goforitifudare
02-05-2007, 06:21 PM
Again, another quick that i wrote for a challenge in 30 minutes. The prompt was to write something about someone who "should have known better"
Again, not edited or proof read, other than for spelling.
Its a little disjointed i think, and needs some work, but i am interested to hear your views.
Escape
=============
As he sat, staring at the same bare concrete walls he had endured for the past 17 months, Matt began to cry.
It happened more and more often now, as the dreams he so vividly recalled were becoming both more frequent, and more vivid. They began about 6 months ago, and at the time, Matt hadn’t thought too much of them. Initially the content was not too bad, a little bit of violence, and a little bit of sex. The typical dream of a 34 year old man, who had spent far too long in prison.
But in the past few months, the content had become far more tantalizing, and far more realistic. In fact, several times, Matt had woken to find himself sitting upright, holding onto the shank he had so carefully crafted from a loose bolt he had removed from the leg of his bed. Not that he could ever quite recall from his dream exactly why he would be holding this crudely fashioned weapon. And he didn’t mind that either. He was worried more that if one day he did remember why he was holding it, he would be inclined to use it. And Matt never wanted that day to come.
Every morning at 6:30am sharp, the buzzer would sound, lights would come on, and doors would open. Another day about to begin for the 175 inmates of D Block. Disaster Block, Death Block, Doom Block. The inmates had a thousand different names for it, but in the end, they all meant one thing. If you had been sent here, you were a danger to society, to be kept well away from everyone. Even the other inmates were too good for you to associate with. D Block contained only the meanest of the mean, and the baddest of the bad. And they all had one thing in common. The Warden hated them, every last one of them.
In his mid forties, with a marine style flat top crew cut, tattoos on every conceivable part of his body, and a temper set to flare anytime, Warden Gardner was one mean son-of-a-*****. If anyone in this hellhole tried to mess with him they would know about it.
Now, sitting in the darkness, with tears rolling down his face, and the shank in his hand again, Matt realized that they were more than mere dreams. They were telling him something. He didn’t quite know how the ending was supposed to turn out, but he knew that somehow, this shank was a part of it. And he also had a feeling that the Warden too, was a part of it. He began to think about what the ending could be. If only he could stay asleep, dreaming for a few minutes longer than it would all become clear to him.
Suddenly the familiar buzzer was sounding, the lights were on and the doors were open.
But this isn’t right, Matt thought, It cant possibly be morning yet.
His thoughts were cut short by the yelling from the other inmates. There were people running around everywhere, cheering, and screaming, and as Matt looked out the door of his cell, he realized, there were no guards. Not one to be seen. And the doors were all open. He quickly decided this was his chance. If ever he was going to get out of this hellhole, now was the best time to try.
Matt started running, grabbing the handrail and virtually leaping down the stairs, his feet barely touching the ground. Other inmates obviously had the same idea, and there were fights starting to break out as they jostled for position, to get out the door. Matt held onto the bolt he had sharpened tightly, ready to use it if necessary. He had never had the need in the past, but today was very different. Today was his day to freedom, and no-one was going to get in his way. Absolutely no-one.
Sensing a slight break in the human wall ahead of him, Matt darted to his left and pushed his shoulder against a young man who was bleeding profusely from his stomach. Matt knew him as Stinger, a short, mouthy kid, who had more bark than bite. And the one time he did decide to go through with his threat of raping a 55 year old woman, the police caught him within minutes. He had left her battered, and barely breathing, but able to provide a detailed description of him to the police. Perhaps his insistence that she look him in the eyes while he did the deed wasn’t so smart after all.
The doorway ahead was tantalizingly close for Matt, and he lunged towards it, making it through into the corridor beyond, and leaving the crowd behind him in the cell block, still fighting over who was going to make it through the doorway and to the freedom that lay waiting for them on the otherside.
Suddenly, it dawned on Matt that he had been here before.
This is just like my dreams. Any minute now, I will wake up and this will all be over.
But unlike his dreams, this wasn’t over, and the crowd was now with him, pushing him against the next door, threatening to crush him if he didn’t get moving quickly.
