·Archer's POV·
Here it goes, another day in Hell. I've just finished eating dinner at the canteen with a group of boys who I met as soon as I arrived at St. George. Now, ladies and gentlemen, it's when we get to the best part of my daily routine: some quality time alone. Withdrawing from people has become a habit for me now. I sincerely believe it is healthy to distance myself from those who talk too much to say nothing meaningful at the end of the day. Such a waste of my precious time, hearing them talk crap about their families, trying to give vent to all the anger and frustration that has been eating them alive for a while now.
Although I might not agree with them at all, I see where they are coming from. I mean, come on, we're all in the same situation- every single one of us because of a different reason, but stuck in this exact place after all.
My thoughts came to an end as the entrance to my secret spot came into sight. It was raining outside, what lead me to think that it would be a great reading night.
Reading poetry while hearing the faint sound of the water droplets hitting the window's glass was my deepest guilty pleasure. The feeling of complete peace and ease I get by doing that is completely unrivalled.
Rushing to sit on the comfortable armchair, I grabbed my favorite book in the process. Getting myself ready to what will be an awesome night, I let a satisfactory sigh out of my mouth coming down from my throat.
Sweet, sweet night.
A couple of hours passed by in a blur, and, without noticing, my eyes acted against my will, closing my eyelids out of tiredness.
***
Thud!
A loud thud coming from downstairs suddenly woke me up from my sleep. What followed were children screams accompanied by the characteristic smell of burning wood.
Something was definitely wrong.
I have to get out of here.
Bringing the book along with me, hating the idea of leaving it behind, I start running towards the secret spot's entrance once again, but this time to, supposedly, never come back.
I bumped into three ten-year-old boys hiding next to the fourth deck's staircase, trembling nonstop because of fear. I had to help them.
"You three, listen to me carefully, okay? I want you to run as fast as your legs allow you towards the nearest exit you can spot. Don't you dare to look back or slow down the pace. Got it?" I warned them.
"Bu-but we're scared Arc-Archer..." One of them, Tim, my roommate's little brother, replied between sobs. My heart ached for him, as he resembled my brother quite a bit.
"I know, I know. But you have to trust me, if not we won't be able to get out of here. Come on." I carried Tim while the other two boys started running alongside me.
Okay Archer, one more deck...
"AHHHHHH!" One of the boys screamed behind me. When I side-glanced to where he was standing, I saw it. A broad-shouldered man was caging him, holding a grip on his hair and throwing him against the floor.
"Tim, I need you to be brave and start running by yourself. You are so close to the end now, so go with your friend. I'll catch up with you later."
I laid him down carefully and he looked grave as he asked:
"Can you promise me you'll be safe, Archer?"
Knowing I couldn't lie to him, I obviated the answer and showed him a sad one-sided smile before I started to run like a mad man to safe the other child.
As soon as the bastard was approachable, I punched him hard on his face. That caused him to loose his hold on the poor boy and it gave him time to scape.
"RUN TO THE ENTRANCE!" I shouted at him as I was trying to defend myself from the man's violent punches.
"You stupid kid, I'm going to kill you!"
"Bring it on, grandpa." My comment must have offended him deeply, because he tried to hit me harder. But then again, he was too slow, too predictable. Just some uppercuts and hooks provided by my fists were necessary to knock him cold.
Okay Archer, now run!
Following my survival instinct's instructions, I sprinted towards the main entrance once again, not giving the corpses of my correctional pals a second glance for my own sake at that moment. What almost got me to fall down on my knees and cry my eyes out was the sight of Tim and his two other friends dead on the floor, eyes and mouth wide open, holding on to each other as I told them to do.
I have to live for them, for Tim.
The entrance is so close.
I have to live for my brother, I promised him I would return home.
Another man has just seen me running towards the end.
I have to live for myself, for the future ahead of me.
I turn the doorknob and open the door.
I have to live.
The aforementioned man takes a wooden bar from the floor and hits me with it repeatedly, all the air leaving my lungs for eternity. And I see it, a bright light coming from the door I needed to go through, blinding me with its intensity. Turning my head to my murderer, I also descry a dark shadow without definite shape behind him, controlling him. Then, it all turns pitch black and my world stops spinning.
Dead.
***
"Archer, honey, wake up!"
I screamed as I shook uncontrollably, dripping in cold sweat.
"Hey, hey, I'm here." Grace tries to reassure me as she holds me in her arms, rocking my body back and forth.
"You're alive, Archer. Everything's alright, it was just a nightmare." Grace kept murmuring.
"It felt so real, as if the events happened all over again. I can't bear it."
"Love, it's gone forever. It can't hurt us anymore."
I slightly nodded for her own sake, to make her think I belived her.
But the truth is...
That she couldn't be more wrong.
*****
A.N: Hello again! Here is the last bonus chapter. As you can see, I like to mix the past and the present together. Next chapter will be a bit smaller, as it is meant to be the connection between what may be another possible story and' Wrong Time'. Who's excited?! I'm definitely am.
Love,
M³