Lily called out softly, trying to catch her attention. "Are you okay?"
Taylor offered a small smile to her, visibly seeing Aria's distress. Aria looked up, her eyes meeting Lily's briefly before she glanced away. Her voice was barely above a whisper as she replied, "I'm... hanging in there."
Ashton's eyes flickered with a glimmer of hope. "But it's good to see you again, Lily. We have to stick together. Have you noticed anything that might help us escape?"
Lily thought for a moment, replaying the brief interactions she had with Jenny and the layout of the cells. "Hmm no but Jenny, has the keys. I know that."
Taylor finally managed to sit up fully, wincing with each movement. "What about you, Ashton? Have you seen anything that might help? You've been here longer than us."
Ashton frowned, deep in thought. "Well there's a guard shift change every few hours, they also have keys on them, but it would be rather difficult to get the keys off them"
Lily's brow furrowed in thought. "That could risky, we'll have to time it perfectly."
Taylor, who had been quietly observing, spoke up. "What about weapons? If we're going to make a break for it, we'll need something to defend ourselves."
Lily scanned their surroundings, searching for any sign of weapons or tools they could use. "I haven't seen any weapons nearby," she admitted. "But we'll have to be resourceful. Maybe there's something we can improvise."
Aria finally spoke up, her voice hesitant. "There's a storage room down the hall from here. I saw the guards bring in supplies earlier. There might be something we can use in there."
But in the middle of their conversation they heard footsteps. Ashton spotted it to be one of the guards. "Oh that's Levi, the only decent guy here by a longshot" Ashton whispered.
But the name Levi flickered in Taylor's mind. Levi. The name of her brother. Surely it's just a coincidence? But then again, she was never sure of what happened to him. Taylor then gazed out into the corridor and her heart skipped a beat. It was indeed her brother, Levi. He exuded jet black hair in a middle part, with handsome facial features. A sharp jaw and piercing eyes, complimented by a pair of glasses. Just like his sister. Levi hadn't noticed his long lost sister as one of the prisoners yet, he then began to speak up. "So... uhm can the new prisoners come with me. Archie wants to speak with you both." He announced. He unlocked the door to Lily's cell and then went to Taylor's cell, only for him to freeze in complete shock... "T-Taylor...?" He spluttered.
Taylor was too much in shock to speak. The air between them seemed to freeze as Levi's eyes widened in recognition. He stood there, his mouth opening and closing as if trying to find the right words.
Taylor's voice finally broke through her stunned silence, trembling with disbelief. "Levi? I-I thought you died..." She began tearing up.
Levi's face softened, and he took a step closer, almost forgetting the situation they were in. "Taylor... I... I thought you were dead too. How did you end up here?"
Taylor's emotions were a whirlwind, her mind struggling to process the sight of her brother after so long. "I could say the same about you. I-I thought I'd never see you again."
Levi looked over at Lily, who was watching the reunion with a mix of hope and caution. He seemed to remember his role and the presence of the other prisoners. "Listen. We don't have much time. Archie wants to see you both, but... I need to know. Are you alright? Im sorry I wasn't there." He Confided.
Taylor nodded, still in a daze. "Well uh we've been better, but we're managing. We found a group of good people... but Levi, what's going on here? Why are you with these psychos?"
Levi's expression grew serious. "It's a long story. But right now, I need to get you out of these cells and figure out a way to keep you safe."
Ashton, who had been quietly observing, spoke up. "Levi, if you're going to help us, we need to act quickly. The guards will notice if you're gone for too long."
Levi nodded, his mind racing. "Alright, follow me. We'll make it look like I'm taking you to see Archie, but we need to find a way to get you out of here."
He unlocked Taylor's cell and helped her to her feet. Lily and Ashton stepped out of their cells as well, glancing around cautiously. Aria watched from her cell, a glimmer of hope in her eyes.
Lily turned to Levi. "What about Aria? We can't leave her behind."
Levi looked conflicted. "I'll come back for her, I promise. But right now, we need to get moving before anyone notices."
The group moved quickly and quietly down the corridor, Levi leading the way. As they walked, he whispered to Taylor, "I never wanted to be part of this. I got caught up with the Marauders when they found me after an attack. They... they saved my life, but now I see what kind of people they really are."
Taylor squeezed his hand, feeling a mix of relief and concern and weakly smiled. Still not forgetting how things were before. Levi led them through a series of twists and turns, the facility's layout becoming more familiar to him with each step. They finally reached a door at the end of a dimly lit hallway. "This leads to the outside. From there, you can make a run for it. I'll create a distraction to give you time."
