Rylan awoke from a restless sleep, his mind filled with a tumultuous mix of fear and anticipation. He had spent the entire night strategizing, their routines, and how to distract them consumed his thoughts as he mechanically consumed the tasteless pink paste provided as sustenance. He waited patiently for the night shift to return, knowing that it would mark the beginning of his exhausting day.
As the familiar bells rang, signaling the change in shifts, Rylan rose from his table and picked up his tools. He set out to work, his mind focused on a single goal finding a way to divert the attention of the supervisors and make his escape.
Within the engine hallways, there were five supervisors overseeing the workers. Two of them were stationed deep within the labyrinthine passageways, making them less of a threat. However, three supervisors were in close proximity to Rylan, one positioned beside the exit door and two directly overseeing his assigned area.
Rylan understood that he had to wait for the opportune moment when their attention shifted momentarily. He knew that no ordinary human being could maintain focus for hours on end.
'NOW!'
he thought to himself, recognizing the ideal moment when the supervisors engaged in conversation, temporarily forgetting about their surroundings.
Seizing the opportunity, Rylan rose to his feet and grasped a long metallic tool with a firm grip. With all his strength, he swung it towards a nearby dashboard, causing sparks to fly and burn his skin. The impact resulted in a sudden loss of power, plunging the area into darkness. Chaos erupted as panic and confusion engulfed the workers, their screams mingling with the shouts of the supervisors.
Reacting swiftly, the supervisors retrieved flashlights and electric rods, their beams of light piercing the darkness. They directed their attention towards the damaged dashboard, only to discover that the culprit had vanished. One supervisor bellowed, demanding to know who was responsible for the disruption.
Amidst the chaos, Rylan sprinted through the hallways, relying on his instincts to navigate the dimly lit passages. He pushed himself to the limits, his lungs burning with every labored breath. It was a race against time, and he refused to let exhaustion or fear hinder his progress.
A minute later, Rylan detected the sound of approaching footsteps from the opposite direction. Reacting swiftly, he dropped to the floor and maneuvered into a narrow gap between pipes and wires, his small stature allowing him so , concealing himself. Moments later, a supervisor rushed past, unaware of Rylan's presence. As soon as the supervisor passed, Rylan emerged from his hiding place, silently trailing behind.
With utmost caution, Rylan crept up behind the supervisor, holding his breath to avoid making any noise. Gripping the same tool he had used to disable the power, he struck the back of the supervisor's head, causing him to stagger. The supervisor attempted to speak, but Rylan refused to grant him the opportunity, striking him again on his temple. Determined to ensure his own safety, Rylan relentlessly continued his assault until the young guard's face was unrecognizable.
Taking a moment to catch his breath, Rylan released his grip on the metallic tool, his gaze fixated on the pool of blood forming around the lifeless body. Feelings of revulsion threatened to overwhelm him, but he suppressed the urge to vomit. Regaining his composure, he lifted his head, only to be greeted by a sight that filled him with horror.
"What have you done?" a voice exclaimed.
It was one of the supervisor's pets the leader of the pack. Thankfully, he was alone, but his expression mirrored Rylan's shock and disbelief.
***
Back in the engine hall, tension
reached its peak as the supervisors interrogated the workers. They demanded the culprit reveal themselves and fix the damage caused. Amidst the turmoil, one elderly woman bravely stepped forward, speaking up to the supervisors.
"Sir," she began, her voice trembling. "I would never dare to do such a thing. But I believe it was the boy, Rylan. He's missing."
The supervisor's expression shifted from anger to a dark, vengeful glare.
"That fucker!" he exclaimed, his rage evident as he grabbed a gun from his belt. He instructed his colleague to stay and watch over the workers, while he himself went in pursuit of Rylan.
Meanwhile, Rylan found himself desperately searching for a way to escape his current predicament. The supervisor's pet and leader approached him, wearing an expression mirroring Rylan's own shock and disbelief.
"Why are you here?" Rylan demanded, his voice filled with urgency.
Ex(the name of the supervisor's pet / bully) , stared at the lifeless guard in horror, but the prospect of escape seemed to stir his interest.
"We can get out of here," Rylan urged, a glimmer of hope shining in his eyes. "The keys to the door are with this guy. If we take them, we can run away."
Ex continued to gaze at the corpse, his expression wavering between fear and desperation. Finally, he made his decision.
"Are you sure?" Ex asked, his voice filled with trepidation.
"Yes!" Rylan affirmed, his determination unwavering. "Don't you dream of leaving this place? To see the outside world, never having to toil away for nothing? They've probably realized we're missing by now."
Rylan hurriedly searched the guard's body, rummaging through his uniform until he found the keys. He also discovered a gun, hesitating for a moment before deciding to take it. Time was of the essence, and he couldn't afford to second-guess himself.
"Let's go. I've found them!" Rylan said urgently .
The two frail and weary workers raced towards the exit door, their breathing ragged and heavy. After what felt like an eternity, they reached their destination, just a few meters away. An uncontrollable smile of relief spread across their faces, years of suffering about to come to an end. But their joy was short-lived as a deafening gunshot shattered their newfound hope.
Rylan turned to look back, his heart sinking as the worst possible outcome unfolded before his eyes. Ex's smile faded, replaced by a look of shock and disbelief as he lowered his gaze to his torso, blood gushing from his wound, staining his worn-out clothes. Standing behind him was the supervisor, gun in hand, ready to deliver another fatal blow to Rylan.
"Die, you dirty slaves!"
The second bullet found its mark, piercing Rylan's shoulder, causing an unimaginable wave of pain. Refusing to succumb so close to his goal, Rylan raised the gun he had taken from the guard and aimed it at the supervisor. Inexperienced with firearms, he squeezed the trigger, the recoil reverberating through his injured shoulder. Miraculously, his aim was true, striking the supervisor in the leg and arm, causing him to drop to one knee, releasing his own weapon. Ignoring the pain, Rylan continued firing until the gun clicked empty.
He gazed at the lifeless body of the supervisor, surrounded by a pool of blood. Despite the overwhelming sense of horror, Rylan knew he couldn't dwell on it. He had to keep moving. With newfound resolve, he approached the fallen supervisor, retrieving his gun and two spare magazines.
Without sparing a second glance at his fallen brother, Rylan turned away and rushed towards the exit, a mixture of determination and pain propelling him forward.
Reaching the door, Rylan inserted the key a card he had found into a scanner. A mechanical sound of unlocking and depressurization followed, and the door swung open. Rylan stepped outside, taking in a lungful of fresh air. The night sky greeted him, adorned with a blanket of stars. His heart pounded in his chest, his lungs burned with exertion, and blood flowed steadily from his wounded shoulder. But despite the pain and uncertainty, a broad smile spread across his face. He looked around, taking in his surroundings a collection of buildings, though not enough to constitute a city and beyond them, a towering metallic fence. It dawned on Rylan where he had arrived a military base