The Sounds of Silence

CHAPTER 02

Slowly, I backed away from the cell door. What on earth was happening?  My mind couldn't comprehend something so unexpected. Was I in trouble? Was I meeting my death?  As I reached the concrete wall at the furthest end of the room, the entrance swung open to reveal whoever was behind that door. A feminine figure walked in: her raven hair perfectly combed; and her thin-framed spectacles highlighted the mischief in her twinkling pupils. I reeled backwards in pure shock. No.... no, it couldn't possibly be... Oh, my god. "Shirley?" The woman who approached me simply smirked. "Well, well, well... Look who it is: Dante Brooks." I had so many questions, but one word escaped from my dry lips. "How...?" Damn it, I didn't get to finish my sentence!  Shirley chuckled, amused by the look on my face. "Don't look so surprised, Dante! Turns out I disabled the CCTV system in order to rescue you." The former secretary beamed at her own personal accomplishment. "Oh, and Dante?" I looked back at her for her answer. "You have a visitor." Curiosity seeped inside me like honey. Who could she be talking about?  Then, a smaller individual emerged into the room. It took a second for me to believe what I was seeing. Shortly after, my mouth split open into a wide grin. Hell, I swear there were tears in my eyes! This person's gaze bore into me, and a joyous sensation filled my chest. It was Helena.

In the next moment, I was bounding towards my girl with open arms. I embraced her tightly, and she too, had tears of happiness streaming down her face. Months had passed since I last saw Helena; but I was so relieved to finally see her again. Our little moment was put on hold as Shirley cut to the chase. "Sorry to break up this lovey-dovely reunion, but we need to get out of here. And fast." My face was a slight pink as I untangled myself from my girlfriend. "Right then, listen carefully children... This is very important. I will distract any officers; you two need to stay low and avoid being seen at all costs. Do you understand?" At that point, I hesitated. Once again, I would be putting myself in danger. However, my thirst for adventure returned. Still beats being in this hellhole, I thought to myself. Helena and I exchanged affirmative glances, and agreed to Shirley's request. "Cool, then let's go."

As I sprinted through the narrow corridors of the prison's complex, a rush of adrenaline pulsated through my veins. My second chance at escaping the city wasn't going to waste, and I wasn't going down without a fight. Every few minutes we would back up against the wall, checking if the coast was clear. When we finally arrived at a set of double doors, I could make out faint shadows and hear the occasional sentence or two. I glanced at Shirley for guidance, but her face displayed rigid horror and was white as a sheet. She put a finger to her lips and motioned for us to crouch low, whilst staying clear of the doorway. Then out of the blue, the doors burst open and a small group of scientists made their way down the long passage. Quickly but quietly, I edged closer to the wall to avoid being captured. My pounding heart knocked against my ribcage, and I tried my very best not to breathe, and not to move a muscle. Peeking around the corner, I spotted Helena squashed up in a crevice between a few chairs, and I watched her chest heave as fear invaded her soul. A light sheen of sweat covered her delicate face, and a tear slipped from her eye which stained her rosy cheeks. I resisted the urge to scoot over and offer her comfort. This was practically a life or death situation. Hastily, I surveyed the faces of the scientists. But one stood out the most to me. It didn't take long to remember who he was: ash-grey hair that was slicked back, a white lab coat with no creases. This particular man was none other than Doctor Kline. I watched his feet as they clacked with every step of his polished shoes. I watched his arms and hands as he vigorously shook peoples' hands. I watched his mouth turn into an unnatural grin as he chatted with others, while exposing his white teeth. I watched his eyes as they made eye contact, occasionally darting around the tiny space. "You have nothing to hide, bastard," I muttered under my breath. For the second time, I checked my surroundings for Helena and Shirley: they were listening in to the low conversations that simmered about. When I returned to my post, I almost fell over. A pair of intense, grey eyes stared back at me. Doctor Kline knew something seemed fishy. My heart immediately stopped. With every second that ticked by, I sent a desperate prayer. Oh, God... please don't let him see me... Please...