Yin's Story

44

We started making the plans months ago. The plans leading to my freedom. To everyone's freedom. I brought it up to Yang that I wanted to escape and he immensely agreed. We had nothing to work with, of course. I only know what's inside my section of The ScrapYard. I know nothing of what is on the outside. Yang seems to know as much as I do. That same week I ended up stealing many things from The Warden's office while he was out. I've stolen a few sheets of paper, two pencils, a sharpener, an eraser, and a map of our section of The ScrapYard. The Warden hadn't noticed. When I showed Yang the next day he was surprised. That's when our plans began. We started planning and have continued planning since for the past few months. The plans are still nowhere near complete and only Yang and I actually know about them. I haven't told Spring or the others yet and I don't plan to. Yang and I agreed to keep this to ourselves. That's why I don't hide the plans in the carved out compartment in the wall of our cell. There's a huge chance Spring could find them and then I'd have to explain everything to him. I don't need him stressing about me, he's got enough to deal with at the moment. Instead, I fold them up super small and keep them in my pockets. It's just as dangerous to have them on me as it is to keep them out in the open. But in a way, it's better to have them on me. I've been sitting in The Warden's office all day just working. When the dinner bell finally rings I stand up to leave but The Warden stops me.

"Line up in The Courtyard, we have something we need to discuss before dinner," he says. I roll my eyes and start my walk to The Courtyard with my co-workers. The cold air hits me as I step outside causing me to shiver a bit but it's nothing completely unbearable. Many of the inmates are already outside lined up in neat straight rows by age. I join my row in the middle and wait patiently my stomach growling. I hadn't realized how hungry I was up until now. I tend to do that a lot. Hopefully, this won't take long so I can grab something to eat. It takes only a few more minutes for the rest of the inmates to arrive and join their rows. The Warden stands before us along with a few guards all holding large guns. When The Warden speaks his voice is loud and it carries across The Courtyard. 

"Good afternoon!" he says. We say nothing. We know better than to speak out at this moment.

"Obviously we have something to discuss or you all wouldn't be out here." 

He speaks to us like children who can't understand anything. He reaches into his pocket and pulls out three neatly folded pieces of paper.

"Do any of you know what these are?" he asks slowly unfolding each and every one of them.

"Yin?" I hear Yang asks. I ignore him observing The Warden. He has my full undivided attention. He holds the three papers up for us all to see and I feel my heart drop.

"Yin, those are ours," Yang says sounding just as scared as I feel. Panic immediately sets in.

How?! When?! Why?! They were in my pocket! I reach into my pocket slowly feeling around for the plans. Somewhere deep inside me, I still believe he hasn't found them. I feel around my pocket and discover a large hole that I hadn't noticed before. They must've fallen out during the day! Shit! I'm screwed!

"After examining these for a good while, we've determined that these are escape plans. Now, here's the deal, we're all staying out here until we find out who these belong to," he growls his hands folded behind his back. No one answers.

"Alright then, no one moves until we find the owner of these documents." He adds.

We've been out here for a few hours already way past nightly rolecall. No one has fessed up and The Warden is becoming restless. I could confess right now and end this but I know if he gets ahold of me he's not going to give me a firm talking to. Another hour goes by and The Warsen shoots up angrily.