Open Your Eyes, It's Just a Dream (Escape From Furnace Fanfic)

Chapter Seven

               Inmates swarmed the courtyard. Most of them were standing in small circles, carefully avoiding the gangs. Chance and his friends were in the far corner of the yard playing tag with a girl. I smiled and then nodded to the Skulls as they walked off. “So what happens at night?” I asked, walking over to Rowan. We followed him up the stairs and into his cell before he replied.

            “The lights go out and the cells get locked.” He said bluntly, hopping on the top bunk. Christian grimaced as he sat down on the bed. “If there is a Blood Watch, don’t get up. Don’t even open your eyes and DO NOT making noise. I don’t need any of you getting taken.” I leaned on the bars and looked at Christian.

            “Who takes us?” I asked. Christian pulled off the top of his uniform and then ripped off the sleeves. His side was still a sickly green-brown color. Alina looked at Christian, wide-eyed and sat down next to him.

            “The wheezers.” I looked at him.

            “The what?” He chuckled.

            “The wheezers. They are the creepy things in the gas mask. They come at night and if they mark your cell it means someone in there is getting taken. You won’t know who until the Blacksuits come.” He saw my confused look and groaned. “The Blacksuits are the guards in the suits.” He said. I nodded and looked at Christian. He was wrapping his sleeves around his ribs and laughing at Alina’s horrified face.

            “What happened to you?” She asked. He finished tying the cloth and pulled his shirt back on.

            “One of the guards, er, Blacksuits kicked me when we were being brought in. Don’t recommend getting on there bad side.” Christian chuckled. Rowan smiled and then nodded towards the inmates that were walking by us.

            “You two should probably go to your cells. It will be going dark soon.” I nodded and looked at Alina.

            “Ready?” She nodded and said good night to Christian and Rowan before skipping down the hall and disappearing up the stairs. I said goodnight to Rowan and then Christian stood up and followed me to the door.

            “I think we should talk.” I laughed and we walked down the walkway and then stopped about eight cells away from Rowan and leaned on the railing. (Ahh! Guess who’s cell they’re near!! Ok sorry fangirl moment.)

            “You make talking sound so scary.” He chuckled and looked at the courtyard.

            “Listen. I’m sorry about snapping at you earlier. I was on edge with everything that was happening and I just needed to vent. I guess you just were the only one there when I snapped.” He ran his hand through his hair and sighed.

            “It’s fine Christian.” I smiled and bumped his arm with mine. “Anyways, better me than someone who might have punched you face in.” He grinned. A pair of inmates hurried by us and into a cell. A girl walked by us and covered her face with her hair.

            “Did you mean what you said?” He asked, turning and looking at me. His eyes were filled with concern and I knew exactly what he was talking about. I looked at the floor and nodded. “Why?” I fiddled with my sleeves.

            “Because I felt like it was my fault that my dad left and that my mother died. I… I though if I stayed with my family I would just bring more harm to them and that they would be better off without me. I guess I was right considering my sister and parents are dead now…” I trailed off and felt Christian’s arm wrap around my shoulders. He laid his head on mine and kissed my hair.

            “That not true Mel.” He whispered. “You had no control over your dad leaving or your mother’s death. We weren’t even home when the Blacksuits came and there was nothing we could do to save your sister.” I felt my eyes start to water and I wiped them quickly.

            “Then why do I feel so bad?” I mumbled. He shrugged.

            “Maybe everyone feels a little bad when their family left or died. I know I did when my mother left.” I nodded and he hugged my tightly. “The pain goes away after awhile Mel.” He dropped his arms and smiled at me. “Promise.” I laughed slightly and wiped my eyes again.

            “God damn it Christian. I never cry around anyone and then you come around and I fall apart.” He grinned and I rolled my eyes. “I should go to bed now.” He nodded.

            “Yeah, so I’ll see you tomorrow then.” He said. I smiled and hugged him real quick. “Night Mel.” He grinned and then turned, trotting back to his cell. I watched him leave and then turned around. Just as I started walking, someone walked out of their cell and I smacked into them. I heard them grunt and I stumbled backwards. Right before I hit the ground they reached out and grabbed my arm, pulling me back up. I got my balance and looked up. A tall guy around my age was standing in front of me. He was I guess you could say buff and was smirking. He scoffed at my bandana then looked at me.

            “A Skull?” I blushed slightly.

            “Yeah…” He grinned and nodded.

            “Well watch where you’re going next time.” He shook his head and then pushed passed me, walking away. I spun around and watched him walked away. Just before he walked down the stairs he turned around and grinned at me. “Don’t do anything stupid!” He yelled and then ran down the steps. I blushed again and then turned, running up to my cell. I’m not sure why I was blushing; I mean usually only Gary made me blush. I ran my hand through my hair and walked into my cell. Alina was sitting on the bottom bunk, braiding her hair and talking happily to nothing. I smiled at her and then climbed onto my bed. The mattress was thin and lumpy and was covered in a light sheet. I groaned and leaned back onto the bed. There were only a few inmates walking by now and I smiled. Beneath me, Alina shifted and leaned on the wall.

            “What do you think we’re going to get as a job tomorrow?” She said. There was a long pause and then she started talking again. “Yeah maybe, I hope I get slop duty. I’ve always liked cooking. What did you have yesterday Derek? That’s too bad. I wanted to go talk to, um, I think his name was Matt today but Rowan was always around. You know how he is about me talking to guys.” She started laughing. “That’s true! I’ll try tomorrow. Maybe we’ll have the same job. Well they should be turning the lights out soon.” She jumped off of her bed and then her head popped up next to me. “Goodnight Melody.” She smiled and then I heard her lay back down. “Don’t let the wheezers bite.” I laughed and then the cell door slammed closed. A few minutes later the siren screamed and the prison went pitch black. I yelped at the sudden darkness and ended up rolling off of my bed. The cold ground smashed into me and I lost my breath. Sitting up, I clutched my chest and tried to regain my breath. I heard Alina shift and then her hand rested on my shoulder. “Are you okay?” She asked. I coughed a few times and then caught my breath.

            “Um, yeah. Just fell.” I stared into the pitch black, panicking slightly. I knew that the lights had only gone out but my brain was telling me I went blind. Alina’s hand left me and then I heard her bed squeak as she lay down.

            “You will get used to the dark. It’s just disorienting at first.” I nodded but she couldn’t see me. Shakily, I stood up and fumbled around until I found the bars. I slid down them and searched the darkness for the computer monitor with the Furnace logo on it. I finally found the comforting light. My heart stopped racing and I laid my head against the bars. The logo rotated lazily and somewhere in the prison an inmate began to cry. Their quiet sniffles slowly turning into full-blown sobbing. I shivered as others slowly began to join the distraught cries. A few people yelled into the darkness. Beckoning freedom to come or jeering at the crying inmates. I banged my head lightly against the bars, hoping I would wake up and see that this was all just a bad dream. I could almost hear my alarm clock yelling and the smell of breakfast wafting into my room. My phone buzzed, most likely receiving a text from Gary, and then my sister walked by, talking to her friend on the phone. With a cry in frustration I pulled myself back into reality. I gritted my teeth and listened in silence to the inmates. Somewhere in the darkness I knew Christian was in a cell. I wasn’t alone in this mess it I sure felt like it. Slowly exhaustion over took emotions and I slipped into a nightmare-ridden sleep.