Hey lovies! Welcome to my story. I'm starting to add music to the beginning of each chapters. I like a ton of different genre's so you'll get a variety! I'm just posting which one I felt vibed best with the chapter and got my brain going. It's usually the music I listen to while writing. Enjoy! xo
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I lay on the dirty uncomfortable cot. It was barely filled with cotton. Basically lying on the base board. No pillow. No comfort. I stare at the ceiling above me. Stained. Slowly taking my eyes down the wall, across the room. The blood that stained these walls. Literally and figuratively. I see a glimpse of myself in the cracked mirror above the dripping sink. Despite the state of this room, the mirror wasn't cracked when I got here. Yep, you guessed it. I smashed it myself. I couldn't stand seeing myself in this state. My eyes shift to the floor. I lay in thought...
Dreading when they return...
The questions I ask myself on an hourly basis "How long can my body take this?", "How long can I mentally handle this?"
How could this happen to me...
I sit in darkness. My eyes closed. The desperation to take my mind away from this place. Although I had been laying here for hours; I was still constantly tired. As if I could sleep for months. Exhaustion soon takes over again. I fall deep in slumber.
My restless sleep soon interupted. A new presence in the room. I wake up. Keeping my eyes closed. I learned early on, it's best to pretend slumber. The chances of them leaving me alone were higher.
"Aryah... Wake up"
"Please"
The unknown presence sighs deeply.
"You can't stay here. It's the only chance you'll have to leave. I've left the door unlocked. You have a ten minute time span to escape. You have to go. NOW!"
Their voice was stern but a whisper. I hear heavy footsteps leave the room. At the same time the light switches on. My eyes burst open. Scanning the room, I sit up.
"What the hell was that?" I think.
Looking around. I feel the energy shift. Was that real? Or a dream? Someone must have been here? I can feel it. I've been having a lot of those dreams lately. The ones where you wake up thinking something has changed for the better or worse. Confusion fills me.
"What the hell!?" I think.
It's as if my brain is trying to calm my anxiety with thoughts of hope.
"I'm going insane."
Sadly, I'm still living this nightmare. That voice? Familiar. Told me to leave? Doubt in my mind. That wasn't real. I shake the thought off. I drag myself over to the sink to wash my face. Placing both hands on the sink edge. I take a deep breath through my nose. Inhaling the musty smell that consumes this room. I glance up, catching a look at myself in the mirror. How pathetic I look. Bags under my eyes, sunken in, too skinny. Sickly really. My hair has lost all of it's life, frizzy and dry. The colour has dulled. My skin abnormally pale, a strange tint of grey. Lack of nutrition I guess. The white cotton dress that I haven't changed since I arrived. Blood and dirt stained. I scoff, disgusted.
"This is exactly why I smashed you." I spit my words towards the mirror.
I reach up, punching the mirror once again. A few pieces fall to the ground. Leaving another print of my blood on the mirror. I look to the center to see my blood print from the last time I punched it. I look down at my hands to see my knuckles roughed up. I shrug it off. I didn't care. I already have bruises and scrapes from the guards. What's one more? I turn on the sink and cup water in my hands, throwing it into my face. My body shivers to the response of the water. I look down, allowing the water to drip from my face. Staring as the water whirlpools down the drain. Wishing I could flow down with it.
I decide to go back to bed. What else was there to do?
I took a few steps towards my bed as the camera in the corner of the room catches my eye. I furrow my brows in confusion. The ominous red light that once filled my room, was no longer flashing. Has it been turned off? How odd...
My eyes immediately shift to the door. I run over to it, tripping over myself. Hoping that one day it would be as easy as walking out of this hell hole. Maybe today is that day?
It was what I had dreamed so many times before. But... this seems different. I stand in front of the door, plainly staring at the knob. I feel a pull towards the door. What's the harm in trying? If it's locked, as always, it's not like I'm going anywhere.
I reach out my hand. feeling the cold metal on my finger tips. I pause for a moment. My hand hovering above the door handle. Grip my hand around it. Tightening. Turning.
Click
The door squeaks slightly as it becomes ajar. I freeze as goosebumps domino up my back.
"Oh my god" I whisper.
I stand back for a moment to puzzle my thoughts together. What should I do? I stick my head out from the doorway cautiously. And...
Run
I run out into the opening. The hallway goes on for what looks like forever. Going on forever into the dark abyss that was at the end of this dank aisle.
"It's empty?"
My breathing heavy. My mind is resisting the fight but my body defies. I am afraid. Afraid of what is happening. Afraid of getting caught. They will destroy me if they catch me.
I run down the hallway. My footsteps echo. I run until I come to an intersection of hallways. I decide to head right, I recognize the door at the end. A flashback flickers in my mind. Being dragged through this door upon arrival.
"It's open!"
I burst through the door and continue running through the hallway. I quickly fade into the darkness. I look back to see someone standing at the doorway, where I just stood. My heart constricts as I continue to run. The look of confusion on their face. He seemed... frozen?
I look ahead of me for a moment to collect my surroundings. When I look back towards the door, the guard was gone.
Another familiar door. I decide to follow my instincts, running through the door. I freeze as I enter. What seems to be an abandoned office. A dead end. Old books and dust cover this room. As I turn around to exit, I see the same guard searching the hallway. I duck, avoiding the window. Leaning my back against the bookshelf. The footsteps continue past the door. I wait a few minutes until I hear the footsteps fade down the hallway. I peek up, looking out the window.
All clear.
