None of them knew what to do because what if Mitch was being held hostage and breathing through the vent to attract them? What if this was all part of the school's plan since Avi never noticed anything weird about his room.
Eyebrows raised and eyes widened. Did they imagine that? Surely, they couldn't all have imagined the same thing. Kevin crouched down and pressed his ear against the cool metal, it stung his ear with a bare coldness. There were slight sounds lingering in the hollow vent, like mice skittering in the dark.
The others eyed the vent carefully, each shaky breath reminding them of their uncertainness.
Kevin, then, heard little clicks and small footsteps. It was too low for the others to hear, he too, almost didn't recognize the hush sounds. He listened carefully and when he was sure what he heard was just, he motioned for the others to join him on the floor. They each crouched around the vent, careful to not make too much noise and they listened in unison.
"Kevin? Is that you?" The quiet voice was so recognizable.
The vent led to the room the Taken were being held hostage in, they were sure of that. They were hit with the realization that the school had been hiding something so dehumanizing.
Kirstin was furious and confused but had no hesitation to reply. "Mitch? It's Kirstie. Are you okay? Where are you?!" She whispered hoping her friend was all alone.
Anyone can be listening to their conversation. Anyone can take them to confinement if they found out there was a way to contact the punished students.
"I nee--" Mitch hissed, but before he could complete his sentence, there was a loud bang and they waited for him to carry on, running out of patience, it was like the quiet before a storm.
After many more shifts in the audio and lots of unintelligible noises, their one opportunity broke into hell.
"What are you doing?!" A voice they recognized as Liza's bark, magnified ten times coming through the vent.
They shot up to the sudden voice and shared a look of regard. Liza could easily infer that Mitch was whispering to his best group of friends.
But she didn't.
"What has gotten into you? It kicked in already didn't it? Looks like the scientists are getting better and better every year and boy am I glad I became a guard to witness it all." Her sentences filled their brains with information they thought would never come across.
What scientists are they talking about? There are only teachers here and they aren't even close to becoming scientists.
Kirstin shot each of them a pointed expression. It's crazy how a simple thing like asking for help can lead up to such bizarre conclusions. They each wished they could be anywhere but the school at that moment, dealing with anything but the disappearance of their friend.
~~~
Flashback
"Mom? H..how long do I have to stay in here?" Avi's innocent voice asked his mother.
"When you graduate and become the smartest human being, honey." She gave him a reassuring smile. "You'll make lots of friends in here and come home someday being able to teach your Dad and I a couple things. We'll visit you a few times."
Avi let go of the hug and followed the principal, Mr. Yael, into the building.
"Hello there! Why don't you sit over there?" A lady asked pointing to a brown haired girl who was sitting and smiling next to three others.
He hesitated for a moment but realized he didn't have a reason to because everyone seemed so nice. "H..hi guys. Can I sit with you?"
"Sure! Come over here." A blonde boy patted to the empty space next to him. "Do you like to sing?" He asked immediately.
Avi was surprised from the sudden question. "I sometimes sing to my family during the holidays."
"Oh my god! Me too!" The brown haired girl told him excitedly and smiled. "My name is Kirstin."
"Can I call you Kirstie?" Avi felt something warm in the people he just met and knew these will be the people who will be there for him.
Forever.
~~~
The sun was setting over the buildings outside of Ayrton. The sky was dipped in shades of blue, orange, purple, a hue of beauty. Liza talked to a few other guards who were patrolling the confinement room. Talking to Mitch will be very difficult considering he was being constantly watched.
"Hey Avi? Is it okay if we stay here... For the night? I don't feel safe sleeping alone anymore." Scott curled his knees and hugged it staring at the ground. He was so paranoid after finding out the Taken went through more than just being confined. He thought of the things they thought when they first got enrolled into school, the excitement and amusement. They were not expecting this. The school is changing them into something that is suppose to make them different.
Avi had agreed to let everyone stay over since he didn't want them all to leave either. Something could happen through the vent and he wants everyone to be with him when it happens. He found comfort in knowing that he wasn't alone in it. The pain that flashed through his veins was mutual.
They all needed each other. Not leaving anyone's side, they took turns to bring their belongings over.
Two would go, two would stay. Then they would switch rooms to get the other's personals. They didn't spend a single second alone. Even when they used the washroom, someone would always stand guard outside. Although, it wasn't helping very much. They were afraid, no matter what.
Avi left his bedroom and decided to sleep with the rest in the living room.
Next to the vent.
"It feels like Mitch is with us, doesn't it?" Kirstin whispered turning a small lamp on. They had laid out blankets on the floor, each of them had occupied a little bit of the bare floor. Huddling their blankets closer.
Silence filled the room for a couple of minutes while they contemplated all of what happened in one day.
"Goodnight, guys. I love you all." Kevin glanced at everyone's faces. No one reached to turn off the lamp. They couldn't bare a moment without light.
"Goodnight." came through the vent. It shook them but they smiled to themselves in the dimmed room, a warm spreading through the small group as the silence lulled them to sleep. Maybe, there was a way out. Just maybe.
~~~
YOU ARE READING
Escaping Ayrton
FanfictionA group of five choir friends were enrolled in a strict school since they were four. They didn't realize how manipulative the place was until the end of their senior year when a friend went missing. Every senior who graduated never returns the same...
