Yin's Story

11

"You're welcome, sweetheart."

Spring walks back over to us. He looks upset about something.

"I have bad news everybody." He says.

"What is it Spring?" Asks Mitch.

"They've reassigned Yin to a new job."

"What job?" Asks Leah.

"She's got vent duty..."

"Oh, you poor thing!" Exclaims Leah.

"She's fucked..." Says Alex.

"Shut up Alex!" Warns Spring flashing him a dirty look.

"...Sorry..."

"What's so bad about it?" I ask.

"It's one of the worst jobs in this place."

I hear the clock chime signaling the end of free time. I look worryingly at Spring.

"Don't worry about it kid. You see those guards over there," he points to two guards, " They'll help you. I've gotta go, kid. They'll have my head if I'm late. "

He runs off leaving me all alone. I slowly walk over to the two guards.

"Come on brat! We haven't got all day!" Exclaims the first.

The second grand a bucket that has a strange murky liquid in it that smells like death. It makes me want to puke. He raised above my head and I already know what he's going to do. I shut my eyes tightly as he pours the liquid over my head. The smell is horrible. I have to resist the urge to gag.

"Now get in the vents brat!" Demands the second one throwing the bucket aside pointing to a ladder.

The ladder looks about one hundred years old. I slowly climb the broken wooden ladder and hoist myself up into the vent system. They're small enough for me to army crawl my way through.

They're a dark grey color and dusty. Very dusty.

"Hurry up or there will be consequences!" Demands one of them.

I pull myself forward. This seems pretty easy so far. The dirt and cobwebs stick to my clothes. I come to a path that stretches to the right, left and straight. I decide to go to the left.

As I pull myself forward I feel a sharp pain in my abdomen and legs. I stare into the darkness looking for the source of the pain. That's when I see them. There are large nails with the sharp part sticking out of the vent walls. I've got to get out of here.

I pull myself forward determined to find a way out of the vent system. Once again I come to a pathway that separates into three other passageways. I continue going straight. As I pull myself forward the nails stick deeper and deeper into my skin. I wince and keep going.

Determination is what fuels me. A loud squeak escapes my mouth as a few of the nails pierce deeply into my skin. I feel a hot liquid slip down my leg and abdomen. Blood most likely. Keep going. Suddenly I come to a turn.

I know I can't go back. I go the only way that I can go. Left. The nails dig deeper and deeper into my skin. It hurts like hell.

I turn left again. I don't think that I'll ever get out of here. I'm going to die in here. It seems like I've been in here for hours.

Just as I'm about to give up I fall head first through an opening in the vents.