Chapter 21 The Escape
The Escape
Gerald
Iheard my name being called from outside my cell, and a wave of anticipation surged within me.
My daughter was here, and this would be our last visit inside these walls.
I'd finally get to live outside of them.
Just as I had imagined, she skillfully crossed off all the names on my list, leaving a trail of incapacitated guards in her wake.
The lack of watchful eyes on my block was unprecedented.
I was well aware of the prison's staffing shortages, and I planned to exploit that. They didn’t have the manpower to monitor every block and every inmate; I knew they would be hiring anyone just to fill the gaps, making it easy for the inmates to manipulate them.
As I rose, my heart raced in nervous anticipation, waiting to be cuffed and shackled.
The new correctional officer took the lead, guiding me to the visitor room, where I spotted Scarlett sitting alone, her demeanor tinged with anxiety.
Seeing her resemblance to both me and her mother stirred a pang of sadness in my chest, and for a fleeting moment, I felt a twinge of remorse for what lay ahead.
But such feelings were ephemeral; they never lingered long.
With a smile, I entered the room and took a seat across from my daughter.
The correctional officer, neglecting to cuff me to the table, unwittingly compounded his mistake, but I remained silent.
I studied Scarlett, noting the fading bruises and healing cuts on her exposed skin, and confusion washed over me.
“What happened? Who did this to you, sweetie?” I asked, reaching across the table to grasp her hand.
She shot me a piercing glare, her long lashes casting shadows over her dark, formidable eyes. Pulling her hand away, she tucked both in her lap. Leaning back, her shoulders slumped, and I recognized the wall she was erecting—but I was determined to breach it.
“Remember Jack? The CO who was here the last time?” she asked, and a cold knot formed in my stomach as I wondered if she knew about the hit I had put out on him.
“I do. I noticed he’s no longer here,” I replied slyly, a grin spreading across my face, only intensifying her ire.
“I know you can see the marks on my body,” she hissed, her brows knitting together. “He said they were payback for the hit you put out on him. He was getting revenge by nearly killing me.”
“Scarlett, that was never the plan. If I’d known you were in any danger, I wouldn’t have done it.” I reached for her hand again, tapping my own foot to draw her attention.
“Either way, that’s what happened. He’s dead now because of what he did to me,” she declared, almost with a sense of pride.
“That’s my girl.” I smiled at her, but my gesture was met with an icy glare.
“Just stop. When do you plan on getting out of here?” she asked, shifting the topic.
“Tonight. Just make sure the truck is parked where I told you and have a burner phone ready so I can call you.” I glanced toward the door and noticed the CO was nowhere to be found.
I leaned forward, lowering my voice, urgency creeping into my tone. "This is almost over, Scarlett. Just hold on for a little while longer. I need you to stay strong."
Her expression softened momentarily before hardening again. “You think it’s that simple? You think I’m just some pawn in your game?” She glared at me, her voice trembling with a mix of anger and fear. “I’m not. I won’t play that role anymore.”
I met her gaze, the fire in her eyes echoing the resilience I admired. “I never wanted you to be a pawn, Scarlett. You’re my daughter, my everything. I’m doing this for us. You have to trust me.”
“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 on a 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 could make 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.
Each step felt liberating, even as my pulse raced with the fear of being caught. I turned the corner, only to see the truck—a small, unassuming vehicle blending into the shadows. It looked like a beacon of freedom, my heart swelling at the sight.
But just as I reached for the door, a shout pierced the air, shattering the stillness. “Stop right there!”
I turned to find a guard barreling towards me, his flashlight slicing through the darkness like a knife.
I cursed under my breath. I had anticipated lagging guards but this?
Panic flooded my veins, and instinct took over.
With a burst of adrenaline, I dove into the truck's cab and slammed the door shut, fumbling with the ignition.
“Start, damn it!” I muttered as the engine spluttered to life. I glanced through the window just in time to see the guard racing toward me, his uniform glinting in the feeble light.
“Go, go, go!” I shouted, throwing the truck into gear and racing away from the prison, the squeal of tires mingling with the chaos behind me.
As I turned the corner, relief washed over me, and I caught my breath, feeling the weight of desperation suddenly lift. Freedom was within reach. I could almost see the future I had dreamed of—the one with Scarlett, the new life we would build together.
With every mile that brought me further from those walls, I couldn’t shake the sense that I had just crossed a threshold from which there was no turning back.
But in that moment, the only thing that mattered was getting to my daughter, to the glimmer of hope waiting for me beyond the horizon.
I wouldn’t let anything stop me—not the guards, not my past, and especially not my own demons.
I was ready to reclaim my life, and together, we would redefine our story.
But the secrets I'd kept close would remain there. She could never find out.