After the shift change, I quietly opened the door and slipped out.
The hallway had only one light, flickering as if it might fall any moment. The cold wind made the place feel even creepier.
Thinking about how many people might have died in each dorm room, I felt my hair stand on end. I quickened my pace and headed downstairs.
After just a few steps, I heard people talking around the corner. They were speaking Chinese and smoking Chinese cigarettes. They were discussing a beautiful woman who had arrived on the sixth floor and how they hadn't had a chance to mess with her yet.
After a while, the conversation stopped. I guessed they had left and quickly continued downstairs. I needed to avoid the surveillance cameras and scout the area while they were busy upstairs.
If I knew the layout well, I wouldn't mess up during the escape.
Uncle Scar had told me a thousand times about the area, but it was better to check it out myself.
In the dead of night, there were no prisoners outside except for the patrolling guards. I headed straight for the public restroom on the east side, sticking to the trees to avoid being seen by the guards drinking and smoking on the steps.
Three minutes later, I reached the broken water pipe near the restroom. The stench was unbearable, but I needed to scout the route. I climbed up the slope beside it and reached the electric fence. This fence was slightly lower than the one around the playground, and there was a dense forest about a hundred meters beyond it.
The trees and grass around the park had been cleared to prevent escapes. A hundred meters was enough for the guards to spot and shoot any escapee.
I found the spot where Uncle Scar had buried the rations, under a bamboo tree with disturbed soil covered by a rock. He must have been in a hurry earlier and hadn't fully covered it up. To ensure it wasn't obvious, I scattered some leaves around and kicked at the soil under other bamboo trees to confuse anyone looking.
"What are you doing?"
As I noted the routes, distances, and electric fence height, I searched for a bamboo stick that could be used as a weapon.
"Crack!"
Just as I broke off a bamboo stick with my hands, a white figure emerged from the bushes.
"Who are you? What are you doing?"
With her long hair covering her face and her voice soft and ghostly, I was so scared that I instinctively swung the bamboo stick at her.
"Ouch! Why did you hit me?"
The white figure clutched her head and fell to the ground.
"Who are you? Get away from me!"
I raised the stick, ready to hit her again. I had only used a fraction of my strength earlier, intending just to scare her away.
"You're the ghost! Why did you hit me?"
The white figure stood up, her voice trembling.
I looked at her shadow on the ground, feeling relieved. "You scared me."
"Who scared you? I just came out to use the bathroom and saw you sneaking around. I shouted to boost my courage."
The girl in white walked over, grabbing my bamboo stick and refusing to let go.
"..." I was speechless. How did she have the nerve to blame me when she scared me? I had checked the area before breaking the bamboo stick, so she must have just arrived.
"You're trying to escape, aren't you? Take me with you, or I'll scream!"
She lowered her voice, demanding.
"I'm not escaping. Let go. If the guards find us, we're dead."
I looked around anxiously.
"I won't let go unless you promise to take me with you. I know you're from Jade's department, the one who beat up Assistant Chen."
Had everyone heard about me beating Chen Weiqiang? Great, now I was famous.
"Fine, I promise. Now let go. I need to get back to the dorm."
I released the bamboo stick, giving up on making a bamboo arrow.
"Good. If you don't show up, I'll report you to Assistant Chen!"
The girl in white threw the stick down and walked away quickly.
I stood there for a moment, realizing I might have been tricked. She could be one of Chen Weiqiang's spies sent to keep an eye on me. Otherwise, how could she have found me so quickly?
Back in the dorm, I told Blackie what had happened, leaving out the part about Uncle Scar.
"Long hair, pretty face, white dress... I remember her. She's in our department. She's sharp and mean, tried to seduce Assistant Chen once, and got punished by Supervisor Mei. You're unlucky to run into her! She'll do anything to survive, even sell you out!"
Blackie seemed scared, indicating he had suffered because of her before.
"As long as she doesn't snitch, we can work something out. Worst case, we take her with us."
I scratched my head, feeling foolish.
"Sleep. We'll see how things go tomorrow."
"Don't worry, Uncle. Even if she tells, I won't expose you. I only mentioned the time and nothing else."
"Kid, I'm not one to shy away from responsibility. Rest up. Tomorrow night will be tough."
Blackie hesitated, then turned off the light and lay down fully dressed. I sighed, feeling anxious, and eventually drifted into a restless sleep.
The next morning, after having some vegetable buns and vermicelli, I was grabbed by a girl with long hair in a white dress.
"Was what you said last night true?"
Seeing the bamboo mark on her left cheek, I realized she was the "ghost" who had scared me last night. She was indeed pretty, but her high cheekbones and thin face gave her a sharp, mean look.
"Yes." I shook off her hand and whispered, "As long as you don't tell anyone, I promise to take you with us."
"Alright! See you tonight!"
She let go, handed me a sausage, and quickly left.
"..." What was I supposed to do with the sausage? I was already full, and I didn't eat such salty junk food anyway.