Missing Streams

Death in the Building - 13

While I played with what was left of my food at lunch, I thought about what Scarlet had told us. Brain surgery for a bionic leg and she didn't even have a say in it.

It was Wednesday, and that morning's classes had been cancelled for whatever reason. Apparently it happened a lot, so we were just to be grateful we didn't have to go. And we were.

But after lunch it was back into class, unless those were cancelled too.

"Get the fuck over here." Scarlet interrupted my thoughts with a jab to my shoulder, "Now." She growled.

I stood up to see Simon was already with here, but he was genuinely confused. I didn't know what was going on, but I knew it was bad.

***

"Someone fucking killed themselves." Scarlet hissed, looking over her shoulder. She led us outside to sit under a tree, and she was keeping an eye out for eavesdroppers.

"What?" Simon spoke, whereas I didn't have anything to say.

"Some kid hung himself in a storage room somewhere, that's why classes were cancelled." She spat on the ground, "We probably won't actually hear about it. Just keep an eye out for a squad missing someone."

"What happens next?" I found myself speaking without meaning to.

"I don't know about you guys, but I'm getting the fuck out of here." Scar turned around to look at the fence in the distance, "Barbed wire on the fence, we'd just need bandages to patch it up. But they must have another perimeter, it can't be that easy."

"Excuse me?" Simon stood up in an attempt to meet Scarlet's height, but stood five inches shorter, "How do you expect to get out of this place?"

"I'd like to ask you the same thing." Scar poked him in the chest, pushing him back a bit, "How do we finish our classes? Sure there are squads without all twenty people, but where do you think they went?"

Simon remained silent, angering Scarlet, "Well? What do you think? Did everyone get to go back home with their families and be a productive member of society? Do you expect to get out of here that easily?"

Neither of us had an answer for her, but she backed off. Running her hands through her hair, Scar was obviously stressed out. But she didn't say anything, and I desperately had to fill the silence.

"I'd go with you." I whispered, earning an excited glance from Scarlet. I spoke louder, squaring my shoulders, "If you broke out of here I'd go with you."

"Are you fucking crazy?" Simon snapped at me, although with an angry tone his eyes betrayed that he was worried about me, "You could get killed!"

"I could get killed if I stayed here, too." I stood my ground, waiting to see what he did.

Scarlet was just watching us, silent as she observed us. I relaxed, suddenly feeling pressured by the way she was studying us. As if I was supposed to fight Simon or something.

Simon relaxed too, taking a deep breath. He looked me straight in the eyes before speaking, "Then I go wherever you go."

I grinned, "That's my Simon." Scarlet snickered and I turned to her, "What's you plan, then? How would you get out of here?"

"I'm working on it." She sneered, "I'm not going to run out there guns blazing hoping I can escape. I'll tell you my plan when I have one."

A grin spread over my face, excitement coursing through my body, "Keep us updated, then."

***

With classes back in full swing, Scarlet was happy to be participating. She'd gotten her bionic leg, even though it didn't do anything special yet. It meant she could walk and kind of run, which was good enough for her.