Shadow Thief

34 - Breaking and Entering

"'A'...'B'...and 'C'. Here we are. Carnez, Rosy. Cell A359. Alright Clover, you're up."

'A359,' she mumbled. 'Got it. Head out of the office and make a right. But be careful, right outside of the warden's room are cells.'

I slinked over to the door, turned off my light, and felt for the lock. With an obnoxiously loud click, it unlocked. I grabbed onto the handle and pushed it open. From the little crack in the door, I could see candles flicking at every fifth cell.

Here we go.

I glided out the door with inhuman grace and into the dark hall, my sanctuary.

"Guide me," I whispered.

'Alright. Run back five rows, careful of guards.'

I scampered down the halls, avoiding the flames flickers. Hearing a guards footsteps, I quickly retreated, my back now pressed against a sleeping prisoners cell. I waited, counting seconds until they were gone. Once again, I turned down the hall.

"Now?"

'Turn left and then make the first right turn.'

I followed her instructions, meeting the eyes of only one prisoner who remained silent.

'Head straight for ten rows, then make a left.'

One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten. I turned left.

'Eight cells down and then another left.' She kept talking while I followed her instructions. 'Between two cells, you should find a door. That's A section. It seems different from the rest. Be careful.'

I, again, was met with a door. Just as she'd told me.

I easily picked the pin tumbler lock and waltzed inside. A single candle was lit in the center if the room. Around it, twenty small cells lined the walls. Three pairs of eyes stared directly at me.

"Well I'll be," a male voice said. "Didn't think anyone would wanna break in here."

"Who're you?" A female voice inquired.

The third, a man, didn't say anything.

"Why hello all," I improvised. "You can call me Shadow. I'm here to pick up a little something."

"Shadow?" A familiar voice asked. I turned to meet Rosy. She was looking at me with wide eyes and a smile. "Don't tell me you came all the way here for little old me?"

"Unfortunately, yes."

"As touched as I am, I'm afraid you won't be able to get me out."

"You say that like you don't know me."

"She's telling the truth," the first man's voice said. "It doesn't matter if you're the Wizard of Oz or a genie, you're not getting into a forever lock."

"What?" I cried. "How the hell do they have forever locks on cell doors."

"For people like you to not break in?" The other girl prisoner said in a sarcastic tone. She gave me a lopsided smirk.

"Uh, I'm sorry, but who's on the other side of the cell right now? Not you, that's who." I placed my finger on the ear bud's button and spoke into it. "We've got a problem. The locks here, they're forever locks."

'Can you pick them?'

"Well, it wouldn't be much of a problem if I could, now would it?"

'Right, sorry. Why don't you ask around, see who has the keys.'

I turned back to the prisoners. "Who keeps the keys around here?"

"Why should we tell you," a new male voice said from the other side of the room.