Radioactive Trenches

Chapter 2

Chapter 2~

I really hate digging. I mean lets be honest here. These trenches are completely useless. Once we dig them, they get refilled again. Of course, that's not what the Fall Out Prison says. Apparently these trenches are supposed to build structure, discipline, and courtesy to the law.

I never believe what I'm told.

I throw another shovel-full of dirt over my back into a wheelbarrow behind me. I pause to wipe the sweat off my forehead and them keep digging.

This was just a waste of time really.

After a few minutes I measure my hole. Five feet by four feet, with a depth of three feet. I sigh. My depth was three feet to shallow. I keep digging, plots swirling through my head.

The trenches where really just huge holes in the ground, dug right next to each other to form a trench like gap in the ground.

By now it was ten o'clock at night. This was my third hole that I've dug since Ivan Lucas dragged me out of the art room with the gun at my back. I had to dig at least ten perfect holes by morning or else I'll be in huge trouble.

My stomach gurgles. I haven't even eaten anything since breakfast- did I even have breakfast today? Or was that yesterday? I can't remember. Serenity would know.

I feel my thoughts start to turn towards Serenity. I suppose people could say I have a little crush on her but it's nothing serious. She's just my friend and I know she hates me most of the time. But then there were those times where she was really sweet to me and-

KLANG!

I never finish that thought. The noise was so loud, so unexpected in the silent outdoors that it makes me jump. Instinct kicks in and I drop to the ground. Was I getting shot at? No, the noise sounded metallic, not at all like a gun shot.

I carefully start to get to my feet again. I'm try to calm my speeding heart. Logic. I had to think logically.

Where did the noise come from? It was very loud so it had to be nearby. It sounded metallic and I hadn't heard anyone approach me so that rules out any chance of it coming from the Prison. The sound came the moment my shovel hit the dirt.

A smile grows on my lips. I kneel down next to the fresh scoop of dirt I had made when the noise came. I cautiously touch the bottom of the scoop. It was cold. And made out of metal. I brush some of the dirt away near the metal and discover that it was a pipe.

I grab my shovel. Pipes meant more ways to cause trouble. I keep brushing away dirt until I found a joint- where two pieces of pipe connect. I bring my shovel down as hard as I can on the joint.

KLANG!

I hit it again.

KLANG!

And again.

KLANG

One more time.

KLANG---CRACK!

Swwwooooossshhh!

I pause. Did I break the joint that easily? I lean down to look closer.

The smell hits me first. Rotting, decomposing bodies. That's honestly what it smelled like. I coughed and raised my face away from the pipe. But I still felt curious. I reach down and pry the joint apart far enough so I could reach inside. There was nothing there, just gas. The smell is so horrible that I have to back away. I take off my jacket and cover my mouth with it as I throw dirt over the pipe.

I scramble out of the hole and breathe in fresh air. Much better, though my head was still spinning. What had I stumbled upon? Why was that gas flowing under the Fall Out Prison? I make a mental note to ask Serenity about it later. Maybe it was flammable.

Speaking of flames, I have to make sure my part of the escape plan was in check.

The plan was simple; break all the kids out of the Fall Out Prison by shutting down the power supply and then lead them to safety by using gas-covered rocks and setting them on fire as torches or beacons.

Of course, I want to go off with a bang but Serenity thinks that if we get to complicated, our plan will be doomed to fail. I can't help thinking that she's wrong.

No one else knew of our plans except Serenity and me so we had to tackle all the jobs. Serenity was in charge of shutting down the power. I had to get the kids out and battle two hundred guards with guns. But why was I worrying? I was a magician, the only one left in the world! Causing problems and escaping from a complex multi-million dollar security prison should be like a walk in the park!

Yeah, I know. The odds where not in my favor. But no one should underestimate what some kids can do when they all want something.

I finish my third hole and go onto my fourth.

My shoes where heavy, filled with rocks I could use for the escape. I had hid plenty of stones around the Fall Out Prison and in my room. Also, just in case I dropped the rocks I would be carrying, I had given every kid a rock of their own through out the years and told them to keep it for something special.

As for the source of ignition for my rock-fire-balls, I had stolen five cigarette lighters and a five cans of cooking oil. Four of the lighters and four cans where hidden along the path to our escape, while the one lighter and can was in my room.

I let out a small chuckle. Out of everything in the world, I think playing with magic and fire is the best.

Fire.... Fire was fun. Very, very fun...

I look up at the sky. How much time had passed? The sun was already starting to peek out from behind the ruins of the demolished world around me.

I drop my shovel and scramble out of the trench.

I have some kids to save.