"Prisoner 001401"
The voice broke through the deep trance that shrouded my mind. It rushed me back to reality; I knew the voice by heart. Its roughness bringing me back into the dank cave ‘authorities’ called a cell.
"Yes... Warden"
"Dinner time”
Those simple words brought a cold feeling through my body. It reminded me of the life I had missed in this place. Getting up I flexed my stiff joints under the tattered prisoner’s clothes and reached for the tray.
“Shit as usual?”
“Yep”
Well the food wasn’t that far from it, brown slop with some bread. As the warden moved away from my cell door I moved like my life depended on it. I had planned for this moment for the past 6 years. When I realized that the corrupt justice system wasn’t getting me out of here anytime soon. Reaching up I slid the 7th brick from the wall, it hit the ground with a thud, cracking the crude tiles. Reaching into the recess I pulled out a bundle of sickle shaped knives that I had managed to make over my sentence of 7 years. Looking around I stuffed the 7 knives into my waist band. Turning I stared at the cross I had carved into the wall. Resting my forehead against the rough stone I prayed to God, or at least the God I had come to know in this shithole.
“Lord. I have come to ask you for the strength to do what is needed”
Pushing myself away from the wall I turned and dropped the hem of my shirt to cover the hilts of the knives. Pressing against the bars I felt where I had chiseled away begin to give way, bit by excruciating bit. Slipping between the bars I felt my body make it through.
I never ate so I was down to pure muscle, skin, and bone. It felt like sinew covered every square inch of my 6 ft frame. Strolling down the dark windowless corridor I heard the banging of the bars. Looking straight ahead I walked quickly. It wouldn’t take long for the next round of guards to realize I was gone.
Turning the corner I saw one thing that made my heart jump. Four guards were standing under one of the flickering gas lamps used to illuminate the sub-basement of the prison. Reaching behind me I gripped the hilts of two knives tightly. Sliding one out I felt its familiar weight pressing into my palm. Cocking my hand back and to the side I loosened my grip and took a couple deep breaths. What I was planning to do was going to defy physics, not to mention drop me in a spot for the record.
Steeling myself I threw my weight forward releasing the knife as it came parallel with my ear, slightly twisting my wrist sending it spiraling off into the puddle of lite. Watching carefully I saw the blade spin past the first guards ear, between the next 2 and thud into the head of the fourth I watched for a brief second as he slumped to the floor before offering a slight thanks to the heavens. Sprinting from my hiding place, I drew a third knife lunging after the closest guard’s throat. I thought it would be cool to yell something like “I have come for your soul” or maybe something along those lines to scare the shit out of him. But I kept it quiet, stabbing the knife into the back of his neck cutting his vertebrae, death was imminent and silent. Looking past him I saw the guards we still pretty shocked at what just happened so I dragged the poor fellow into the shadows. 2 down; 2 to go, I quickly and efficiently rifled through the man’s pockets finding a Makarov pistol and $50. Looking up from the shadows I saw one guard break into a sprint for the door leading out of here. There was no way he was leaving. Throwing the other knife I saw him tumble forward dead, the knife buried hilt deep in the back of his skull. Clicking the safely off of the pistol I shot the guard 3 times in the chest. I knew we were too far down to be heard, so I had no worries about that. Working a little more slowly I stripped the guard of his baton and uniform before stealing the guns and bullets from the other three. Donning the jacket I immediately felt warmer, the fur lining tickling my neck. Slipping on the boots and pants I pulled the cap low over my eyes before walking to the reinforced doors pulling the knives out of the downed bodies. Slamming my fist against the iron I heard the locks disengage, tumblers rolling around. Swinging back I saw a smallish guy standing there in front of me. In a flash my arm lashed out sending the knife flying between his teeth as he opened his mouth to yell. Running past I placed a foot in his chest pulling the knife out, the blood soaking his grey beard.
You would think that I would be sad, but years in the hole with no one for company but a bunch of rapists, murderers and downright evil people will change you from the inside out. When the only way to stay alive is by taking some ones life, so be it. Running forward I could smell the freedom, the mustiness of the cell washed away by the cool Russian air.
Turning a corner I could se the final and only flights of stairs, mounting them two at a time I rushed forward, joy running into my bones. I could see the white of the outside snow, and then the world exploded into black. It felt like someone lighted a firecracker in the back of my skull. Stars blew by colors faded into one another. Struggling I found my hand reaching for the last step, before something came down against my head again. I slumped into unconsciousness.
It was over, my hard thought out plan was over. No way I was getting out of here. Well not the way i was expecting to