The Reckless And The Brave

Escapism

Tatum's POV

The escape seemed too easy. All I had to do was get Ryder to let me out of my cell during the night, and we slowly crept upstairs and out the door.

"That's it?" I asked breathlessly. "We're out?"

"We're out." He grinned, wrapping his arm around me. "What do you say we go find these people?"

"I like that idea." I nodded, and we began walking.

"What's her name again?" Ryder asked.

"Emily," I replied. "She's my best friend." He nodded, and we kept walking in silence. I could use some silence, honestly. Everything was so hectic, and I needed to calm down.

They hadn't tortured me too badly. I was very weak, but I was still standing. "I quite like you, you know," Ryder said, somewhat awkwardly. He seemed like the unsure type, which I thought was really cute.

"Yeah?" I asked, raising my eyebrows. "Why is that?"

"I dunno." He shrugged. "You've been through a lot, but you're still here. I admire that."

"Oh." I nodded, smiling at the ground. "I think I like you too."

"Why's that?" He mocked, and I gave him a light shove.

"Well, you've been so nice to me," I told him. "I might have died in there, you know."

"We wouldn't want that, now would we?" He grinned. I smiled up at him, and he took a deep breath. "And if now is a time for confessions, I suppose I should tell you that The Leader is my father."

I paused, staring up at him. He looked like he was bracing himself for my reaction. "You know, I've read too many books to be shocked by this," I admitted.

"You're not mad?" He asked.

"No." I shook my head. "This is so cliché, it's almost funny. But as long as you're not going to stab me in the back, I'm not mad at you."

"No, I'm not going to stab you in the back," he chuckled. "I think you've been stabbed enough."

"Very true," I laughed.

Emily's POV

I rushed out of the room as soon as I could, bolting directly into Asher's arms. "Oh my god," I gasped, throwing my arms around him.

"You' re alive?" he asked, holding me at arms length. "I thought... oh my god. You're alive. Where's—"

"Right here," Spence called, racing toward us. "That wasn't real. It's okay. We're fine."

We began telling each other what happened in the fear simulators. I was horrified by the others' stories. If any of that ever happened...

Jake's was a simulation of everyone dead. His worst fear was losing any of us. I felt that too. He was young, and I wanted to do my best to protect him and make sure his worst fear didn't become a reality.

Alastair's was pretty much that The Leader captured him and tortured him. They killed off the rest of us and deprived him of alcohol. The fear simulator was meant to tear us apart, which it did. Alastair just seemed significantly less shaken by it.

"Em?" Asher called. I looked up at him, and he pressed his lips to mine. "I would never, ever blame you for Tatum's death."

"Thank you," I whispered, looking at the ground. I was going to do my best to forget that experience.

Soon enough, all memories of the fear simulator faded away when I saw two figures in the distance. Before anyone could stop me, I bolted toward my best friend and whoever the hell she was with. "Tatum!" I shouted, almost tackling her in a hug.