by Genevi Engle
“Are you that delusional?” I asked.
“You all may think I'm crazy, but I saw them. I heard them speak to their fellow souls of the underworld.” Ellie said. I looked down at her hands as they started to shake. She had to be serious.
“What happened?” I asked, staring into her cold eyes.
“They were poisoning the only thing that kept my mind running the straight line of sanity and one day suddenly; the line began to curve.” Ellie said. “The line curved so much, that I began to hear whispers in my head. As if God was directing me to take control of my developing insanity.” she explained.
“You're saying God chose you as a messenger?” I asked. “To murder your children?”
“He didn't only choose me. He possessed me. I stood up from my couch and mindlessly went into the kitchen. At this point, I don't even remember grabbing the knife from the counter. What I do remember is digging through their entrails like a blood thirsty worm.”
“How many times did you stab them?”
“I didn't just stab them. I gutted them. I can still see a few images of the bodies being completely ripped open.” A smile suddenly graced Ellie's face. “Stained my new carpet.”
“There's a sense of humor.” I smiled. She looked at me and her smiled quickly faded.
“Listen. There's no reason to hide here. As you can see, based on the severity of our crimes; we're here because they chose us to be here.” I explained. “In other words, we're all sick fucks and we deserve to die.”
Ellie nodded. “So you murdered the president and his family?” Ellie said. “That takes skill.”
I couldn't believe it. This had to be the first time I was being complemented for killing President Holden, and for the first time, I wanted to take responsibility for it.
“It was a gallant effort.” I laughed. “But you. You're not crazy. Everyone thinks you're crazy.”
“Let them think. I walk my own path. These walls may hold my body, but the fires won't hold my soul.” Ellie said, getting to her feet. I then stood to my feet looking around.
“Maybe we don't have stay here.” I said. Ellie gave a puzzled look as she glanced at me. “Maybe there may be a way out of here.”
“Look at we're we are. We're on the sun. Escape is impossible.” Ellie laughed. “I thought I was supposed to be the crazy one.”
CHAPTER 7 - PLOT
Present - Day 6
The days of isolation didn't take their time and I figured my mind was not going to be anywhere neared prepared given how quickly this was going. I stared at my orange as I sat in one of the corridors. The orange was warm as I clenched it in my hand. I didn't want to eat another orange. The taste had become nauseating and I was sick of walking around with sticky orange juice on my hands. Babe sat next to me, peeling her orange. “I love how they feed us lightly in here.” she said. “Three oranges a day. Who the fuck is that going to feed?”
“It's to keep us from getting sick. Spare the escorts sickness.” I said, keeping a gaze at my orange.
“They could have just sent us in our own ship. Then again we probably could have hijacked that shit and turned back.” Babe said.
“That's it!” I said, jubilant. This idea that had been going since being told I was coming here, but finally bloomed it's first petal.
“We take the ship and take it back home.” I said.
“Are you nuts?” Babe asked. “Steal the ship from Banuelos? I'm not sure if you are aware but him and his men came packing heat.”
“Look at us all. We're fucking mass murderers and weirdos. You don't think we're sly enough to pull this off?”
“No. I don't think so.” Babe said doubting my plan. “And what do you mean we? You want all of us to bust out of this place?”
“Whoever is up to join me.” I said.
“Listen, I want to get out of here just as bad as you do but this is a prison break in fucking space, plus...” Babe sighed. “...If we do make it back. Where are we going to go?”
“I have connections. You'll be in good hands.” I assured.
“You ladies better eat that shit up.” Aliza said walking into the corridor. She made her way to the box and grabbed two oranges from the supply box. “Or I'll eat it all. I a rather quick burn than starving to death.”
“I think burning is worse” I said.
“It's quicker. It'll only hurt for a bit but suffocation kicks in really fast.” Aliza replied before she paused for a moment, staring at me. I couldn't figure what her eyes were locked on at the moment.
“You're bleeding.” Aliza said.
“Yeah.” I said nervously, feeling the blood trickle down my face. “I uh...” I couldn't conjure a cover up. I hadn't applied any first aid to the cut from my head so I'm sure it was free to leak a bit each day.
“Yeah. I meant to ask about that.” Babe chimed in.
“Did someone hit you?!” Aliza asked, her voice growing louder.
I wasn't sure what my answer was going to be. I was at a loss.
“Claire.” Aliza said firmly.
“Claire?” Babe called.
“I was raped.” I said, tears falling from my eyes. “In the fucking bathroom.”
“Who was it?” Aliza said, clenching her fists. “Who do I need to fucking kill?!”
“Don't waste your time Aliza.” I said. There was no point for her to pursue him. No point of revenge. Chances are, I wouldn't be alive to enjoy the satisfaction of it. Unless I gotten the fuck out of here.
“We'll all be dead soon. Might as well let him suffer like the rest of us.” Babe commented.
“Maybe we don't all have to die.” I said. Aliza and Babe looked at me. I could feel their curiosity bubbling. “I think there's a way out of here.”
