A Far Cry from Normal

9: Freedom

We slowly emerge into the light and start down the hall. Every door has at least one guard lyeing motionless. Dead maybe? Dead or alive, how can I possibly care about what happened to them. They're part of the problem so I couldn't possibly even feel bad if their dead. Not a bit.

"What do you think happened?" Maddox says breaking the silence.

I look up at him and furrow my brows. Now in the light, I get a good look at the person who's practically carrying me down the halls of hell.

He's got a muscular build, but I noticed that earlier. He's got light brown hair which surprisingly isn't messy and long like mine. His eyes. Where do I begin, their gorgeous. They've got brown, little bits of green, reddish orange, and little specks of gold. It does occur to me that the only reason they look so nice is because I've never seen anyone's face. Not in years at least.

Other than his face, he's a bit taller than me and wears the same black scrubs. He although has a jacket, two if were being precise.

"What?" He stops and looks me in the eyes.

"Two jackets? I was never even given one." We both laugh, I guess that probably wouldn't have been the answer to his question. "Right, what happened? Honestly I have no clue. But, if their dead, I'm glad. It's time they get what they deserved." I say and we start to walk again.

"Hey, you don't know if they're dead."

"Eh, id like to think they are." I say and we reach the door at the end of the hall.

"Can you stand?" He asks me.

"Wouldn't bet on it." I reply slowing adding more pressure on the left side of my body.

Nope, I don't think I'll be walking anytime soon.

"Okay, I'm gonna take a look at the door. You can just sit their." He walks me over to the side wall and helps me sit. After that I watch him looking at the keypad.

If something bad happened, like very bad, would they have put us in lock down. Would we be able to get out? The one time where we're free, we can't leave. That would suck.

"Got it." I hear a click and look at the door slightly pushed open.

"Good job." I say.

He walks over and reaches his hand down. I grab it and with his other he puts it in my back lifting me up. I feel so useless. I dreamed about this day, but never like this.  I've never imagined freedom anything like this, bleeding out in a hallway while being carried to an exit by some stranger I've never met.

"Ready?"

I quickly respond yes and limp down the hall alongside him. Yep definitely didn't expect this to happen.

◼️◼️◼️

After following the halls twist and turns, we reach a large door. Very large. This door makes the other ones look small, and those other ones were huge if you were to ask me.

"Think this is the exit?" I say quietly.

He nods, "Now let's get the hell out."

He walks me over to the wall again and sits me down before starting on the door. Again.
As I watch him try and open the door, I keep saying the word over and over in my mind. Exit. I've never said that. Ever. I hadn't even known that a word could make you feel so happy.

My thoughts are interrupted and my attention is turned to the door. It makes a weird clicking sound as he turns the wheel and in comes air. A lot of it, almost enough to knock him over.

"This is it." He looks down at me and smiles, "Freedom."

I smile and he helps me get up. We walk to the door and stop to look. I've almost forgotten what it looked like let alone how beautiful the outside world really is.

Trees spiral up to the sky blocking any light from above, well any moon light. Grass covers any and all open spots where their isn't rocks or bushes.

The moment we step off the platform and onto ground, the real ground, a shock of pure bliss runs through my veins. The wind blows my long, wavey, brown hair onto my face tickling it ever so slightly. I can't help but take a deep breath. Petrichor fills the air as I come to the scary realization of what to do next.

What do we do next?