Compound Fracture (hold)

chapter 11

Chapter 11:

If everything went as planned, we would have the key by the end of the day. However we would still need a way to unlock the door. There was no handle on this side. That was easily fixed. We could attach the key to the end of our metal stick, then we could reach through the food slot and unlock the door. From there, the doors would unlock and the cameras would turn. All we had to do was find our way to the surface.

“We're going to have to take shifts tonight, for staying awake.” Dale theorized. “We don't want to miss the signal.”

“Good plan.” I'd just been thinking the same thing. “Want me to take first shift?”

“Sure.”

“Second.” Shay raised his hand.

It was just like him, taking the most difficult time slot.

“We have no clocks.” Emme pointed out. “How do we know when to change?”

“Count!” Dale said, half jokingly. “It will help keep you awake.”

The key came in with supper. At first we'd thought Denis had failed, when we didn't see it on the tray. Emme was halfway through her soup when her spoon hit it. Excellent hiding place, but I noticed Emme did not eat the rest of her dinner.

My shift passed quickly. Taking Dale's advice, I counted the hour and a half. It was painful, not losing count. I marked each passing minute with a scratch on the wall. When I woke Shay I told him my trick, and he thanked me. We talked quietly, doing our best to not wake the others.

I was asleep within a matter of minutes. I'd been more exhausted than I'd thought. I woke to Dale shaking my shoulder. He'd had third shift. It must almost be morning.

“The lights.” He whispered. “They just went. It's time to go.”

Nodding, I groaned. It was the only sound I could manage right now. My body was soar from two nights of sleeping on the ground. Dale had moved on to Shay, and I crawled over to Emme. Lucky girl. She'd gotten the most sleep of any of us.

“Wakie, wakie.” I shook her shoulder, stifling a yawn.

She gave a little sigh, much more attractive than mine, and rolled onto her other side.

“Time to go.” I shook her a little more roughly this time.

She sat bolt upright. “I'm awake, I'm awake.”

“Good. Let's get a move on.”

We were all sluggish, this early in the morning, but hopefully so were the guards. With our little door opening contraption in hand, Emme reached out through the food door. She could fit the farthest out of all of us. The key barely reached the handle, but Emme somehow managed. I held my ear to the door, listening for the click that would indicate the lock opening.

“Ah!” Emme called out in triumph.

The lock clicked, and the door swung open. Still stuck in the hole, Emme had to awkwardly wiggle out of the now open door. Shay helped her to her feet. From the corner, Dale grabbed this scissors.

At my look he said, “just in case.”

As expected, the hallway was empty. The camera that should be pointed at our cell door was pointed off down the hallway. Shay lead the way, staying close to the wall. I was content to follow him. He'd been here longer than I.

We reached the first door, leading into the stairwell. Just as Jake had promised, it was open.

“Where are we going?” I whispered, not asking anyone in particular.