‹ Prequel: The Joker and the Thief
Status: Don't worry. There's another one...
A Serious House on Serious Earth
Escape
Hell broke loose before Gordon and the MCU could do anything about it. It was a few minutes passed midnight and I was on my way to sleep. Unfortunately, I never made it. My doziness was pushed away when my door swung open. All cell doors had electronic locks along with manual ones so when the heavy door opened it was accompanied by a short buzz. Only, there wasn’t just one buzz. From my place on my bed, I assumed that every door in my cell block had been opened due to the amount of noise.
I didn’t dare sit up as I watched shadows break the light which had flooded into my room. I was sure the shadows, which moved across my doorframe at rapid and uneven intervals, were those of my fellow inmates running to some kind of freedom. A few seconds later, my theory was confirmed by the loud, heavy sounds erupting from alarms which were placed at randomly along the ceiling. They were equipped with red lights but I was unable to see them since I was still lying safely in my bed.
I seriously thought about shutting my door and remaining in my room. It seemed like the safest option as opposed to wondering through an anarchic asylum. But then my mind wondered to all the bad things that could happen if I locked myself in my room. Fire quickly came to mind. So, in the end I decided my best bet was to a find a way out of the asylum all together. That would take longer than it took to say it in my head.
The hall was empty by the time I found the courage to step out of my room. My bare feet made little sound against the tiled floor as I slowly walked to the end of the cell block. The floor was cold as was the air around me which was also filled with silence. The sirens had suddenly shut off. The cell block was separated from the rest of the hallway by a gate and security check point, which was always home to an on-duty security guard. The guard was still there when I finally made it to the exit. He was young, early thirties, with receding blonde hair. The small puddle of blood produced by his head wound was overshadowed by the one generated from the numerous holes in his chest.
I didn’t notice him at first; not until I stepped in his blood with my bare feet. The sudden appearance of liquid underneath me nearly caused me to fall to the ground. The guard was probably caught by surprise. His gun wasn’t anywhere to be found, so I continued on my way unarmed. As I rounded the corner towards the stairs, second thoughts about leaving my cell grew in my mind. Windows all along the hallway were broken and pieces of glass littered the ground. Also covering the floor and walls were random streaks of red. I never let my mind call it blood. I avoided looking behind me because I never I was being followed by my own bloody footsteps.
When I finally took hold of the stairwell door, the lights shut off. The whole hall was dosed in darkness for a full ten seconds before the security lights came on. The hall, and I assumed the rest of the building, was shadowed in ghostly, dim yellow light. The recessed lighting caused a number of eerie shadows to spread across the walls and tiled floor. The stairs were also casted in the ghoulish light, so it took me longer than usual to find my way down the stairs. Unfortunately, it was all for nothing. The ground level door was sealed shut. Not only was it locked but someone had placed what looked to be a mixture of desks and filing cabinets in front of the door. All I could see though the same window besides furniture was ugly tiled floor. I couldn’t see anyone.
I was forced to reorganize my plan. I had to get out the asylum but the front door wasn’t an option at this point. The exit in the common room lead to nowhere but a confined garden and would probably be crawling with inmates and guards at this point. I knew of no other exits. So I switched my goal. I had to get to safety. Safety was away from the murderous insane. I could go back to my cell but that had the potential to backfire. The stairwell seemed quit but it was an enclosed area and I could become trapped. Finally, my mind went to the roof. It was off of the way and those wanting to escape wouldn’t wonder to the roof seven stories. The only way of escape from the roof was to jump to your death. I thought it to be the best place to hide.
I didn’t dare sit up as I watched shadows break the light which had flooded into my room. I was sure the shadows, which moved across my doorframe at rapid and uneven intervals, were those of my fellow inmates running to some kind of freedom. A few seconds later, my theory was confirmed by the loud, heavy sounds erupting from alarms which were placed at randomly along the ceiling. They were equipped with red lights but I was unable to see them since I was still lying safely in my bed.
I seriously thought about shutting my door and remaining in my room. It seemed like the safest option as opposed to wondering through an anarchic asylum. But then my mind wondered to all the bad things that could happen if I locked myself in my room. Fire quickly came to mind. So, in the end I decided my best bet was to a find a way out of the asylum all together. That would take longer than it took to say it in my head.
The hall was empty by the time I found the courage to step out of my room. My bare feet made little sound against the tiled floor as I slowly walked to the end of the cell block. The floor was cold as was the air around me which was also filled with silence. The sirens had suddenly shut off. The cell block was separated from the rest of the hallway by a gate and security check point, which was always home to an on-duty security guard. The guard was still there when I finally made it to the exit. He was young, early thirties, with receding blonde hair. The small puddle of blood produced by his head wound was overshadowed by the one generated from the numerous holes in his chest.
I didn’t notice him at first; not until I stepped in his blood with my bare feet. The sudden appearance of liquid underneath me nearly caused me to fall to the ground. The guard was probably caught by surprise. His gun wasn’t anywhere to be found, so I continued on my way unarmed. As I rounded the corner towards the stairs, second thoughts about leaving my cell grew in my mind. Windows all along the hallway were broken and pieces of glass littered the ground. Also covering the floor and walls were random streaks of red. I never let my mind call it blood. I avoided looking behind me because I never I was being followed by my own bloody footsteps.
When I finally took hold of the stairwell door, the lights shut off. The whole hall was dosed in darkness for a full ten seconds before the security lights came on. The hall, and I assumed the rest of the building, was shadowed in ghostly, dim yellow light. The recessed lighting caused a number of eerie shadows to spread across the walls and tiled floor. The stairs were also casted in the ghoulish light, so it took me longer than usual to find my way down the stairs. Unfortunately, it was all for nothing. The ground level door was sealed shut. Not only was it locked but someone had placed what looked to be a mixture of desks and filing cabinets in front of the door. All I could see though the same window besides furniture was ugly tiled floor. I couldn’t see anyone.
I was forced to reorganize my plan. I had to get out the asylum but the front door wasn’t an option at this point. The exit in the common room lead to nowhere but a confined garden and would probably be crawling with inmates and guards at this point. I knew of no other exits. So I switched my goal. I had to get to safety. Safety was away from the murderous insane. I could go back to my cell but that had the potential to backfire. The stairwell seemed quit but it was an enclosed area and I could become trapped. Finally, my mind went to the roof. It was off of the way and those wanting to escape wouldn’t wonder to the roof seven stories. The only way of escape from the roof was to jump to your death. I thought it to be the best place to hide.