I carefully exit the office and run the opposite direction. Bursting through another set of double doors. Entering a new section of the building.
I just need to, catch my breath...
A shooting pain runs up along my side. I had been imprisoned in that room for so long. Exercise was not part of the daily routine.
Finally the day has come. After what felt like years. Truthfully, I thought I would die here. The feeling is almost unreal, out of body. A sudden rush of anger flows through me as I think about my time here. They can't do this to me!? Do they know who I am!? I don't need anyone. I can save myself.
I run into what seems to be a door to beloved freedom. I open the door slightly. Trying to avoid detection, I look through the crack in the door. Guards littered the grounds.
"Okay... what's the plan" I say to myself.
I wait until the coast is clear. I stick my head out from the side of the wall one more time and look left. I wait for the guard passing by to leave his position.
The way is clear.
This is it.
Now is the time. I have to run. My mind ready, my body freezes. I can't seem to move
"HEY, YOU!"
Almost falling into the door, I turn around to see the same guard at the end of the hallway yelling to me.
"COME HERE!"
No, no, no. I burst into a sprint.
Now or never!
"Sound the alarm!" He screams. His voice fades as I get further away.
"High security prisoner has escaped!"
I hear the security alarm go off. I duck slightly at the sudden deafening ring. It was loud. It filled the surrounding area with a screeching alarm
"WE HAVE AN ESCAPE, I REPEAT WE HAVE AN ESCAPE. ALL GUARDS TO THE NORTH SECTOR!. SHE'S ON THE RUN."
Response: "Shit! How did she manage to get out!? I upped the security in her sector!? You dumb ass you better catch her or it's your head! You CANNOT let her escape. I'm sending all my guards your way."
"I'll catch her myself." He spits his words into the handheld radio.
I made it to the entrance of the forest. Running through the long grass that surrounded the entrance. I look back momentarily to see a crew of guards running my way.
"Over here! I see her!"
"LET'S GO! Move your asses!"
I lose all feeling in my legs. Jumping and leaping, avoiding the vegetation. Until I come to an opening. The sun beams down on me. Blinding me. I throw my hands up to block my eyes . Squeezing my eyes shut. I couldn't remember the last time I saw the sun. My eyes needed to adjust to this new light. My mind momentarily took me away. The warm sun on my skin. A moment of bliss.
The sound of footsteps and yelling brings me back to reality. I continue running until I reach some sort of abandoned helipad. Endless wires cover the ground. Doing my best to jump over them. Tripping slightly every so often from wires catching my feet.
"Ugh! these wires fucking wires"
My breathing deep, raspy. My lungs feel as if they are about to collapse. I can't hear the screaming of guards anymore. How long have I been running? Hoping I've made it far enough. I need a moment to catch my breath. My chest aches, my throat dry. I start praying to whoever will listen.
"Please, if I ever needed a favor, today is the day"
My body rejecting me but my mind wants to carry on. I begin running one more. Just let me make it out of here. I run as fast as I can. Running and jumping my way through the forest, pushing anything that is in my way, ducking under branches, Sliding around trees to continuously change my direction. Confuse the guards. Deeper and deeper within the wild.
Until I come up to a small cave. I run in for shelter. I back up into the cave wall. Barely able to catch my breath. My heart beats faster than I can inhale oxygen. Wishing I could sink into the wall. The same cramp, still shooting up my side.
The faint sound of voices growing closer.
"Where'd she go?"
"The boss said we'll find her by the smell in the air?"
...
"It smells sweet? Leading into that cave!"
"Shit!" I breath out.
My moment of rest quickly comes to an end. No way am I going back there alive. The voices grow closeer.
"I see her! Don't let her get away!"
My legs. Give up. My knees buckle and I fall to the ground. Frozen as he approaches me.His breathing also heavy. Laughing, deep and dark between each breath.
"You thought you could get away stupid girl?"
"Do you know who you are running from?"
There is no escape. He reaches down grabbing my wrist. So tightly. I can feel the circulation in my hands cutting off. Beginning to feel numb. He turns around momentarily, calling out.
"I've got her!"
He lightens his grip. My only chance. Please legs, don't let me down. Without hesitation I swiftly jerk my hand from his grasp. As I turn, I slam my foot into the trunk of a fallen oak tree, I place my hand down, feeling the rough bark underneath my fingers; Keeping my balance as I jump off the log. As I am about to land I see it is an uneven surface of stones and roots
Oh no...
I fall forwards, awaiting impact. I twist my ankle as I slam my knee into the stones. Trying to catch myself with my hands, I lean forward, not able to stop my momentum I realize I have come to an opening of a large cliff. I attempt to change my position but instead my body throws itself over the mountainside. Tumbling.
"No!" I scream.
I tumble vigorously down the mountain side. It seems I hit everything in my path on the way down. My body slams into the side of a tree trunk, throwing me in the air a few feet. I land hard, rolling. I reach out my hand to attempt to catch onto something, anything. My fingers digging into the ground. My body falls forward, tumbling down even further. I become winded with every blow to my body. Gasping for air
I look up briefly and see the man that was chasing me staring at me. Watching me plunge to my death. As I fall he becomes smaller and smaller until I can no longer see him. In my direct view I see a large boulder blocking my way. I brace myself for impact. Squeezing my eyes shut. My speed seems like it increases as I reach the large rock. And then...
Darkness...
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END NOTE: Hey loves! Check out my story "The Shadows" on the "Episode" App in the Fantasy genre. Comes with visualization to the story! xoxo