Are We Human?

Chapter 4

Even with the idea set out and my overly determined mind only thinking of a way to rescue Phil, I still had no fucking clue what I was going to do. I couldn't conceive a proper plan for my escape, but I still didn't give up on my goal. 

It was two days after I had gotten out of the Wacky Room before my plan began to actually form. I was sat in the Cafeteria after my morning training session, a small, uneaten sandwich set ahead of me, when a guard rushed up to another in a dramatic frenzy. I was sat in the farthest corner of the room, the dark clothes we were given making myself easily blend-able. I shamelessly eavesdropped in on their conversation, finding it had the potential for useful information in it. 

"I got mayo all over my jacket!" The first one complained. I rolled my eyes at his childish thought of what he believed a proper complaint warranted. 

The second chuckled at him, clearly holding an air of authority over him. "Of course you did, ya rookie. Just go to the break room and grab a new one." 

I perked up slightly at this. I had no recollection of anyone mentioning a break room before, especially not one full of loose guard uniforms. 

"You act like I should know where that even is." The first muttered sarcastically, a hint of shame clear in his tone. Oh, I like this one, I thought to myself, a slight grin on my face. 

"Well, maybe if you paid any attention during training you'd know." The second responded icily, crossing his arms over his chest and taking a deep breathe in to make him appear much bigger than he actually was. Well, I thought. I'm glad he's not my trainer. "It's the little building to the right of the toilets. Can't miss it." 

I remembered that building. Phil and I attempted to open it one night out of curiosity. We went on a little "Date" (of whatever could mean a date in a place like this) and after we wanted some... um... privacy. I tried to turn the handle but it wouldn't budge. I assumed Phil's lips on my neck and wildly roaming hands were the problem, making me go weak and my legs turn to jelly, but apparently it was sealed shut with a tight bolt lock. 

The first groaned loudly and walked away, feet stomping obnoxiously loudly on the poorly tiled floor. "Baby." The second chuckled to himself, a slight hint of annoyance rang clear in his voice. 

I sighed in disappointment at his rudeness to his coworker. Apparently, my breathe of disapproval was much too loud to this giant of a man, because his head snapped over to face mine, eyes wide with surprise before they narrowed with pure fury. "What do you think you're looking at, Kip?" He spoke threateningly, figure leaning towards me and spit flying off of his overly chapped lips. 

I quickly averted my gaze back to my sandwich and took a hasty bite from the nearly stale bread. "That's what I thought." He snorted and went back to his position, back going straighter than a wooden plank and eyes scanning over my fellow clones like a hawk over lowly mice. 

Even with the frightening guard standing less than five feet away from me, a small smile erupted across my face. The gears in my brain began to twist and shift, the machine old and dusty from years of misuse, but beginning to fall back into its rhythm. A plan began forming. A risky, idiotic, dumber than dumb plan, but a plan nonetheless.