Escape

Chapter II: Escape

"I can see why you'd think that. You see. I've watched you grow up. Imperium found you on their doorstep as a newborn, with nothing but a vest to protect you from the terrors of the world. You're not like the other kids Seth. We raised you. We are your parents. You are our true son. Not a baby snached for breeding. But a gift."

"Shut up." I mutter, but she continues.

"You are Imperium's son."

"SHUT UP! YOU KNOW NOTHING ABOUT ME! You didn't raise me. You tried to break me. You took away all I have.You took my best friend and now all I have is you. AND IT'S TOTAL BULL!"

"My dear Seth. You imply that we took something from you. But how can we take something from you if there's nothing to take? Come home Seth."

She says, opening her holographic arms. I look into her eyes for a moment. She could be right. This is all I have. The other kids have parents. Had families, once the can go back to. I don't. I don't have anyone. Only the Imperium.

"Seth."

Marena Argreth says impatiently. Then I come to a conclusion.

"Eh, fuck it."

And with that, I start to run. But this time I don't feel the pain. No burning lungs, no struggle. This time all I feel is motivation. I am me. I am Seth Verdin. Imperium doesn't own me. I can and will escape.

As I rush around a corner it seems like a gift from heaven descends upon me. In front of me is a door with the words Garbage Center etched into it. A smile spreads across my face. One I've never smiled before. A smile of relief, of hope, of true feeling since I've lived in this hellhole. I grasp the handle and rip it open.

An indescribable odor fills my nose and I choke on my breath. You'd think for all the work they put into having perfection they would prevent this. I hold my breath and take a few steps inside. All around me are rolling hills of trash and fumes. It look like a whole world in itself. Above the mounds in the air is a maze of metal bridges. But they look about as stable as a train with everything loose on a broken track.

As I'm debating weather or not to climb the stairs and walk along the metal death trap sure to seal my fate, I hear the sound of guards reaching the Garbage Center. My feet are automatically jogging up the stairs onto the platforms. Each step I take causes the whole thing so shake violently. My arms immediately grip the handrails as my heart pounds so hard it's all I can hear. I don't even hear the army of men flood through the door I had entered through only minutes before.

I race along each panel, looking through the haze of bullets and garbage for the truck. Wait BULLETS?? Yeesh, they must really like me if they're willing to kill me to get me to stay. Everything turns to slow motion and I see the truck. It's only seven platforms away. A bullet grazes my leg but I'm to focused to notice the pain and blood. Every step I takes brings joy to my being.

Imagine you've been stuck in a room for months. It's always dark and rainy and you're to scared to go outside. But you've finally taken the risks of opening the door, and the sun hits your face. The warmth and heat of it encircles you and you want more. You need more. You need to step outside and fly into the sky, among the clouds under the sun's warm rays.

I'm about to walk through that door, or in my case, get on a garbage truck. My body has begun the descent from the platforms onto the ground where the garbage truck sits, when a hand grabs my shoulder. It digs its fingers into my flesh and slams my body into the ground with so much force if feel nothing, nothing but sickness, as cold grey eyes look at me. I don't even recognize if the person who nearly killed me is male or female. But those eyes. Those unforgiving grey eyes. They kill everything.

I can make out the muffled sound of the guards talking. But all I want to do is get up. I feel so dizzy and my vision is blurred. each move I make hurts like hell and my stomach feels like it will leap out of me and engulf everything. A few more kicks in the stomach only reinforce it.

But I'm not going to give up. I've come too far and lost too much to stop now. So when no one's looking, I pull my body forward. One inch at a time, but an inch closer to freedom. It takes all the strength I have. "Seth. Come back. Please." The man says.

"We don't want to hurt you." Another says, with the same calm, creepy but with a shaky hand, my fingers wrap around a handle on the back of the truck and I pull myself up.

The guards only notice when it's too late, and knowing I'm safe, I black out.

~ ~ ~

It must be an hour later when I regain consciousness. I open my eyes to have all my senses on overdrive. Above me is the crack of dawn, splitting through the sky in an array of colors. I feel a fresh cool breeze spread across my face and inch through my hair. The sound of wind passes by and I feel it.

I feel freedom.

It's actually there.