Escape

Pepper Spray.

An empty water bottle.

A squished peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

And approximately three minutes.

Those are all the advantages I have.

I smirk. That's more than enough.

However, with my bookbag in the opposite corner of the room, I technically only have the three minutes.

Damn. Two minutes.

I turn to my designated warden. She's been too busy coloring a page from a Dora the Explorer coloring book to notice my scheming. It's obvious she's not all there, which is why I save my fury and though I begrudgingly admit—my fear—for the couple upstairs.

"Hey," I whisper to her. She perks up, happy to have someone address her.

"Yes?" She chirps.

"Do you mind helping me out?" I smile.

Her face contorts into distrust, "Sissy told me—"

"Oh! I'm not asking you to untie me! No, I'm just really hungry, and I was wondering if you would give me my sandwich?" I ask, nicely.

She looks over me, her expression still laced with suspicion.

"I'll let you have half," I grin.

She ponders for a few never-ending seconds and then she smiles.

"Okay! But don't tell Sissy!" She says, and reaches for my backpack.

I shove down the guilt I feel for what's about to happen next.

She pulls out my purple pepper spray.

"What's this?" She asks.

"Why don't you push it down and see? It's really cool."