The Hunt

Chapter 45: Hanna

I grip the stone in my pocket, and then run my other hand through my hair.

Why did I ever agree to this?

Javaar is sitting across from me, eating with purpose. I haven't touched my food. I don't know how he's eating, because I definitely couldn't, thinking about what's to come.

After I'd made the deal with Javaar, Stephan had come back over to convince me to change my mind. He told me I was crazy to trust Javaar. I told him I was already crazy, that's why I'm locked up. And then he left.

It's been two days. Two prolonged days where Javaar performed random 'errands' to prepare, while I sat and waited for him to give me the signal. Today he sits down with me for dinner, which I assume is the signal.

Javaar looks up from his food, glances around, and points to the old man sitting two tables away from us, "There's our guy. The one I told you about, that's going to come in later."

I nod.

"Now do it."

I smile, "You know this is the only part of the plan I like."

"Just get it over with."

I let go of the stone in my pocket and stand up vociferously, "I said get away from me!"

Javaar throws his tray of food at me as he stands up, "If you say one more word, I swear-"

That's when I punch him square in the nose.

There's a crunch, a splatter of blood, and a shriek. Cafeteria supervisors rush over to Javaar, who has fallen to the ground in a bloody, screaming mess. I can't tell if the screaming is real or not, but the thrill of getting to sock him in the face overwhelms me.

Javaar is put on a stretcher, and medics are preparing to take him to the hospital, for what we hope is a broken nose. I am led back to my room by Mr. Anderson, who looks pissed at me.

"This is not going to help your case," he hisses.

Javaar and I exchange glances as we go our separate ways.

I'm sitting on my bed, waiting anxiously in the dark. My alarm clock reads 11:32. The only things on me are my hoodie, pants, a long sleeved shirt, my white sneakers, and the stone in my pocket. I'd put my hair in a ponytail hours ago.

The door clicks, and the janitor walks in with his cart. He takes off his hat and throws me white robes.

"When you said the janitorial branch was right next to the hospital branch, I didn't think you meant right next to it. This is a piece of cake so far," Javaar grins.

"I thought I was disguising myself as a janitor too?!" I hold up the white robes that look like scrubs.

"I didn't have enough time to grab the necessary parts. Looks like you're the asylum staff that's checking on your patients."

I throw on the clothes as Javaar wheels his cart out of the room. A few seconds later, I strut out of the door. I can just see him rounding the corner of the hall.

I follow him, not too closely however, through the winding halls of the mental hospital. I pretend to go to some of the doors and 'check in' on patients, just in case the cameras are watching.

Finally, I round a corner and Javaar has disappeared into a janitorial closet. I follow.

Javaar is stripping down to regular clothes, and so I do too.