The Darkest Minds: A Different Story

The Forgotten

Over the course of a few months, we become friends, or at least as close to friends we coud become with the circumstances. After I realize Liam is serious, me, him, and Charles begin seriously discussing a plan to escape. We spent so much time together rumors that I was dating Liam or Charles were hot gossip for a few days. Because I had been there so long, any security flaws had been made apparent to me months to years prior. Liam became closer to the PSFs, and eventually became their runner. Meanwhile, Zu and Charles talked about how to open the electric fence.

Charles' friend group had expanded, but based on their fake faces and judgemental conversations, I figured out it was Liam just trying to be nice. He even attempted to do the same thing for me, and I was less than receptive, due to the fact the friend group was 'headed' by an old bully of mine.

We continued on, my adrenaline rushing for weeks on end, the uniformity of days now a new day I was always curious to explore. After about 6 months of planning, I had identified the fence's weakest and least guarded point, Charles (who had lost considerable weight to where other people began calling him 'Chubs') had determined how to open the fence, and Liam knew the best time to strike based on PSFs work schedules. The only final stage was to get everyone involved while not alerting the guards. 

Liam was still the popular kid, so his influence quickly wiped through the about three hundred captives in the old school. If Liam was leading it, they would be a part of it. Remoras clinging to a shark.

Liam got a hold of a schedule, and determined that three days time at midnight was the best time to strike. The hushed yet anxious whispers around the cafeteria the day before was a subtle yet obvious hint that news traveled fast. The evening before our mastermind plan was to be carried out, we all sat at the table as we had in that cafeteria for many months prior. 

'If I don't make it tomorrow, will you all remember me?'

"It's pretty hard to forget how hard it is too communicate with you," Liam jokes as I smile.

"We won't forget you. And we are all going to make it to the other side," Chubs interjected, but there was doubt in his second sentence. 

"Tomorrow, I get to hear that story of yours, too. Don't think I've forgotten." Liam states with a twinkle in his eye. "I know just about everyone elses but yours, so it better be fantastic."

Oh, it's fantastic to say the least, I think to myself. The next day flies by quickly, with everyone preparing themselves to go home or find their families or just eat decent food again (me). That evening, no one was prepared for what was going to occur, yet anxious to do it. Little did they know, half of them would die trying to reach their freedom.

Zu short-circuits the security cameras with the help of some other golds, and as we all hear the doors knocked on, every single prisoner rushes to leave. With Liam at the front, he follows Chubs advice and knocks open the gate as heavy footsteps run to squash the mutiny. The gate falls, and kids stampede out as the guards cock their weapons. And I make the move I had been dreading for the entire time.

I stayed in the back as kids rush ahead of me, some becoming the first victms claimed by bullets as shots pierce my ears. Slowly, I take control of each guard, even though the shots continue for a while. I glance towards the gate, and see Zu, trampled. I ponder momentarily, wondering if I should sacrifice my plan to save her, but I know that I would get us both killed. Instead, I find Liam's eyes, and send him a thought of only one word. Zu.

Relief pours over me as I see him charge back and take her as I take control of the last guard. My anger pours over me, and one by one, they turn their weapons on themselves. Bodies of prisoners and guards cover the concrete. I feel myself weakening as all the kids have already run off, unaware that the camp is now unguarded. I force myself to begin to run, running from the  'home' I had been held in for nearly five years. No one waited for me, not even Chubs. But I continue running anyway, because soon skip-tracers would be infesting the area. 

After nearly an hour, my adrenaline begins to slow, and exhaustion hits me. I occasionally see another kid in scrubs, but they ignore me as their group contemplates what they are going to do to survive. I keep going, secretly hoping that the trio would attempt to find me, even though I doubt I was anymore than just another name in Liam's book of acquaintances. But I had known Chubs and Zu long enough, I thought they would try. 

My running becomes walking as the sun begins to rise over the horizon. I find myself becoming hurt, as I had opened up to people that didn't appear to care if I had vanished. I take myself to a playground, and hide in the small, covered plastic structure in front of a yellow slide. I hold the picture in my mind, and, with all expendable energy left, try to, somehow send it to Liam, Charles, and Zu. 

Still in my dirty camp scrubs, I curl up in the tiny building, hoping it won't fall. I pass out from the my final attempt to contact them, my last fleeting chance before I completely give up on them. I send a specific message with it to Charles and Liam.

'You swore you wouldn't forget me.'