Run

:20: ЄSƇAƤЄЄS

:20: Escapees

“What’s going on?” I hear a Guard shout from behind us, making everyone immediately freeze up. “No fugitives shall be out of their cells!”

“I’m bringing them to the forest to be punished; they have tried escaping and need to be taught a lesson.” Jess replies, making it sound actually believable. I don’t dare turn around though to see if the Guard has believed Jess, yet stay focused fully on the hallway ahead of us.

“Oh, I see. Carry on then.” the Guard hesitantly replies, before walking back down the hallway slowly. I sigh heavily once he leaves and lean into Camic a bit. I can’t even being to imagine what it would have been like if we were caught before we even got outside.

“Where do we go now?” I whisper to Jess, who leads us proudly.

“Just follow me, I’ve got it.” he replies, turning another corner before we finally see the doors that lead outside. Immediately I smile, since I haven’t been in or even seen the outdoors in about a month or so. Then again though, it still must be winter and snow will be very abundant, which will make our traveling much harder.

“Halt, why are you bringing these prisoners out today?” a Guard standing at the door asks, holding out his hand for us to stop.

“I was told to bring them out here and teach them a lesson for trying to escape.” Jess replies solemnly with a straight face.

“Alright, I just need their names first.” the Guard asks, pulling out a clipboard.

“And why do you need names?” Jess asks, looking back to Camic.

“You know why, you do work here.” the Guard replies monotone, while pulling out a pen.

“Uhm, Camic Sear, and Carnate Mallan…” Jess hesitates, most likely afraid for what they need the names for. The Guard, regardless of the hesitation Jess presented, looks through the paper for our names and checks us off.

“Shouldn’t there be one more…by the name of…Jess Sear?”

“He wasn’t in that room.” Jess replies, trying to lie best he can. The Guard gives him a lopsided look, before showing Jess the paper. It has tons of squares on it, each with little names printed inside. Most likely the room arrangements and who was in which one.

“As you can see,” the Guard points to a small square in the corner. “this square represents the room Jess, Carnate, and Camic had been invited into. The paperwork doesn’t lie, I think you may be.” Immediately then I can tell Jess panics and within the second, shoves Camic and I in front of him and out the door.

“Escapees!” I can hear the Guard inside yell, as Jess comes darting on through the door as well. We all run as fast as we possibly can through the snow, but it just wasn’t enough. A bullet flings through the air, hitting Jess behind me and tossing him to the ground.

“Jess!” I scream, as I rush back to him and help him up, as same does Camic. “Carnate go hide, we will meet you over there in a second.” Camic says, as he helps Jess stand. I do as told immediately, since I know I’m taking care of two people instead of just myself now. Trudging myself through the snow again, I finally get to a large tree and lean up against it; hiding myself from the bullets which fling past me.     

I try to take deep breaths but I just can’t, because I know how much hangs on the line! If we get captured, there isn’t much we can do anymore! We have to be imprisoned here for the rest of our lives and I would have to give my child away to become a Guard! I don’t want my baby to grow up thinking this is the correct way to treat someone, because it isn’t! You should treat everyone with respect, not kill them off for doing what they believe. The sad thing is though, many people have grown up without realizing to treat people with respect and that is how this whole thing started.

“Carnate, run!” I hear Jess yell, as he comes darting past the tree I hide behind. I falter at first, but soon do as told and follow him into the deep brush.

“Where is Camic?” I ask, pushing back the thick snow encrusted bushes we now hide in and try to see. Once I do though, my eyes go completely wide. Thrown over the back of a Guard is Camic, blood dripping down his arms and falling onto the white snow ever so slowly. The rest of the scene however goes by extremely fast and without another thought crossing my mind I whimper out, making Jess cover my mouth. The Guard brings Camic back into the prison, while other Guards come out; searching for me and Jess.

“Don’t say a word.” Jess whispers, before pulling me into him tight. I do as told, but still cry silent tears from what I had just seen. The love of my life, the father of my child, the one who kept me alive all these years…is suddenly gone.             

I bite my lip hard thinking about everything and fall back into Jess’s arms more. I knew I shouldn’t have fallen in love, all along my instinct was to run and that’s exactly what I should have done! And now, because I didn’t follow my instinct, I have to deal with the loss of someone I love…again.  It isn’t far! Why does this have to happen to me! I think loudly to myself. And we were so close to escaping too!

“Show yourselves! Or we shoot!” I hear a Guard yell close by, making me tense up but not say one word. From not saying anything though, Jess and I watch as bullets fly through the bush in which we hide, making me jump back a bit in Jess’s arms. Do they know we are hiding in here? I think to myself, as I hear the Guards come closer to where we are.

“Don’t think you can escape, because we will find you.” I hear a Guard close by say, before slowly walking away and walking back inside. I sigh once I know they are all gone, and move away from Jess a bit.

“Good thing I covered our tracks or they would have found us for sure.” Jess quietly says, before crawling out from under the bushes and pulling me with him.

"What-what happened back there…with-with Camic…we need to go-go back and get him…” I stutter, still crying heavily.

“I was captured and Camic tackled over the Guard holding me. He told me to get you to safety no matter what the cost was on his behalf. Carnate, there isn’t much we can do at this point, Camic’s gone.” Jess finishes, making me immediately go blank as I truly process things. Camic’s really gone. He won’t be here to raise our child, he won’t be here to protect me, or care for me, or love me, or anything! I was angry as well as upset, because look how far we got! If only we were two steps ahead of the game, we all would have made it out. But no, of course it didn’t work out. And to make it worse, I didn’t even say goodbye to him…didn’t say I love you or I’ll miss you or anything. Which destroys my happy ending.

But I won’t give up, even if today says to. And I will see him again, even if only in my dreams. Because every tragedy, has a resolution, and so happy endings do exist…you just have to wait for them.