Rules of Escape

Chapter 6 - Ana

"OK Ana, let's go," Diane says. "We're going to the big house. The storm is pretty bad and we're going there for dinner and to sleep. That's exciting, isn't it? A sleepover!"

Ana pushes herself off the couch and goes to her room to collect her shoes and jacket. She slips a couple of paper clips and a comb into her sweater pocket. She takes a look around her room and picks up her favorite stuffed animal – a small, soft bear. Shoving her mother's gift into her pocket, she quickly leaves her room.

Diane wears a backpack with more of Ana's belongings in it. Ana follows her out of the house and climbs into the car. She allows herself to be buckled in by Diane. Four clips for the harness plus the seat belt. The new harness is necessary to protect staff from Ana while they are driving, but Ana has no intention of escaping or hurting Diane. Not today. She might see Evan at the big house.

At the big house, before she's even out of the car, Ana begins calling for Evan. Evan! Evan are you here? Can you hear me?

The wind whips bare trees back and forth.  Fallen leaves turn like mini twisters. The house looks forlorn, alone atop the hill, but all the windows glow with warmth. 

Ana?  Evan's voice surrounds Ana, a blanket of safety and warmth, grounding her.

Evan. I'm outside. I just got here.

I'm downstairs with Kazuki. He's like us and really excited. He won't stop talking. 

There's someone else like us?  Ana ponders this new information. 

More people? That means a bigger group to take to The Place, assuming Kazuki wants to live there.  And he will.  If he feels like Ana does every day -  that the world is just too much to bear - then after just a few minutes at The Place, he won't ever want to leave.  This, Ana knows.  

Yes, Evan replies. And he's asking so many questions.

I know how he feels. I felt so alone.

I was hoping you would come.

Ana walks in the front door. Off to the right, is the kitchen. Compulsively, Ana tries to open the locked refrigerator. She then starts opening all the cupboards in the kitchen.

"Ana, let's go watch TV. Dinner will be soon," Diane says. "Just wait ten minutes, then we can have dinner. Ten minutes."

Diane is warm and fleshy. Of all her caregivers, Ana likes Diane best. Diane can be annoying sometimes – she hardly gives Ana any space - but she cares about Ana and can anticipate Ana's desires and needs. Most of the time, anyway.

At dinner, everyone sits around the kitchen table or in the living room to eat. All the residents in care are quiet. Change is hard for most of the residents. So are crowds. Dark skies and violent gusts of wind and rain increase the oppressive feeling in the house.  The generator has kicked on which means the power must be out elsewhere.

Who can hear me? Ana thinks.

I can, thinks Kazuki, proudly.

You know I can, thinks Evan. And Ana, I have your key.

You have the key? 

I do.

Eliza and I can hear you too, Michael thinks. 

Even in his thoughts, Michael's voice is gruff. Like the others, his voice in his mind is very similar to his spoken voice, but in his thoughts, his words are clear and unhindered.