For Lola

Part 7

When I see Suri, 3 hours later, at my door, she opens it and hands me a uniform and a wig. Just like I asked.

"Well done, bravo.", I say quite sarcastically.

"You could at least be a little more grateful.", she tells me, "I've done everything you asked."

"Yeah, I could."

"So now, I found the way outdoor via the basement. When you descend the stairs and walk to the right, there is an elevator to your left. If you take that elevator upstairs to the ground floor, you can practically leave but you have to go between 3 and 4 because then the guard has a break. I waited there and I saw what happend: the guard left and nobody replaced him. Since there are no visiting hours either, nobody is watching", she tells me.

"So that's when we'll leave right?", I say to Suri

"Yes, exactly."

"I'll be waiting for you here, I'm not going anywhere.", I say with some dissapointment.

"I know... I'll be here tomorrow at 2 o'clock. We can chat like we did today so that they don't suspect anything. Around 3:10 you change and we leave, very carefully. Prepare yourself, because I am not doing this for nothing. I'll let you know what I expect from you tomorrow."

"Sounds like drama, Suri, just like old times isn't it."

She gives me a weak smile and walks away.

I head back to my desk and I'm starting to wonder if she's really coming back tomorrow. She would be very stupid and she explained exactly how I get out so maybe that'll work. But then she wouldn't get her price back from me.

In the evening the nurse comes by with my medicin. I look like I take them, but I never really swallow them. I have to be sharp when Charles comes back. She tells me to come to the cafetaria to eat dinner so when she's gone I hide the pills in my pillow and I go for dinner.

I don't have friends here so I spend my days here alone, even at the table. People don't look at others, they look down. They seem pretty down. I'm down too, but I know for sure that Charles will be there when I get back to his appartement in Portland. I really don't know where I am exactly now, I still don't remember the rest of the night of the dissapearance.

The next morning I wake up and I see the sun radiating from my caged window. I can't see a thing from here because there is a tree right in front of my window. At least I see some sunlight. I start my day like I have every other day here, but it feels different. Just imagine if I actually get out. Or if I don't.

I stop argueing with myself and start to act normal, that the least I can do. When noon is over I sit on my bed. Waiting and waiting and waiting. And when the clock strikes two I see the visitors come in and there I see Suri.

"What a relief", I say to her," I started to wonder if you were even going to come."

"Why wouldn't I? I said I wanted something in return remember? And I need it. Very badly."

We go to the fourth floor again and talk like we did yesterday. Only there is a little more tension today between us... Maybe it's the whole escaping act that got to me.

Suri sends me to my room and goes upstairs to change while I change in my room. The uniform fits perfectly, just like I predicted and when Suri knocks at my door I tell her to be a little more quiet. Really she's like an elephant knocking at my door, we don't need any more attention. I put on my wig which is black, very different from my natural blondish brown hair. I look a last time in the mirror which is also caged in case somebody wants to hurt someone with it. I don't even look like myself anymore. There I am. Black sleek hair, tall and extremely skinny from not eating the ratty food they serve here.

"Let's go", Suri convinces me.

I just nod in case someone hears me, nobody wants to get caught when they escape.

We tiptoe through the building but still incognito, nobody recognized us yet. When we reach the basement I start to pull back.

"I can't do this, suri", I whisper, "what if I get caught?"

"You can't go back now, you got us into this mess.", she says

"Actually...", i start to say but I just shit my mounth in case someone's here.

We walk to the elevator and just when we want to push the button a man comes out of the opening elevator doors. He greets us but he probably scents our fear.

"What are you two up to?", he says

Luckely Suri saves my ass by saying "were going to get a coffee, we'll be right back."

He look us straight in the eyes and rises his eyebrow. "I've never seen you before here.."

"Oh, eh well that's possible. We're interns, we just started here. This is our first day."

"Yeah right. We don't usually show the emergency exit to interns right away.", he says when he pushed us against the wall.

And just when the elevator doors start to close again we kick him in his stomach and we run to the elevator where we imidiantly push the button upstairs. We're so nervous that we're almost sweating blood.

Once escaped I look Suri in the eye.

"I think we're supposed to run now", I tell her.

"You're probably right", she says just when she starts running away.

9 blocks later we find ourselves back on the ground tired as hell.

"We did it, we escaped", i say quietly.

"No you escaped, I just exited.", she reminds me.

"Thank you", I say when I give her a hug.

"Now, what I want from you in return. I've been having mayor problems with my boyfriend and I need you to fix something for me. He has been cheating on me and I saw but he doesn't know. And oh, the game has just begun."