"Alright, here's the plan. I have a key to the front door of the care centre and there are no locks on the doors of the patron's rooms for safety measures. We just have to be very quiet.", Anastasia whispers.
"It can't possibly be that easy. There must be security guards and nurses everywhere.", I mutter.
"You're right, but I thought ahead. The body of the person killed in the room yesterday had been pushed into the overgrowth near the room, hidden from sight. I was helping the disposers with their duty today because you were absent, and I noticed that we were one body short. I did some snooping, and found it up there. Anyway, I caused a commotion off of the 'lost' body and almost everyone in town is out searching.", Anastasia spills.
"Wow, you must really like me. You did all of this for me.", I say, grinning.
Anastasia blushes and then urges me to hurry outside before it's too late.
I shut the window as quietly as I can and tiptoe towards the door. Turning the knob as slowly as possible, I hold my breath in hopes that it won't creak. Once I'm out of the room, I check all around me to make sure that I am alone. As I am nearing the care centre's front door, I hear Anastasia unlock it from outside. My hand grasps the cold doorknob, and suddenly an alarm blares and lights are flashing everywhere.
"Stop right there Joel Barnes! You won't get away with this!", The Leader's piercing voice yells at me from behind. I hear the click of her high heels on the linoleum as she runs towards me. Well, it's now or never. I launch the door open and dash outside, grabbing Anastasia's hand and pulling her towards the edge of the city where it breaks into forest. The Leader is right behind us as we go, and it takes extreme precision to outsmart her. Anastasia and I duck into an alley to catch our breath, and The Leader runs right past our hideaway. Though in seconds, she's back on our tail. The roof on the building next to Anastasia and I is quite low, so I am just tall enough to reach it. I hoist myself up onto the roof and reach my hands out for Anastasia.
"I-I can't, Joel.", Anastasia says through tears. The Leader is only about one hundred feet away now.
"What do you mean you can't? Are you crazy?", I yell.
"I'd just hold you back. You need to do this for our country Joel! Not me, you.", she cries.
"But--", Anastasia cuts me off.
"No buts, Joel. Can you please do this, for me?", she asks.
I hesitate but eventually give in, "Only because it's for you. Promise me that I'll see you again?", I say, I tear rolling down my face.
"I promise.", Anastasia says as she squeezes my hand.
She then throws me the bag she prepared and we say our final goodbyes. I turn from her eventually, trying to hold myself together. The next thing I know, my feet are slamming down on the roof's asphalt as I run, and I'm headed towards the forest clearing; all by myself.
YOU ARE READING
The Valuable
FantasíaAll Joel has ever expected is death. At a certain time, in a certain place. That's all that he has ever known. The sound of death daily has only prepared him for his turn in the room. But what if he doesn't die?
