Escape
2005-10-31, 6:19 a.m.

There was no one there. Silence was her only companion. Other than darkness. It'd been that way for quite some time now. Or at least she thought that it had been a long time. She'd lost count. Who knew how long she'd been here - hidden away from life. The watch on her wrist did her no good in this darkness.

There'd been nothing to eat for the longest time, too. She remembered the last meal she'd eaten with her friends. Right before she'd found herself here. Their cheers and laughter had warmed her heart, but all too soon those were gone. Now she had only the growing pains of hunger to remind her she was alive in this nothingness.

It had been so long since she'd heard anyone or anything besides her own breathing. Her ears strained to hear something - anything. Was that a voice? No. It was nothing. Like every other time she'd heard something, it was always nothing, no one. She'd waited so long for someone to find her. She'd imagined her discovery over and over to herself, but no one came. She sighed as she tried to stretch her legs in the cramped space.

Something brushed her arm as she stretched them above her. What was it? She gave a startled gasp as she realized what it was. She felt it again. The fabric hung above her. So soft, just a little worn. She tugged on it and it toppled down over her. She struggled free from its suffocating presence, gasping for air. She relaxed as she pulled it off of herself. She wrapped it around her shoulders and pulled it closer. The fabric's warmth began to drive away the cold that had crept in the space with her. The coolness had begun to come from behind her earlier. She'd tried to find its source, but to no avail. She'd not found an opening anywhere behind her. Perhaps an air duct somewhere out of reach? She settled her back against the wall with her new found comfort keeping her warm. Who knew how long she'd be here? She rested her head back as her eyes closed - weighed down by thoughts of escape.

Moments - or was it hours - later, she was startled awake by a loud clattering outside, well wherever she was. The darkness was still there, but there were loud shouts and foosteps thumping all around her. Every muscle tensed as she waited, straining to see in the darkness. Suddenly, she was blined by a light! Her eyes were not given a chance to adjust to this new light before it was blocked by a shadowy figure. She froze. She couldn't see who or what it was. Had they come for her? The figure turned away from her and shouted, "Hey! Hey! C'mere! I've got her!" Her fears were answered. They had come for her, but it was not who she had hoped to see. Suddenly realizing her chance, she jerked herself up off the floor, keeping the fabric wrapped tight around her, and knocked the figure out of the way.

"Hey! Stop! Stop!" she heard behind her as she ran. She didn't look back for fear of what she would see behind her. She ran through the hallway and turned a corner. She saw two doors at the end of the hallway. Left or right? Which one? Where should she go? She saw the door on the left's knob begin to turn, so she quickly ducked into the room on the right. Hopefully it was clear. An empty room greeted her. Safe, for now. She paused - silent. No one came. She breathed a small sigh of relief and listened. She heard nothing, so she quietly eased the door open. The hallway was empty. She crept to the other door. Was this it? Was escape this close? She eased the second door open - slowly, so slowly. The sun shone brightly through the trees. Outside! It was here! She took a step forward with a smile.

"Alright now. I think you've got something of ours, don't you?" The voice of the shadowy stranger stopped her. Her mind raced to think of some way to escape. A hand on her shoulder stopped that. "C'mon, you know the rules." She relaxed and sighed. He was right. She did know the rules. There was no escape now. He pulled the fabric from around her. "I'll take the flag now. That was a good try, but it's off to prison for you."

She didn't look at him. She had been so close. Freedom. It had been right there. No matter now. There'd always be next time. After all, a prison break was always an option. And if she lost? Well, there was always the option of a rematch. Everyone loved playing Capture the Flag on the weekends. A rematch was as good an excuse as any to play.

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Fun for the Ears: Never Take Friendship Personal - Anberlin
Indulgence for the Imagination: Shadow Within - Karen Hancock
Amusement for All: What was I thinking when I wrote this?

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