Lily stepped forward, her eyes filled with gratitude. "Thank you, Levi. We won't forget this."
"We'll come back for you... Just make sure you get Aria to safety too" Ashton whispered.
With a final nod, Levi opened the door and the group slipped outside into the cool night air. They ran silently, hearts pounding, as they made their way to freedom. For the first time in days, there was a glimmer of hope on the horizon. They had a chance to escape, and with Levi's help, they might just make it. But just then there was a gunshot. "HOLD IT, FUCKERS." It was Daurine. The plan had failed, and the guilt ate up in Levi. Lily, Taylor and Ashton all raised their hands up as Daurine approached. "Now... Archie can talk to you all about this. YOU TOO LEVI! You were meant to be escorting them after all... what on earth happened!" She demanded.
The sharp report of the gunshot echoed, freezing them all in their tracks. Daurine's voice, dripping with menace, cut through the tense silence. The failure of their plan was like a weight pressing down on them, especially for Levi, who now faced the full brunt of Daurine's fury.
Levi's voice shook as he tried to explain, "Daurine, I... I was just trying to-"
"Save it," Daurine snapped, cutting him off. "Archie will deal with you. Now move!"
She gestured with her gun, and the group reluctantly turned and began walking back toward the prison, escorted by Daurine. As they approached the main building, the harsh lights of the compound illuminated their path, casting long shadows on the ground. Other guards and Marauders watched them with a mix of curiosity and disdain.
Daurine led them into a large, makeshift meeting room where Archie was waiting. His expression was one of amusement and irritation. "Ahhh here we are" he drawled, leaning back in his chair.
"They tried to escape," Daurine reported, pushing Levi forward. "And this one helped them."
Archie raised an eyebrow, looking from Levi to the others. "Is that so? Levi, I'm disappointed. After all we've done for you."
Levi's shoulders slumped, guilt and fear evident on his face. "I couldn't let them suffer, Archie. They're not our enemies."
Archie laughed, a cold, humorless sound. "Not our enemies? Bollocks." His gaze shifted to Lily, Taylor, and Ashton. "And as for you three, I hope you enjoyed your little adventure. It ends now."
Lily stepped forward, defiance sparking in her eyes. "You won't get away with this, Archie. People like you always fall in the end."
Archie smirked. "Brave words. But for now, you belong to me."
He motioned to the guards. "Take them back to their cells. We'll decide their fate later. And as for Levi... keep him separate. I want to have a little chat with him."
As the door closed behind them, the harsh reality of their situation set in. They were back in captivity, but this time, the stakes were even higher. With Archie and the Marauders now fully aware of their intentions, any hope of escape seemed more distant than ever. Levi stood there, the weight of his failed attempt to help his sister and friends pressing heavily on his shoulders. Archie's words cut through the silence, filled with a mockery that only deepened Levi's sense of guilt.
"You know what, Levi? I like you. I'm going to give you one more chance. But I'm demoting you. You're not going to be a guard anymore; you're going to be a janitor," Archie smirked, his eyes gleaming with satisfaction at Levi's humiliation. Levi clenched his fists at his sides, his face burning with shame and anger. "Yes, sir," he muttered, knowing that any resistance or argument would only make things worse for him and potentially for the others as well.
Archie leaned back in his chair, a satisfied grin spreading across his face. "Good. Now, get out of my sight. You've got work to do."
Levi nodded stiffly and turned to leave the room. As he walked down the dimly lit corridors, the reality of his new role settled over him. He knew he had lost a crucial position that had allowed him some degree of influence and access within the Marauders' hierarchy. Now, he was at the bottom, but he resolved to use whatever opportunities came his way to help his sister and her friends.
Meanwhile, back in their cells, Lily, Taylor, Ashton and Aria began trying to come up with a new plan. The harshness of their predicament was undeniable, but they drew strength from each other's presence and the knowledge that they were not alone in this fight.
Lily's eyes filled with determination. "We can't give up. Levi will find a way to help us. We just need to be ready for the right moment."
As Levi began his new role as a janitor, he moved through the prison, taking mental notes of security measures, guard routines, and any potential weaknesses he could exploit. He knew that his demotion, while humiliating, also provided him with a cover to move relatively unnoticed through various parts of the compound. And in those unnoticed moments, he would find a way to turn the tide in their favor.