Welcome to Skinner Falls

Should have seen that one coming

Have you ever been caught for doing something you shouldn’t have been doing? You think your plan is going to work. Everything is working fine. Then comes the sudden aftermath of hopelessness for when you do get caught.

I should of known better. This was just too easy.

I turn around to see the owner of the dark voice. He is thin like a pole. With semi dark hair, wearing a guard uniform. Yet there is something different by his posture that differs him from the other guards.

In this moment I don’t do anything. I wait for the guard to make the first move. Even though I made it this far, I am not about to do something stupid that will get me killed.

The knife spins around his fingers in a swift motion. Over and over again, amazingly not missing a beat. With a short movement the knife stops spinning. Then he bends down to the floor and slides the weapon on the floor toward me, gleaming from the overhead light.

“Without a weapon?”

He smirks at my reaction. For a few moments I debate weather to trust him or not. Thinking this is a trick; I set Lucy against the wall, still in an unconscious trance. Returning back to my spot with the knife still on the tile floor. I eye the weapon then eye the guard.

“Go on.” He urges with encouragement rather than annoyance.

Without taking my eyes away from the guard who is casually arms folded across his chest and leaning against a wall, I slowly pick up the knife. I clutch the handle in my hand. It is lightweight and small enough from me to fit in the side of my boot.

“Why are you-. “ He holds his hand up stopping me in the middle of my sentence.

“It’s more quieter than a gun.” He winks at me. A friendly gesture. Prying himself from the wall he tips his hat, then leaves the way he came from. Down the hall maybe to where the other guards are being kept at in the guard’s quarters.

It dawn on me who he is. The sleeping guard. I guess you could say more like what he is than whom. He is on our side. At least one person can see how messed up this is.

After putting the knife in my boot with my pant leg over all nice and neat, I try the arm over sling thing again with Lucy. After pushing her black straight hair out of her face, we inch toward the two mental doors that will lead us to The Cavern.

Before bargaining right in, I put my ear up to the door trying to listen to what is going on inside. How long have I been gone? No more than an hour at least. Break should be already over with, but I can hear the common chitter and chatter from within side.

It’s now or never.

With the keycard in one hand and Lucy clingy to my other side I slide the card through. The smallest sound triggers as the key activates the door. I slip the plastic slick card back within its original spot and ever so carefully open the door a crack big enough for my eye to peak through.

I can see a crowd mix of guards and prisoners in the center of The Cavern. All of them huddle around, shoulder to shoulder. Now is my chance. We slip through with ease without any complications or glances besides the soft moaning coming from my friend. I let out a huge sigh of relief. I did it.

After my mini celebration in my head, I make my way toward the massive crowd of murmur with Lucy who is finally starting to wake up again. Never would I think the groups would be this close to each other. Compared to their usual cliques.

Max and Macy are at the edge and walks toward me. With the look on Max’s face I realize something is terribly wrong. Even by Macy’s face, which is usually, one eye covered by her long bangs; her short hair is now pushed back behind her ears. Reveling both green eyes filled with sorrow and concern.

I hand off my delirious friend to Macy. Glad to have the weight taken off of me, but not until Macy gives me a surprising hug. One of those hugs that is filled with lots of meaning. She whispers a soft apology under her breath and huddles off with my friend to the side of The Cavern.

Then focus my attention back to Max.

“Max? What is it?” I ask with a low voice.

He rubs the back of his neck.

“What is it?” I ask again

“When you left… umm Sketch he went to the 3rd floor…It was so unexpected… We didn’t think he would do it.”

Since Max clearly didn’t know how to say whatever happen when I made my short escape, I decided to see for myself what all the commotion was about. I push past him and could hear him trying to call me back.

I struggle through the mess of bodies cover in orange jumpsuits. I step on someone’s foot and they let out a distinctive comment. Another one I elbowed in the side elbowed me right back. Guess I had that one coming. Until I reach the center of attention.

I just about feel face forward. My hand automatically goes to my mouth.

Right there on the ground all mangled is Sketch surrounded by a pool of blood. Bones piercing through his skin from his legs, chest flat, head with a massive gash, skin turning a blue color form his broken wrist, face pale with eyes closed.

Annoying tears start to form, but I push them aside. I could feel a presence by me and a boy’s hand comforting me on the shoulder. He says something to me, but it’s blocked out from my brain trying to progress what happened.

Sketch is dead.

“Sorry.” I say to Max as I wipe another bothersome strand tear from my face.

“What did you say?” I ask, for I haven’t caught it the first time.

“Sketch wasn’t a ‘Shady’, he just posed as one for a very long time.”

“What is his real GRUI?”

“ He must have been a member of the ‘Free Fallings’.” He says as if it all makes sense now. I barely remember him mentioning the name when I first came here.

“What are they?” I ask, hoping this will explain why Sketch is dead.

“They live free and to them there are no rules. They will go to any amount of pain, trouble, or stress to help anyone, if they know it would be a good benefit at the end, Even if it means taking their own life. They literally live up to their name.”

Silence

“It’s okay Rain, none of us knew. It wasn’t your fault.”

I made someone took there life, so I could save a life. How ironic.