“Trust is earned, Dad,” she shot back, her voice breaking slightly. “You’ve put me in danger more times than I can count. What makes this time different?”
I leaned back, contemplating her words. She was right, as much as I hated to admit it. I had dragged her into a world of shadows and violence, but I also believed fervently that we could escape it together.
“Because, this time, I have a plan,” I said, my voice steady, hoping to inject some confidence into her.
She inhaled sharply and looked away, her fingers nervously tracing patterns on her lap. “What if something goes wrong? What if you… don’t come back?”
“I will come back,” I insisted, reaching out again, this time more insistently. “I promise you, Scarlett. We’ll start a new life together. Just a little longer, and I’ll be through those gates. But you need to promise me you’ll wait—no police, no games. Just trust.”
For a long moment, her gaze was fixed on the table, and I could see the internal battle unfolding within her. Finally, she raised her head, her expression a complicated mix of hope and wariness.
“I’ll do it. But you have to keep your word. No more bloodshed—this is the last time."
“Deal,” I said, the weight of her choice anchoring my resolve.
The moment hung between us like a fragile thread, and I knew that moving forward, I had to protect her, not just from the world outside, but from the darkness that lurked within me, threatening to consume everything.
The door swung open, disrupting our silence as the correctional officer strolled back in, his gaze darting between us. Confusion flickered in his eyes, though I knew he wasn’t within earshot of our conversation. My heart began to race again, a reminder that time was running out.
“Let’s wrap this up,” he said gruffly, and I felt my stomach knot at the thought of having to separate from Scarlett again—and at the looming freedom I was perilously close to grasping.
“Scarlett,” I said, forcing a heavy swallow as I extracted an old, weathered photograph from my pocket—the last remnant of our family before all this chaos. “Take this. It’s a reminder of what we’re fighting for.”
She hesitated, then gently took it, her fingers brushing against mine like a fleeting touch of warmth. “Will you really come back?”
“I will,” I assured her, my voice a whisper, but filled with an urgency that resonated deeper than mere words. “I promise.”
With that, we were interrupted as the officer pulled me to my feet. The stark reality of the prison walls loomed around us, but I could still see the flicker of determination in Scarlett’s eyes. As I was led away, I turned one last time, meeting her gaze—my daughter, my warrior, my reason. And though I knew the stakes were high and the road ahead fraught with peril, I felt a surge of untameable hope surge through me.
The plan was set into motion, and nothing would stop me from reaching the freedom that awaited on the other side. I would reclaim my life. We would reclaim our future.
It was finally time to leave this awful place, and I got into the right mindset and gathered the few things I was bringing with me. There wasn't much. I had the keys to the prison, the master lock that opened every door, and that was really all I needed. I waited until the clock struck 2 am, watching the CO leave the block with his cell phone pressed against his ear.
I needed to put the cameras on a loop just long enough for me to sneak out of here without getting caught. I was dressed as a maintenance worker, disguised pretty well. I was ready. It was time.
I quietly used the key to unlock my cell, slipped out, and locked it back up. I rushed down the stairs and through the pod, trying to get to the computer in the control room to manipulate the cameras in order for me to make it out. Once they were ona time loop I had seven minutes to get out unscathed. I hurried, knowing the inside of the prison like the back of my hand, and I swiftly passed every checkpoint without getting caught.
Each second felt like an eternity as I navigated the familiar terrain, my heart pounding loudly in my chest. The fluorescent lights cast stark shadows on the cold concrete, but I pressed on, adrenaline fueling my determination. Just a few more corridors to go before I’d reach the control room.
As I rounded the corner, I caught sight of the control room door slightly ajar. My pulse quickened—this was it. I approached stealthily, listening intently for any signs of life on the other side. Hearing only the distant sounds of snoring from one of the night staff reassured me, and I pushed the door open.
I slipped inside and locked it behind me, my eyes quickly scanning for the monitor. There it was, screens babbling a live feed of the prison, each one a potential threat to my freedom. I moved to the console, fingers trembling slightly as I typed in the access code I had memorized during my years of incarceration.
The screen flickered, and I quickly navigated to the camera feeds, finding the buttons to loop them for a few precious minutes. One... two... three... I clicked rapidly, praying silently that my calculations were right. The last thing I needed was to be caught with mere moments to spare.
Just as I pressed enter to engage the loop, a sudden sound made me freeze. A loud crash echoed outside the control room, followed by hurried footsteps. I pressed my back against the wall, heart racing, knowing I had to act fast. They couldn’t know I was here; my window of escape could close within seconds.
I glanced at the time on the screen. The loop was activated, giving me five minutes to get out of here before the guards noticed something was off. Breathing deeply, I pushed the door open, careful to keep it silent. The hallway was dark, but I couldmake out outlines of the guards moving further down. They were agitated, too loud and too close for comfort.
I had always anticipated the chaos that would ensue from the distraction Scarlett had set in motion, but witnessing it firsthand, I felt fear collide with exhilaration. I hugged the wall, darting into a nearby alcove, using the shadows to my advantage. As I waited for the guards to pass, I peered around the corner.
Two of them were arguing about something trivial, unaware of the true danger lurking just a few steps away. I seized the moment, darting past them and down another hallway that led to a service exit. I was almost there.
The service exit was never locked—an oversight in the system that I had been counting on. I reached the door, key in hand, and paused, allowing myself a moment of dread and reflection. If this didn’t go as planned, I’d be thrown back into the darkness. But I could hear Scarlett’s fierce voice in my head. "No more bloodshed—this is the last time." With that guiding me, I pressed down on the handle, feeling a rush of cold air escape as I pushed the door open.
It led to an alleyway behind the prison, dimly lit by a single flickering streetlamp. I took a breath, savoring the scent of the night air, while my eyes adjusted. Time was running down, and I knew I needed to hurry. Scarlett would be waiting in that truck, and I had to get to her.
I glanced back at the prison, the stark gray walls closing off my past. I stepped into the alley, the gravel crunching beneath my feet, and began to move quickly but quietly. The truck was supposed to be parked at the end of the street, just as I’d instructed. A sense of urgency sparked within me.
