Just a single day of rest without worrying about being killed was what Hazel was hoping for. One final night. But she was like a magnet to trouble because she couldn't remember a day that had passed inside the prison without someone wanting to hurt her. She didn't even understand what their reasons were. Were they just bored and decided to kill people for fun?
Hazel's fingers tightened around the handle of the dagger, waiting till the shadow was close enough for her to strike. She tried not to make a sound and even though she had been through this so many times before, her heart beat wildly in her chest. It was out of sheer luck that she had survived this long with the number of times she had been attacked.
Lost in thought, Hazel didn't notice the dark shadow already looming over her head, hands raised in the air with a knife and ready to stab. It was only until she felt a rush of air swoosh past her and she snapped back to her senses. But before she could blink twice, the sound of something heavy banging on another resonated in the quiet cell, followed by a painful groan.
Startled awake, the other woman sleeping above Hazel woke up and nearly screamed, but the glare sent her way by the other woman standing above an unmoving body had her clamping a hand over her mouth.
Hazel's reaction wasn't far off as she stared at another lunatic standing in front of her, a huge metal pipe in her hands now dripping with fresh blood.
Inside the prison, Hazel had met her fair share of crazy women. But this particular woman had eyes that could paralyze someone with fear. A mere glance from her made Hazel swallow hard, her heart drumming inside her ears.
Wordlessly, the woman dropped the metal pipe on the floor. She bent down to check the pulse of the woman she just knocked unconscious, then stood up as if nothing happened and went back to sleep.
Hazel and her bedmate followed her every move with their eyes, afraid that they would be next if they did as much as blink.
"Warden needs you alive tomorrow morning," the woman's muffled voice reached their ears from under the covers.
Hazel remained frozen with fear for a few seconds, until her mind registered that the woman was there to protect her. Ordered by the warden. So she wouldn't kill her in her sleep.
As reassuring as that might have sounded, Hazel was still as cautious as she would be while locked up with a murderer in the same room. Something about the woman was too unsettling.
Clutching the dagger tightly, Hazel turned around and faced the wall, forcing herself to sleep. Her bedmate did the same, going back to sleep as quietly as possible.
That night Hazel had a dream. In the dream she found herself running through the familiar forest back in her home town. Some people were chasing her and though she could hear distant voices, none of the faces were clear.
She had sustained several scratches from tree branches and falls as she continued running, but she knew she couldn't stop. She had to escape. She couldn't let them catch her.
Her lungs burned with the lack of air and her skin dampened with sweat, but with every quick glance over her shoulder, she saw them getting closer and closer.
Suddenly, she reached a dead end and she halted in her tracks, barely catching herself from falling off the cliff. Heart pounding and panting for air, Hazel searched around for an escape route but there was none, until she saw the image of her uncle holding his hand out for her.
Hazel glanced back at her pursuers, and this time she was able to see a man's face clearly. The image of that man imprinted in her mind before she jumped into the arms of her uncle, but instead of falling, she jolted awake with a start.
…
Morning came early inside the no-name prison, and Hazel had a hard time remembering how she had fallen asleep with an unconscious woman lying on the floor of her cell, and the one responsible sleeping right across from her. Not to add thoughts about her release.
Morning routines went by as usual and Hazel noticed that when the guards did their rounds, there was a certain heaviness in the air. It could have been her mind playing tricks because she was way too nervous, but there wasn't as much noise as usual.
After the inmates had their breakfast, Melissa came for Hazel and her guardian angel for the previous night. Hazel's heart rate only increased with each passing moment, her surroundings crossing her mind as if in slow motion. She watched with batted breath as Melissa unlocked the door to her cell, then dangled the chain in her hands. Hazel stretched out her hands and the strong metal chains were locked in place.
As they walked down the corridor, Hazel couldn't help but take a look at the other prisoners, suddenly feeling nostalgic and sorry for them. It wasn't a habit she was used to–looking to her side while walking inside the prison–but today she couldn't help it.
Her eyes swept over the hardened faces staring at her, years of torture and lack of freedom showing in their eyes.
Some of these women would die before they knew it. Some of them would never see the light of day again and would suffer until their last breaths. Those were the thoughts on her mind as she passed by them. She was lucky. Very, very lucky.
"You don't look that happy," Melissa pointed out as she opened the metal door that led outside the cells. "Have you grown attached to them? You can go back if you want," she suggested playfully, a smile tugging at the corners of her lips.
Hazel gave a tight-lipped smile, turning her attention to the corridor ahead. Yes, that was what she should do. Focus on what was to come. The fates of the other prisoners had nothing to do with her.
Melissa first stopped at the infirmary for Katherine to check Hazel's wound, then they proceeded to the warden's office where she would be given her freedom back. At long last.
On the way, they came across both male and female guards going about their business. Some stopped to give her curious glances while others stared at her blankly.
From what she had gathered, not even the guards knew of her agreement with the warden. Apart from Melissa, she didn't think any one else had any idea and if they did, they were really good at hiding it.
In the warden's office, Hazel stood in a trance as the warden and Melissa got ready preparing the things she had been arrested in. A head wrap and an eye patch, the dagger that she always had on her and two small ones, a golden locket and a few coins. Her things were stashed in a satchel bag that was also hers, then handed to her by the warden.
"Here you go, Hazel. You're now a free woman," he deadpanned with a flat expression, making Hazel wonder if he knew how to make any other expressions.
"You better not die without repaying my kindness," the warden warned sternly.