Piano Keys

Chapter 4

That night, I got very little sleep; the trial that lay before us was clouding my thoughts of slumber. I sat leaning against the side of the cell double checking everything we had prepared the night before and running over the plan in my head. Satchel made out of a sheet, check. Two metal cups that once held water, check. Journal, check. Pencil, check. I thought, and it seems that I had everything.

A stirring in the corner of my eye interrupted my thoughts; Harry jostled in his sleep ever so slightly.  The curly knotted hair shadowed his eyes from my sight. I could see by his ear what seemed to be a tattoo, the marking just barely visible in the dim light.  It amazed me how attached two complete strangers could become in a matter of days. Yes, Harry was the only one here that didn't want something from me or didn't want to hurt me so of course I would be attached, but I was convinced that wasn't the only reason. He was sweet and although in the real world I would never associate with a tatted mess of a boy, I liked Harry. No, not like I had feelings for him or anything, he was my only friend in here; I needed him to get out of here and I liked to think he needed me just as much. Suddenly as if awoken by a loud noise, harry bolted up out of his slumber.

"You okay?" I silently giggled to myself at his crazy morning hair.

"Yeah, just had one of those dreams where you're falling and right as you hit the ground, you jolt awake." He rubbed his eyes sleepily and then glanced my direction. "You're up early."

"Couldn't sleep. We have to be up soon anyway, might as well stay awake."

"Already that time?" He hid his face ever so slightly, looking at the ground.

"Is Harry scared?"  I could see the smile that creeped onto his face even through his shadowing curls.  He lightly shoved me in the arm, not needing to say anything else. But he did and his next words surprised me.

"How are you?" it was such a common everyday question, one that I might use in conversations everyday back home, but here... I never expected to hear anyone concerned about me.

"Better," I gave him a quick smile confirming my answer.

It was true, I did feel better today, and the injuries didn't hurt as much as the previous day.  I knew I ran the risk of slowing us down and if anything, I had to at least get Harry out. That was my ultimate goal. Him getting out alive.

"Ah, I forget that I am rooming with a mute." Apparently I had zoned out and missed something.

"Sorry, I uh... zoned out."

"I can tell." His mocking behavior made me feel like I was talking to a friend. "Its almost time. You're sure you're ready?"  I gave him a quick nod and lay down on my side of the cell as we had planned while he lay in his position.

We stayed in silence several minutes before the annual morning guard walked in and flipped on the lights, so far everything was going according to plan.

"Get up you two, you've had enough shut eye." The guard spoke to us from just outside our cell.

We didn't move; just lay there with our eyes shut, not making any sound. I heard the jingling of keys from his belt and then the door creaking open. "I said get up!" he reached down for me and I opened one eye to give Harry the signal. Without a fear in his thoughts, Harry jumped to his feet and slammed the guards' head into the cell bars. The guard was instantly out. He fell to the floor and lay motionless. The strength of Harry's arms was much greater than expected and in that little moment, I felt a glimmer of hope for one of us making it out alive.

We had to move quickly from that point forward. Stripping the guards' uniform and everything he had, the size was small on Harry but he could still fit into the clothes without tearing them. We adjusted the belt to his size and buckled it around him, slip the gun over his shoulder and put handcuffs on my writs. They were just loose enough that they could slide on and off at a moment's notice, but tight enough they didn't look loose. Each guard had a knife on one ankle this was given to me while Harry carried the gun. I slipped the knife into my sleeve so it was accessible when it is needed.

We rushed out of the cell and locked it despite the fact that the guard was still inside. The plan was to go unnoticed as far as possible.  My hands started to shake, I could play piano in front of millions of people but this, this looked impossible.

"Cali, look at me. Just breathe; looking scared is okay, you're playing the part of the prisoner, remember?"  Harry had a point, if I was calm that would be suspicious.

Harry opened the door to the hallway and began pulling me out, his grip on my arm was firm but not rough in anyway.  We turned down a hallway, not exactly knowing where we were going but hoping to find stairs, a window, anything that could take us away.

As we turned down another hallway, we spotted another guard; I immediately tensed and slowed down but Harry remained calm and tugged me along. The guard looked Harry and I directly in the eyes as we neared him closer and closer. My nerves were growing and growing with each passing second. I could hardly breathe. We weren't going to even make it past the first guard. The guard was only a few feet away when he nodded and simply walked by us.  Did that just happen? I thought to myself. It was working.

We continued down the hallways, careful not to go in a circle. This place was a maze.  We had passed several guards without a problem; we had actually had no problems whatsoever.  But it would appear our luck had run out. After one more turn down a hallway we found an exit into a courtyard. Upon the door read a sign that stated, "Guards only beyond this point."

"How are we getting through that?" I whispered to Harry.

"Stick close and move quick." That's all Harry said before he took hold of my arm and practically dragged me out the door.

The sun was blinding and I squinted, warm air rushed against my face, it was suffocating. Harry continued dragging me, so far so good. I looked to my right and saw stairs, the sign said roof access, 50 feet or so and in front of us was a door, our door to freedom.  We walked briskly, we had to make it.

"Hey, you there!" One of the guards shouted and started walking towards us. Busted. Harry leaned into me and I knew exactly what was coming.

"Run." Adrenaline pumped through our veins, we took off. I followed right behind Harry for his legs were much longer than mine.  We ran for the stairs and took them by two. The guard was hot on our heels screaming and shouting, pretty soon more guards came rushing out and began to shoot in our direction. We rounded a corner, shielding us from the rain of bullets. We approached our last staircase till we reached the roof when I looked behind me, a gunman had just peaked around the corner. A bullet went whizzing by my face.

"Harry we need to move faster-" before I could even finish my sentence the sounds of excruciating pain came suddenly.  I looked up and stopped dead in my tracks when I saw the blood dripping down his arm. "Harry!"  My heart dropped in my chest.

"Just keep going!" He yelled to me and continued up the stairs.

I went to keep moving when a hand pulled me backwards and I crashed against one of the guards.'  A sharp shriek escaped my lips as I desperately tried to grasp Harry's attention. I fought and fought. The guard pulled me to his chest; his strength was no match for my own. I then felt the guard being pulled away from me. Harry punched the guard in the face and then pulled me to him. We both took off before the rain of bullets could reach us.  We reached the roof and ran to the opposite side and stopped.

"Harry, there's nowhere to go." Panic took over me. I was freaking out.

"Cali!" Harry gripped my shoulders, pain etched in his eyes. "Do you trust me?"

Did I trust him?

"Do you?!" He shouted at me.

"Y-y-yes," I stuttered. I'm not sure whether or not I do trust him.

"On the count of three, you have to jump."

"Wait, what?!" He couldn't be serious.

"One."

"Harry!"

"Two." He was serious. "Jump!" He took my hand and we both leaped off as the guards rushed in and started shooting after us.