WIP Work in Progress

Jackson Ward July 27th, 2340

It's been a whole month since they took us away from our home. The conditions aren't the best here but not the worst either. The beds are hard. It feels like I am lying on a pile of bricks and plywood. We think that may actually be what the beds are made of but haven't checked to be sure. The food is edible, but that's all. It's a daily mix of brown slop and bread. We spend our days working. The men spend their days down in the mines. While the women work in the shops or cooking in the kitchen.

Wilson is in the nursery most of the time. I hardly ever get to see him. We work from dusk til dawn and I am so tired when I leave the mines, I don't have the energy to play with him. I hate this place. I wish there was a way I could escape.

"I don't think I can take this much longer," said Rick. "I have to get out of here....one way or another."

I met Rick when we first got here. He is from Porsia. He lived with his brother. Who got called to war. He died shortly after he got called during a gun fight.

"If you are thinking what I think you are, don't you dare. You are stronger than that," I told him.

Just last week we found one guy from Dragonwood hanging from the rafters in the mines. He couldn't take it much longer either.

"Jack, I just don't know how much longer I can hold on. It's not like I have anything to go home to."

"Stop talking like that man. You'll get through this. We both will."

"Alright men! Break time is over back to work!"

The Ordinian soldier stood in front of us. "You heard me? Back to work boys," he said with a smirk. This was the same guy that came to my house to take us away. I don't like him or trust him.

"We're going. We're going. Come on Rick."

We started walking back to our site when the solider stuck out his foot and tripped Rick. He fell flat on his face.

"Hey you didn't have to do that asshole," I said as I helped Rick up.

"What did you call me bitch?," he said getting in my face.

"Come on man it's not worth it." I felt a hand on my shoulder pulling me back. It was Rick. "Let's get back to work."

I stared at the solider for a little while longer and turned to walk away.

"That's right get back to work. Or you'll end up lying in the dirt with bullet holes. Just like your brother Rickey."

Rick stopped dead in his tracks.

"You know I was there when he died. He begged for us not to kill him. Down on his knees pleading like a dog. It was great. I had the honor of taking the last shot that took him down. Right in the middle of the eyes."

The next thing I saw was Rick barreling towards the soldier. He jumped on top of the man and began wildly punching him. Suddenly several soldiers came running out and grabbed Rick pulling him away.

"I'll kill you! I'll kill you!," Rick kept screaming as he was being dragged away.

I never saw him again after that day. Some say they hanged him. Others tell me they shot him to death. But it was after that I knew, Wilson and I had to get out of here.

I waited until everyone was asleep, including Wilson. I stole a Macro bag from the mines and packed away all of our things. I picked up Wilson and creped out of the door of our barracks.

There were lights all over the place, but dark spots where we could sneak and hide. The Ordinian soldiers were scattered everywhere but the exit was just a few hundred yards away. I walked along the side of the barracks next door. Staying in the shadows to hide from the soldiers. Thank goodness Wilson is a heavy sleeper. I don't think a nuclear war could wake up this kid when he falls asleep.

Every step I take I feel like a tiny bomb might go off under my feet. My heart is beating so loud I can hear it in my ears. We make it to the building beside the gate and I finally think we are home free when I realize it's locked with a pass code and there are two soldiers standing directly in front of it. Damn it. There has to be another way out.

Suddenly a truck appeared on the other side of the gate. One of the soldiers walked over to the keypad. I walked farther back into the shadows so he wouldn't see me. He put in a few numbers and the gate opened slowly. Hopefully, it closes the same way. The truck inched its way inside. If I could just sneak past it we would be home free. I just needed that one soldier to move away from the pad. The truck was all the way inside and the gate was starting to close but the soldier never moved. I had to move fast. I wasn't going to turn back now.

Finally, the soldiers started to walk away and I decided to make a run for it. I sprinted over to the gate running past it just before it closed. I turned back to look and somehow they didn't see me. We were out of that camp. But we had nowhere to go. Now what?