Caged

Chapter 16

The next five days were spent planning out escape and collecting the last of what we needed. It was now Friday and everyone was in the quiet room, except for Ryder. "I have to for field testing with Tyler and Taylor in about 5 minutes so we won't be able to stay long." I say and Diane nods.

"Then I'll be quick." Diane says. "So I think we'll be ready to put this plan in action by tomorrow. We'll just have to go over it later today.

***

Today was the day. I had troubles sleeping last night, and I woke up early this morning because I was too excited to sleep. I knew the lack of rest would come back and bite me in the bum later today, but I didn't care. I was leaving this place! I call for Ryder, my voice low from lack of speaking from when I went to bed to now. Ryder opened the door and I slowly got up. "I think I'll start the day with a shower and then make some breakfast." I plan out my day in my head, and Ryder nods. I grab some fresh overalls and a clean white shirt along with underwear, a bra, socks and my shoes. We head to the washroom, and I half skip half trudge to the washroom. "Im so excited but I'm still not a morning person." I complain.

"Well hopefully the shower and a nice breakfast will make you feel better." Ryder says and I smile at him.

I hop in the shower and it's freezing. "Great golly the dickens!" I shout and hear ryder laugh from the other side of the door. I jump out and assure him I'm okay. I take my time in the shower, and decide to brush my teeth while I shower. Hit two birds with one stone. I wash and re-wash everything. I even shave my legs and underarms.

I step out of the shower and dry off, then put on my underwear and bra and then my white shirt, rolling up the short sleeves to make it a makeshift tank top, and put on my overalls, rolling up the bottoms of it so they hang just above my ankles, but I roll one of them higher up, and slip in my socks and shoes, and brush out my wet tangled hair. Once all the knots are out I braid my hair and throw the towels in the dirty towel hamper.

"You're very aesthetic today." Ryder comments on my appearance.

"Thank you, I was experimenting. Today is a day of new things." I smile and Ryder laughs lightly as we enter the kitchen.

"Kristy, you look nice!" Tyler comments as he smiles at me. I try not to think of the situation as awkward.

"Thank you, Tyler. I wanted to try something different." I smile back at him and head into the kitchen as he returns to his conversation with Joseph, who waves as I pass his line of sight. I wave back.

"Hello friends!" I say to Skylar, Taylor and Diane who all stand in the kitchen cooking. "Why are the guys just sitting out there?" I ask noticing it's only women in the kitchen.

"They're discussing the best routes to take in any case someone spots us." Skylar answers. "They didn't wanna cook so we made sure they weren't just doing nothing."

"Typical of them." I roll my eyes. "So what can I do?"

"Flip the pancakes and check on the sausages." Taylor answers and I do as told.

We all sit at the same table and are wrestling for food. There's pancakes, sausages, bacon, strawberries, bananas, toast with butter, toast with jam, toast with peanut butter and orange juice. Joseph and I are fighting for the last price of toast with peanut butter on it, and I mean fighting. I'm slapping his hands and he's trying to grab me, we're both dodging each other and trying to get close enough to fight. He manages to grab me and holds me in a chokehold loose enough that I can breath. I attempt to grab the toast while he's not looking, and I put it in my mouth, but he grabs it from me and let's go of the choke hold. I stand on the table and see everyone move all the food and plates away. I jump down on the opposite side from where I was sitting and grab the bread with two bites gone and shove it in my mouth. Diane then grabs it from me and eats the rest of it. I sit down beside Joseph pouting.

"No more fighting!" Tyler scolds us.

"Yes dad." Joseph and I groan in unison and laugh. The food and plates are returned to the centre of the table and we finish eating without fighting.

***

It was night, and everyone was finished their meetings with Big W. I pack my bag silently, and struggle to see for all the lights are off. I can't turn them on or my night guard will see me. My only source of light is the moon peaking through my window. The night guard is distracted with another guard and they're speaking, so it makes things a little bit easier. I'm slowly opening and closing all my drawers, filling my bag. We all get one backpack, any more would be too much to carry and it would make moving around more difficult. I tied my shoes tight, and put on a heavy sweater for it was fall, almost winter, and freezing outside. I put one shirt, one pair of overalls and all my underwear and bras, luckily each was small. I put my journal and two pens in one of the small front pockets and looked around my room. We weren't allowed many possessions. I spot my shelf filled with photos. I put each on my bed and take each photo out of its frame. I take my journal out of my bag and put the photos in it, and put it back. I look around some more and see my moms jewelry. I take out my overalls and roll them all up in the overalls, and place it back and zip up my bag, slowly and cautiously, every few seconds is look outside and the guard was still preoccupied. I look around once more and don't see anything else of importance. I put my bag under my bed and wait for the queue.

I hear a crash, a loud one, and see my guard run off along with everyone else's. Diane appears at my door with a pair of keys and opens the door. "Let's go." She smiles and extends her hand, which I grab and we run off to unlock everyone else's door.