After finishing his meager meal, Rylan's exhaustion weighed heavily upon him as he made his way to the bed area. The makeshift beds, consisting of nothing more than tattered cloths hanging between cold metal pipes, offered no comfort or solace. With a sigh, he settled onto one of the threadbare sheets, his body aching from the day's labor.
Lying there, staring up at the dimly lit ceiling, Rylan allowed his mind to wander. His thoughts were consumed by a single, burning desire to see the world beyond the confines of the engine. The allure of a life filled with abundance.
As sleep eluded him, Rylan's longing intensified. He yearned to taste delicious meals, to sleep in a comfortable bed, and, above all, to experience the sweet taste of freedom. The prospect of living without constant scrutiny, without being beaten for the smallest infractions.
Suddenly, a sense of urgency gripped Rylan. He needed to relieve himself, and he reluctantly rose from his bed. Walking towards the bathroom, he froze as he overheard familiar voices those of the supervisors engaged in conversation. Instinctively, he hid himself behind the bathroom wall, stealing a glimpse of their interaction without being seen.
Moments later, a group of men dressed in the same uniforms as the supervisors emerged from a heavily fortified metallic door. The door, always guarded and strictly off-limits to the workers, intrigued Rylan. It held the promise of a pathway to freedom. The supervisor who had frequently tormented Rylan exchanged pleasantries with the newcomers, sharing a familiar camaraderie.
As the supervisors departed through the same forbidden door, Rylan's heart raced with a newfound hope. He felt a surge of determination pulsating within him. "I'm sure of it now That's the way out" he whispered to himself, his voice filled with both trepidation and excitement.
Returning to his bed, Rylan lay there in the darkness, his mind ablaze with possibilities. For the first time in his life, a glimmer of hope pierced through the gloom of his existence. With every beat of his heart.
Rylan awoke the following day with a renewed sense of purpose. The flicker of hope he had witnessed the previous day had ignited a fire within him. The zero had transformed into a one, symbolizing the door, the doorway to his freedom. He made a solemn vow to himself: he would pass through that door or Die trying.
However, he couldn't do it alone. Though the workers had grown up together, they kept their distance from Rylan due to his attraction for trouble. Yet, there was one person who had always shown him kindness, even if from a distance.
As Rylan picked up his meager breakfast a tasteless pink paste he took a seat next to the old man and offered a genuine smile.
"Good morning, old man," Rylan greeted him, though the concept of morning was merely a habit passed down from their ancestors, as time was measured by weak ceiling lights.
The old man was taken aback by Rylan's gesture. It was the first time Rylan had initiated a conversation with him, and being a loner himself, the old man was unaccustomed to such interaction.
"Ah, good morning, son. Is there something you need?" the old man asked confusiones.
"No, nothing in particular. I was just wondering if you're okay, you know, since you're old and all"
The old man laughed "I'm not that old, son. I believe I'm around 42 or 43, though I'm not entirely sure."
The harsh conditions prematurely aged the man, while Rylan, deprived of proper nourishment and sunlight, still possessed the appearance of a child, despite being seventeen years old.
During their brief conversation, Rylan skillfully engaged the old man, utilizing his limited social skills to forge a connection. They shared a few precious minutes together before commencing their work, where conversation was strictly prohibited.
Once their shift ended, Rylan returned to the old man's side, but this time with a different intention to divulge his plan.
"Can you keep a secret, old man?" Rylan asked, his voice hushed.
The old man regarded him with mild confusion before responding, "Well, I don't really have anyone to tell your secret to, so I suppose I can keep it."
Rylan paused for a moment, contemplating his words before continuing. "Do you see that metal door at the end of the hallway, past the bathrooms? Last night, I discovered it isn't just where the supervisors sleep. It leads to the outside world—"
But before Rylan could finish his sentence, the old man interrupted him with a voice just loud enough to draw the attention of those seated nearby.
"STOP!" the old man exclaimed, but then he lowered his voice to a whisper. "You think we don't know that door is the exit? Everyone does. But if you try to get out you'll just die just like the ones who tried before so don't even think about it "
The old man abruptly rose from his seat, leaving his food untouched and Rylan dumbfounded. His mind swirled with questions. Why had he never heard about these escape attempts? Confusion and fear gripped Rylan's heart. He was terrified of dying,Yet, he couldn't ignore the voice in his head, urging him to fight, to take the risk.
Rylan slapped his own cheeks, both hands slapping his face in an attempt to snap himself out of his doubt and fear.
' What are you even thinking? Isn't this what you've always wanted? ,To escape this place or die trying '
With newfound resolve, Rylan rose from his seat and made his way back to his assigned bed. Tomorrow was the day. The day he gets out of here with his own two legs or in a body bag