“Not sure if you noticed but we're in a secure facility, located on the sun.” Aliza said. “Even if you somehow got the fuck out of this coop, you'd be caught.”
“The territories don't miss a beat.” Babe added.
“Not if I have a decent set up for us back on Earth.” I said.
“You're insane.” Aliza threw out.
“Their biggest mistake was sending people here with the escorts here to observe us, truth is I've been observing them and the only reason there is a ship still here with us is for the purpose of their observation. We need to take advantage of this and we need to do it soon.” I explained. The time for the escorts and the observers to take off from the prison would be soon and if we didn't make haste, an opportunity to get out of here would be non-existent.
“This is crazy talk.” Aliza said.
“It is, but just think of it as a basic prison break, just added variables and complex obstacles.”
“I love how you simplify things.” Babe laughed.
“Even if somehow we managed to get out of here. Somehow we managed to get back to Earth, they'll track me down. I got nowhere to go.”
“Have you listened to anything I've just said?! That would be the least of your worries if you stay with me. Anyone who stays with me. I can bet my life to that.” I said, a shining shimmer of guarantee gracing my face.
“Alright.” Aliza said. “I'm in. I have nothing better to do, might as well give this a shot.”
“What about you Babe?” I asked looking at her wide eyed face.
“I was in the moment you said escape.” Babe said.
Four days left and now it was time to orchestrate a full plan that would flow. That would pull the guys with the guns from the ship that way we could get on. I needed not days but maybe just to few hours to observe these guys one more time and put together the most elaborate, audacious and riskiest prison break ever consecrated. Once back on Earth, I'd be able to focus on exacting revenge.
September 9, 2134
Linda and I were a tag team. We were becoming a matchable foe for those who frowned upon our existence. Our reign over the small city began to cover the territory, spreading our message like a bubonic plague. It wouldn't have been long before the governme
nt began to see that we started to target public officials. Death and change was how we were winning the people over whether they liked us or not. Enforcement Chiefs were public enemy number one and we wasted no time swiping those motherfuckers from existence. Enforcement Chief Kevin Chasney became one of our certified bitches when we snatched him from his office. After a bit of necessary roughness with Chasney, we brought him to a warehouse we inhabited as our headquarters. Janice, one of the newest members swung a right hook to Chasney's face, whom which was tied and taped to a chair; so hard, the chair and Chasney slammed to the floor. I whipped out a pistol and pointed it to his head.
“Welcome to the club Kevin.” I said as his bruised face rose up to look at me. I pulled the chair back upright.
“So it's you. You're the leader of this movement?” he said, forcing a smile. “You're prettier than I was expecting.”
“Cute, but I don't have a dick to suck.” Linda said.
“You're the fifth one this week.” I said.
“I know.” Chasney said. He spat blood from his mouth. “You assholes have been slaughtering Chiefs like pigs.”
“Just clearing out the dead weight the establishment doesn't need.”
“Then why am I alive. Am I special?” Chasney asked.
“No.” I shrugged. “I just like to fuck with the Chiefs before I kill them.”
“Wait!” Chasney shouted before I pulled the trigger and blew a round through his head. His head jerked back from the bullet's impact, and him and the chair fell back and collapsed on the floor with a menacing thud.
“That one was shorter than the others.” Linda said.
“I know. Just getting tired. It's late.” I said. My eyes were red and heavy. It had felt like hadn't slept for a few nights. We've spent months creating my ideal of change; reaching into the hearts of the crippled establishment and making our presence known and as the months aged on, we've been reigning with anarchy through the streets. We packed up the warehouse and wrapped up Chasney's body in a large body bag and threw it in the back of a hover van. Afterward Linda and I hopped into our hover and began to cruise on, following the rest of the pack. Linda took the wheel as I sat in the passenger seat.
“So what now?” Linda asked.
“You expecting extra shit?” I asked.
“We should evolve our means of influence.”
“Evolve?”
“Take our executions to a different scale.” Linda said. “Let me be in charge for the next set up. Let me devise the meet, and the plan of operation for that night.”
I didn't see a problem with wanting her to lead for a night. We were at seventy members as of that night and my mind was at a limit giving orders to those who had become loyal to my message. Linda stayed behind my shoulder on each operation; on each march; on each murder. I guess she wanted a say-so on all the action. That was fine. I didn't mind to sit back and watch. All should have went well but it didn't, and that was when things started to change.
CHAPTER 8 - I WANT OUT
Present – Day 9
We knew what we needed to do but we had no mental drive of how to initiate this escape. We still had no diversion set and it was already day nine. The escorts maintained their surveillance on us as the final countdown was finally upon approach. I could see them rounding up their equipment and packing the ship. By tomorrow that ship would be long gone, and we'd be victims of the almighty sun.
“What now?” Babe asked.
“We don't have a distraction.” I said, grinding my teeth. “I think we're fucked.”
“So it's just me, you and Aliza in on this?”
“Ellie.” I muttered. “Ellie could come with us.”
“That crazy bitch?!”
“Will you shut the fuck up?!”
“How do we know that woman won't fucking kill us on our way back to Earth?”
