Escape

The nightmares woke me up again but of course when didn’t they haunt me? Both day and night they were around. Sometimes I wish it was just my imagination, but it’s not, they’re memories- harsh, cold memories. A little girl huddled in the wardrobe, peering through a crack in the door. The screams echoed throughout the empty house, the little girl tried to stay as quiet as possible- not even letting out a cry as she seen the body thud on the floor, the figure left the room, leaving the child behind- not before the chid could see his face, sometimes in the nightmares it became distorted.

I sat on the corner of my bed, reminding myself of the little girl in my nightmare. It’s hard to believe that that girl is me, the child seemed so innocent and I wasn’t.

Here we are meant to feel safe, but after witnessing such things can you truly be safe anywhere? When painful memories come at any time of the day? They seemed to seep into my mind whenever they felt like it. No one can help me, not even here. The ‘safest place’ for people who have experienced a terrible crime, this is the Gavan Building, my living nightmare.

“Are you okay?” A whisper came from in the dark, you would think after ten years being here I would stop screaming out in the night, but of course here, everyone was used to the screams of pain and longing.

“I’ll survive,” I replied back to the familiar voice, one I knew far too well Linsay Braden, she was sweet and was always there for me- although she was a few years older than I was.

“Isn’t that the reason we are here?” She laughed.

“Sometimes I wonder…” I said I crawled out of bed.

“Where are you going?” Linsay asked.

“I don’t know,” I replied unsure of myself.

“You’re going aren’t you?” She whispered.

“How did you know?” I asked her, I felt her grab my hand and lead me to her bed. 

“I know it, wait until tomorrow night, I’ll come with you,” she said.

“No, it’s something I have to do alone, if you come and we get caught you know what will happen Linsay,” I whispered, fighting with myself, unsure on whether or not to let her come.

“Please, Alexis, wait until tomorrow, we can assemble a team,” her eyes were glued to mine; I could see them in the dim light of the barred windows.

“Too risky,” I replied.

“Damn Alexis, I can’t believe you- you’re not the only one who wants to get out of here, trust me we have a more chance of surviving if there are more of us, more people to protect us, fight alongside us- help us out there, there are some-“

“More of us to be seen, to be hurt.” I interrupted.

“Please, it’s worth a shot, let me come at least?” She pleaded.

“Fine, just you,” I said stubbornly.

“Please Alexis, let some others come?” She knew I couldn’t say no to her. All I could do was nod before Cori Labelle came in and told us to be quiet; she made Linsay move to her own bed before she left our room. Linsay and I shared a room as well as some other girls, Claudia Juniper, Olivia Morison and Ashlie Blackwood.

“I want to come,” Olivia’s voice rose from the darkness, her voice made me jump.

“Are you sure?” Linsay asked her.

“Definite, I know a few people that might want to come…” She added.

“8 people…” I whispered.

“What?” Linsay turned to me, staring at me like I had spoken in a foreign language.

“8, that’s all I want, no more, no less.” I told them.

“Me, You, Olivia…” Linsay said.

“Jae Wilson?” Olivia whispered, my thoughts flicked to him, he was my age, been here a year, he could surely help us. “Claudia?” Olivia spared a look at our roommate.

“Yes and no,” I gulped.

“Why can’t Claudia come?” Linsay asked shocked.

“Someone has to stay here to look after Ashlie…”I whispered, they nodded taking into consideration of our youngest friend, she had been here 3 years, her sister had been shot in the head for voicing her opinions on the government, it seemed unfair that this little girl was thrown in here, not knowing what to do, what was going on, she reminded me of myself. Just 6 years old, being sent to this strange place, I gulped. “We need more boys.” I told them.

“What about Tristan Watson?” Linsay asked, he was older than us, 21 years old he had been here since 19, when he had first came he had bruises and cuts, now all he had were scars, the reminders of his days of being tortured by the government; 2 years straight he was tortured. I couldn’t imagine the pain he would have endured only to be her, in the Governments grasp.

“Derick Brooks,” I whispered.

“Is that the boy who barely talks?” Linsay asked.

“Yeah, I don’t blame him.” I shrugged. 

“Is there anyone else?” Linsay asked.

“We can work out the rest tomorrow,” I told them. “Sleep, it will be a long day tomorrow.”