Escape

Jason

I stroll into the small simulation room. Might as well get this over with. I could be doing anything else, we could be doing anything else. But I can also kind of understand why these people would do this. So that they know if they have people like me.

"I think you've got the jist of things by now. And from the looks of it you know what you're doing." I nod and ignore the annoyingly bright red dots and step into the center of the room. Sooner I get this over with the sooner I can make sure my friends aren't scared for life. You may think it's stupid, but I feel like they're my responsibility. Like if they are hurt, it hurts me too. Not the way it used to, but I'm ok with that.

"Fire it up." I growl. Just get it over with Jason. If you just get it over with like nothing's wrong they won't ask you about it. Ok well maybe Ryker might, but whatever. I'd be fine if it wasn't so much like, well, It's like a repeat of before. When I was in the Projects, this kind of stuff was a daily routine. Get up, do this bull, and repeat. I left for a reason, that reason being, never mind. But I still don't miss what they made us do every morning for warm ups. Then again, my fear back then was spiders. Now it's, woah...

I'm hurled out of my thoughts for soon the world starts to disappear and the old street that goes through the peaceful woods appears, much like the other ones. The birds sound chipper and the sunlight is soothing. But peace doesn't fill me. Not the way it soothed and tricked the others. I know the world to well. Peace never stays long.

I turn to the place I know the two guards will appear. Same spot each time Seth and Scout had done it. Scout had used their weaknesses, Seth had used luck. But it's simpler than that. Something anyone can do if they swallow their pride and humanity. So simple, I've almost forgotten how easy it is.

As I suspected, the male and female in their full blown armor come out of the bushes, guns in tow. I smile to myself. Easy. Though I am a little rusty. And I was the worst on the team. Also the youngest as Durante reminded me often. Too often.

~ ~ ~

"Hehe."

"Shhh. Don't wake him up!"

"You guys, this is mean."

"It's not mean, It's funny."

"Mengjn,m"

"He's waking up! Act natural!"

I open my eyes slowly, stretching as I sit up. This couch is unbelievably comfortable. My bed is great and all, but this is amazing, I should ask Dr. Cherry If I can sleep here instead of my room. It would also give me an excuse to stay up past curfew.

"Sleeping beauty is finally awake." Durante laughs. It's only then that I notice I'm not alone. Then again, this is the rec room. We always hang out here. It's the only place the five of us can hang out alone and actually have fun. That's the thing about being in a Project. You get special privileges. You get your own building. And though most of it is only accessible if you're an official or guard, the team gets their own section. The rec room is definitely my favorite room though. We have carpeted floors and blue walls. Two big puffy brown couches, five different colored bean bags, three different comfy chairs, a flat screen TV, an Xbox, a wii, a coffee table, and a vending machine. I just so happen to be taking up one of those couches while my friends crouch around me.

Durante is sitting lazily on one of the bean bags. Not that that's unusual. He's like the clown of the group. Funny, relaxed, and immature, even though he's one of the oldest here, at the dazzling age of eighteen. He's probably my best friend in the group. We've pulled many a prank on the girls, guards, and even Dr. Cherry. He always beats me in video games too. He's better at a lot of things compared to me. For example. In looks. He's tall, muscular, tan, and has a perfect jawline. His long black hair reaches his shoulders but he usually keeps it in a ponytail. His eyes are dark and always smiling. He says he speaks Italian like his parents did. I don't believe him. He also says I'm a model compared to him. Another reason I don't believe most of the things he says.