In a Perfect World

Chapter 6

I waited for the perfect time to put my plan into action. This was easier said than done as it was hard to find time to get away where I can slip away unnoticed, even by the most observant person.

Finally, an opportunity came one evening. It was just as Luka had suggested, at the end of the day when everyone was coming back from work and people's attention was diverted elsewhere.

I slipped away first, letting my feet carry me quickly to the path I had noted before. I was so focused I didn't even notice the smell this time.

When I arrived at the cages the mud pits were mostly empty and the people were on the other side in a dugout sort of space.

Noel looked up when he saw me.

"Kara? What are you doing here? I told you to stay away from here."

I immediately started inspecting the rusty locks, there had to be a way out somehow, clearly these locks were not well maintained.

"I'm going to get you out of here, all of us, tonight." I answered.

"What?" How?" Noel asked.

Before I could answer, Luka came up behind me.

Kara! Watch out!" Noel called.

"It's alright," I answered, "he's with me, he's going to help us escape."

Even through his dirt streaked face, Noel looked skeptical, for the moment, I ignored this.

"I only bought us about 10 or 15 minutes," Luka whispered, "they're going to figure it out soon, so we better hurry." As he spoke, Luka took a set of keys out of his pocket and began working at the locks several minutes later, he opened the door.

People streamed out like a tidal wave and headed back the way I had come,, I strangely felt like Moses leading in Exodus, which I guess I was. We were halfway to the bridge when there was a scream from behind us, somewhere next to me I heard Luka curse and as I looked over my shoulder I saw Capt. Jade I couldn't quite see her face but I knew she was mad-very mad.

Somewhere often the distance I heard a gunshot.

"Go!" Luka commanded, "get as far as you can at least to the women's barracks, I'll hold her off." Then he ran back the opposite way in the direction of the chaos.

I quickly realized there was no way to keep the men where the women were staying there wasn't enough room so there was no choice but for the men to return the area they had come from. For the moment they hid in the woods until such a time we could regroup. At least for now they had supplies, the women had given them some, but it was barely enough to hold off the worst of the injuries. I wondered how they would fare a few weeks from now, or even months, even the women could be doing better, soon people would start dying.