Annihilation

Escape Plan

Everything about living in the prison changed, Leon and his men fully taking up two units along with a few of the empty cells in the one we occupied. Namjoon made sure they took the upstairs area of our unit, but every second they were there sent me into an overdrive of protection for myself.

Namjoon was on constant alert, the grounds littered with men day and night. He and the rest of our group pretended to integrate with them, feigning friendliness and comradery. I kept to my cell, spending just a few hours a day in the unit between admiring the cucumbers and tomatoes Jin harvested or searching for another book to read from Yoongi's collection. Each time I was out I could feel it, a few of them leaned over the railing from the top floor to look down at me, seeing their whistles as a gesture that would lead to my reciprocation of their desire, or the way they suddenly lingered around the bathroom when I entered.

Jungkook slept on the floor next to my bed and insisted that Jimin perch himself outside the door at night, ready for the moment that one of them went against Leon's rule that his men refrain from physical contact with me.

"I brought a snack." Jin tapped against one of the bars to my cell before coming in. He set a small bowl of cooked and seasoned squash in front of me, smiling in a way that told me he was searching for one in return. When my lips barely pulled up at the corner he resorted to a joke that he seemed to pull out of thin air. "What did the squash say to the cucumber when he saw the pumpkin patch get blown up?"

I shrugged, taking another bite of my favorite vegetable.

"Oh my gourd!" He emphasized the punchline with his round lips and eyes. I couldn't help but laugh at the joke and his comical way of presenting it, the sound echoing through the unit. "We miss you." He muttered, reaching out to take back my now empty bowl.

"I'm right here." I sighed though I knew what he meant. I was here but I wasn't. "Are things going to stay this way?"

He craned his neck to make sure no one was around to listen, leaning close to me and speaking in an almost inaudible whisper. "Namjoon and Yoongi will either get us out of here or find a way to take this place back safely." He assured me, nodding before he left my cell to make sure the others were well fed and taken care of.

It was hard to find a moment to talk about the plans that were being formed in secret since Leon's men lurked at every corner. Days and then weeks passed in the eight or so feet I had within my cell. I did push ups in the middle of the night to lessen the chance of anyone watching me workout, eating alone or with whichever of the boys decided to sit across from me. They hardly let me be by myself, but I was still isolated, trapped within cement walls and the confines of my mind.

"Alena, go to sleep." Jungkook reminded me often, listening to me huff with exhaustion as I tried everything from counting sheep to moving until my body was worn in search of rest. He rolled over to face my bed, propping his elbow against the floor and reaching to grab the hand that hung over the side of the mattress. "Nothing's going to happen as long as I'm here."

My heart thumped constantly in my ears, even louder than the frantic thoughts that raced through. When I let out a shaky breath he sat up, rubbing at my knuckles with his thumb and raising his head in question to Jimin, who sat against the wall just outside of my cell, wide awake and alert.

Jimin looked around for anyone who could be listening, giving a thumbs up to indicate that the area was clear.

Jungkook turned so that he faced me, sitting cross-legged on the floor while I laid on my side, keeping his voice low so that only I could hear. "We're figuring out a way to get out of here. Yoongi has been hiding weapons and supplies in that old Honda I fixed up." He disclosed. I let out a relieved sigh and he scooted closer to me, his wide eyes already pleading. "This is important, Alena. If me or one of the others tells you to go, we need you to go. Get in the car and get out of here."

There was something about the way he said it, a level of fear I didn't recognize and I shook my head, my voice a little louder than it should have been. "I'm not leaving you all behind."

"Alena, I need you to not argue with me and just do what I say, just this once. All of us agree. If this shit hits the fan, we need you out of here, for you to get the supplies out. We'll find you after." He switched between stating what they wanted and what he needed, emphasis behind each expression of his own. "If anything happens, just go and don't stop until you're safe. I need you to do that for me." He pressed, his glassy eyes barely visible in the dark.

I pressed my lips together with frustration, a sharpness in my reply that let him know I wasn't happy with his request. "Fine."

Things felt more promising, knowing that we weren't planning to stay or integrate with Leon's group. I still kept to myself, leaning into anticipation of the day or night that we'd make our grand escape, picturing them killing Leon and his men in their sleep or leaving the prison to sneak away unseen.

Apparently it was September, usually my favorite time of year as Autumn left a bright spray of leaves in red and orange, a mix of the summer heat that lingered with a cool breeze, signifying a welcome change in weather. I hadn't been outside in so long that I wasn't sure if it was still the same or if my favorite part of the season changed along with everything else in the world.

I caught glimpses of happenings around the prison through the conversations I listened to from my cell. Leon and his men were every bit of what I hated about masculinity, every word uttered between them a memory of the women they slept with before the apocalypse and the weapons they carried, surely making up for their lack of manhood in other areas.

They always seemed to be celebrating, staying up late at night and sharing the liquor they found on runs, their hearty laughter and voices bouncing off the walls. Those were the nights I slept the best because after the noise, there came an intense silence that let me know they were too inebriated to do anything but sleep.

Apparently they'd been marking the birthday of a man nicknamed Spike on the night our plans went up into flames. I welcomed the quiet after a long evening of listening to one of Leon's "we are men who have the end of the world by the throat" speeches, Jungkook already snoring lightly on the floor beside me.

I woke to footsteps approaching, unsure of if it'd been minutes or hours since I'd fallen asleep. The slurred and muttering voices of two of Leon's men, having wandered to the roof to drink, sounded just a few feet away.

"You're right, it's my birthday and Leon's rule is stupid. Plus, they can't keep her locked away forever." I made sense of the words though they blurred together, the other chuckling in response.

My pulse quickened as I grabbed the machete I kept tucked between the mattress and wall, whispering Jungkook's name to see if he was awake.

He didn't respond, the next sound I heard the edged piercing of skin and thud of two bodies as they dropped to the floor.
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Author's Note: Hi everyone who happens to be reading this story! I hope you're enjoying it so far. One of the things I get in my head the most about with this one is the pacing, so please let me know how you're feeling about that (if things are going too fast or slow, too much intensity and action, or if it feels just right)? Thanks for reading and like my boo Jungkook recently said, "You're the reason that I smile everyday." <33