Run (#Wattys2016)

23

1 month, 17 days, 4 hours, 12 minutes, 8 seconds.

‘This is going to work, this is going to work, this is going to work,’ I thought as the door slammed shut behind the goon. I turned in the salon chair, trying to get a good look at the door.

“All clear?” I asked.

“No movement,” Keke answered back. Levi stood up and ran to the water dispenser. I closed my eyes as the sound of water filling the cup filled my ears. My brain was dead. If this was going to work, I was going to need to be at full mental capacity.

“Drink,” Levi came back around and brought the cup to my lips. I drained it in seconds. Then the second and the third. I could already feel my senses buzzing. ‘See, so far so good.’ 

“Thank you,” I told Levi. She smiled, “This is the first time I’ve seen your eyes alert in a while.” With that, she threw the cups away and ran back to her seat. Not long now. He never left the room very long.

Then the door opened. I closed my eyes, pretending to have fallen asleep. Footsteps approached. 

“Aww come on,” came a low moan. Quickly followed by a punch to the right shoulder. “Wake up!” I jerked out of the seat. Keep the eyes wide for a second. Good, now start to droop and slowly lay back down. Yes, exactly like that.

“What?” I groaned, my shoulder still throbbing.

“Time to get up,” the goon replied, undoing my restraints and helping me out of the salon chair. I made my body go somewhat dead weight. Trying to make it as hard on him as possible without going too far. Wait, who am I kidding? There is no too far.

I almost fell to the ground when my feet hit the floor. The goon was forced to catch me. With another groan, he put my arm around his shoulders and started leading me to my first area. ‘Okay...now!’

I twisted out of his grip, got close, and brought my elbow down on his neck. He dropped like a sack of potatoes. The girls gaped at me in shock. 

“Now THAT’S Lekia,” Kara exclaimed, pumping her fist. I gave a sly grin. Then immediately stopped. That hurt. I shrugged it off and searched the goon. A second later, I held the master key card that they really shouldn’t just give to anybody.

“Kara, did you grab the chain?” She held up the ‘dog leash’ as an answer. “Good. Come on, girls. We’re blowing this popsicle stand.” I ran over to the door, swiped the card, and opened it. The hallway was clear. 

“Stay close to me,” was all I said before we took off. Their bare feet thudded softly on the ground. Mine made no noise. It felt so good to run.

We kept running, not checking any place. It didn’t matter if they saw us. Not unless they were in front of us. As we ran up the stairs to the bathroom level, shouts rang out. I couldn’t help myself, I grinned. They weren’t catching us.

I led the girls straight into the bathroom where we had made our first escape attempt. The girls filed in quickly and I slammed the door behind them.

“The chain,” I ordered. Kara put the metal neck shackle around the doorknob and tightened the chain on the inside of it. Then I secured it to a locked bathroom stall door and tightened it until it wouldn’t move.

“Everyone in the stall,” I commanded, slipping under the locked door. I moved to the top of the toilet to reach the vent. One screw.....two screws.....three screws.....four screws. The vent popped out of place easily.

“Come on, Levi. You first.” She took my hand without question and allowed me to give her a lift into the vent. Keke went next. Then Kara. Last was Emily. She climbed onto the toilet and just stopped.