“She's not as crazy as she seems.”
“How about keep this three woman operation.” Babe said. “We need a swinging dick on this. We need some man power.” She was right. Stealth alone was not going to liberate us. We needed some brawn to dismantle any inconvenient matters that might come along. I could rely on Ice but that bastard raped me in the bathroom, so I'm not going to trust him inside a compact, small ship. Then the idea of asking Lucas came to light. He didn't seem like a bad pick. I turned from Babe and began running through the prison, looking for where Lucas could be. As I came to an ending corridor, there I saw Lucas standing there, staring at the see-through wall.
“Can I talk to you?” I asked.
“Never said you couldn't.” Lucas replied.
“What are you doing?”
“Staring at our demise.” We both glanced at the fiery waves of gas and inferno that encompassed the glass wall. “Tomorrow will be here fast and before we know it, we'll be one with the sun.”
“That sounds really poetic and shitty at the same time.”
“What did you want to talk about?”
“How about not becoming one with the sun.”
“What?”
“I'm talking about escaping and returning to Earth.”
“Oh okay. A jail break.”
“It wouldn't be my first time.”
“Well for someone who has assassinated the President, I'm sure you have a history of getting out of prisons, but not like this.”
“We just need your assistance. Afterward you'll be out of here with us.”
“You really believe you have this all mapped out.”
“Do this with us and you'll be on the path to Earth.”
“Wow.” Lucas said with a smirk, finally turning around to look at me. “If I'd knew someone would be making an attempt to get out of here, I would've made plans.”
“Well start making them.”
“If we make it out of here, I have a lot of unfinished business I would need to handle.”
“You knew some bad people?” I leaned against the glass, ready to finally listen to his life story.
“My sister. I was supposed to see her. She was involved with a bunch of bad people. She tried to get away from them but they tracked her down, found out what she was going to do and killed her.”
“Do you have an idea of who they were?”
“I have an idea.” he said taking off in the opposite direction. I followed him .
“So you're going to help us right?” I asked.
“Sure. I got nothing better to do.”
“Great. I overheard the escorts saying that they were firing up the ship at around noon tomorrow, Earth time.”
“So what do I do?”
“You are the diversion.”
“Diversion?” Lucas stopped walking and looked at me. “Don't fuck me over-”
“I'm not going to fuck you over. I'm not going to leave you here.”
“If I help you do this, I'm on that ship too.”
“I'm not going to leave anyone behind. Babe and Aliza are in on this and the escape can't be fully carried out unless you're providing the distraction.”
“Well these people don't really give a shit about what we do here. I don't know what I'd have to do to catch their attention.”
“Do you feel like getting your hands dirty?”
“Who am I fighting?”
“Ice.”
“Alright. Simple.” Lucas said with a wide smile.
The later part of that day spawned normally and I waited anxiously for the next wake up call. Tomorrow we'd be scheduled to die, but the plans were set to change for a few of us. We'd awake for the day and allow the escorts to pack the ship with the appropriate supplies. Fuel, food; the works. Afterward, Lucas' part would play out and he would provide the distraction. The distraction would be enough to pull most of the armed escorts from the loading area, lowering the numbers and giving Aliza, Babe and I the opportunityto take down lesser escorts. Once we've eliminated the escorts and the observers, Lucas will board the ship shortly after and we'll be out of here before the prison's walls give way.<
br />
October 21st, 2134
I laughed to myself. If Linda and I were still on good terms, we'd have a ball talking about this escape. Then again, if she and I were on good terms, I wouldn't have been here in the first place. Our dispute started it's journey when one of our members didn't want to continue with the cult. Her name was Vita Mcdonald and at the time I deemed her weak and after a bit of mentally hounding her, I was prepared to let her go. We had no reason to hurt any members or ex-members, as long as they were not convinced to go to the police about anything. I trusted her but Linda did not. This was a problem, given the fact I put her in charge and natural suggestions for a typical farewell flew out of the damn window.
“I can't do this anymore. Where's the ending solution to this?!” Vita shouted.
“That solution shouldn't be of your concern.” Linda snarled. I stayed silent, abiding to my promise. “Your concern should be making sure you follow our orders.”
“You see?!” Vita shouted, pointing a knife hand at Linda. “This started out as a group to spread true change. We all shared the same ideals. Now, you two are big bad wolves chasing fucking sheep.”
Linda grabbed Vita's wrist with a twist.
“Don't ever raise your hand to me you worthless shit!” she snapped.
“Fuck you. Your word doesn't count anymore.”
“My word has meant more than your goddamn life.”
Vita then snatched away her hand. I wasn't too determined to step in. I wanted to see how she handled the situation at hand.
“So you want out?” Linda asked.
“I don't want anything to do with any of you. My daughter is getting bigger and she doesn't need to be exposed to this group that has become more of a shame than a change.”
Linda nodded and before I could show Vita the door, Linda wrapped up Vita in a vicious choke hold, pointing a pistol at Vita's head.
“How about now bitch?” Linda said with a grin, slowly placing her finger on the trigger. “You want out now?!”