The First

8.2

So.... update as usual! I think I'm starting to get the hang of this update schedule, which is the first time in four years XD Also, just wanna say that I'm really grateful for all of you guys! You are my inspiration, and you are the reason I write :) And, ps, I had a lot of fun writing this chapter :D

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02 - 05 - 2089

"Are we really doing this?" 

Cade is kneeling in front of me as I sit on my bed, lacing up a pair of boots he brought. He told me that my shoes wouldn't work outside, and these would keep me warmer, along with the jacket he brought me. But I didn't know how to lace them up properly, so he offered. 

Cade lifts his chin, strands of hair falling away from his face. His beautiful eyes meet mine, and I feel stronger. He gives me courage to be more than I ever could have imagined. I know this is real; I know what he makes me feel. 

"I am willing to do whatever it takes," Cade says, focusing back on my shoes. He finishes tying the last one before straightening. He readjusts the straps of the grey bag on his back. "Are you ready to trust me?" His eyes lock onto mine, and they hold me there. Frozen. 

"I am," I manage through the lump constricting my throat. Cade offers me his hand, and I use it to stand. Once I'm standing, I don't let go, finding the warmth of his contact comforting. Human contact was something I received less than often in this place. And now I understand why. They don't see me as a human, so why should I need the same love and care?

I turn my thoughts to less bitter subjects. More specifically, to the subject that I am going to be free. We are going to escape, and then I will never have to see Doctor Acosta or the others again. That brings a smile to my lips.

"What?" Cade breaks me out of my thoughts as we head for the door, a faint smile tugging at his lips as well. Adorable. The thought slips into my mind unbidden. 

"Nothing. Let's get out of here." 

"Agreed." 

Cade tugs me closer as he types in the password to my door. It clicks open, revealing the quiet hallway. No one is around; Cade made sure of that. He told me how he signed up for the overnight shift and took out the guard who was assigned with him. The cameras are rigged on a loop, he said, and no one will know we are gone until it is too late.

I can't help but admire his plan. It seems foolproof. 

We head down the hallway at a brisk pace, still making sure to keep quiet in case some scientists or doctors are behind the closed doors of the rooms we pass. We walk, hand in hand, Cade leading me down each hallway with determination. 

After several minutes, we reach a section of the compound that I haven't been to before. The hallways are still a drab white, but the doors are polished wood, and the lights are cleaner somehow. 

"Where are we?" I absorb this new place hungrily, my hope for seeing the outside only growing. 

"Employee wing. For those who need a break, or are working the overnight shift."

"Oh. So what are inside these rooms?" I point to the door we pass, labeled as the recreational room.

"That is the rec room. It has couches, a small kitchen, and other stuff to do on your breaks. We're almost to the employee entrance. It is the only door I can get through without setting off an alarm."