Matt kept his momentum going, and pushed through the second doorway, and into the hall that he knew led to the visitors room, and ultimately the outside world.
Still a few more obstacles ol’ buddy he thought, But you know exactly how to do it don’t you? You have seen this a thousand times haven’t you? And don’t forget the shank in your right hand Matt, you WILL need to use it soon, you realize that don’t you?
As he ran down the hallway, Matt couldn’t help but wonder where in the hell all the guards were? He had been out of his room, in the middle of the night, and running now, for over two minutes, and he hadn’t seen a single guard.
Must be too scared to come out and fight with the crowd.
The door to the visitors room was open too. Matt could barely believe his eyes, as he made a sharp turn to the left, and entered the room.
Only a few more steps and you are out the door into the courtyard. Then its plain sailing.
And still he hadn’t seen a single guard.
Warden Gardner watched with interest on the six black and white monitors, the action that was unfolding before him. There were inmates running down the corridors trying to escape, but for every one that made it out the door, there were two or three left fighting to the death, lying bruised, bloodied and beaten all over the cell block.
Of course, there were a few who had already made it to the Visitors room, only a few more seconds before they were outside. Then the fun would really begin.
Matt leaped across the tables in the visitor room, and quickly glanced behind. There were now dozens of inmates on his tail, following through the same doorway he had just left, all vying for the outside world, and the freedom that it promised. He reached for the handle of the door, and turned it, not expecting it to move. But it turned and as he pushed open the door, the outside courtyard appeared, the sun bathing it in all its glory, and Matt could see, that the entrance gates were open also.
But you knew that didn’t you Matt? The voice inside his head reassured him. You knew that, because this is exactly as you dreamed it would be. Freedom is not far away.
Subconsciously, Matt lifted his right hand and held the shank ahead of him, ready to do battle with anyone that stood in his way. This part of his dream he knew well, but this was also where it ended. Every night, he awoke with this shank in his hand, sitting on his bed, sweating and shaking. He was forging new territory here. And he was sure he would wake up any minute.
On the monitors, the Warder could see Matt about to enter the courtyard.
“Ready yourselves men” he announced into the 2-way radio he was holding. “On my word..”
You should have all known better, you fools! He thought. What sort of prison would I be running, to allow you to actually escape so easily.
“Ready..” There were already dozens of inmates dead on the floor of the cellblock, and in the hallways, having tried in vain to find their way out. The Warden watched as Matt and a few others appeared on the outside cameras
“Aim..”
This is too good to be true thought Matt. I have dreamed of this moment for so long now, so many nights I have seen this, but I never thought it would really happen.
He stepped out into the full sun and held his shank high, ready for anyone who dared try to stop him.
“FIRE!!” The Warden loved this idea of his. A little bit of natural selection he called it. Let the prisoners kill themselves in an attempt to escape, and rid the system of the unwanted scum. Of course, there were the few smarter ones, who actually managed to get through the doors, and those ones he had to stop himself. But they were certainly casualties he could accept.
The cacophony that met Matt’s ears as he ran was unlike anything he had heard before. He raised the shank higher in a vain attempt to save himself, and it took a moment before he realized what the noise was. As he fell to his knees, he looked down at his chest, and saw the bullet holes, with blood pouring out. There were screams as the inmates behind him tried to turn and run back inside, but the guns were aimed directly, and there was no escape.
As he collapsed and slipped out of consciousness, the shank still in his hand, Matt had one last thought.
So this was the ending I never got to see. I should have known better
Again, not edited or proof read, other than for spelling.
Its a little disjointed i think, and needs some work, but i am interested to hear your views.
Escape
=============
As he sat, staring at the same bare concrete walls he had endured for the past 17 months, Matt began to cry.
It happened more and more often now, as the dreams he so vividly recalled were becoming both more frequent, and more vivid. They began about 6 months ago, and at the time, Matt hadn’t thought too much of them. Initially the content was not too bad, a little bit of violence, and a little bit of sex. The typical dream of a 34 year old man, who had spent far too long in prison.
But in the past few months, the content had become far more tantalizing, and far more realistic. In fact, several times, Matt had woken to find himself sitting upright, holding onto the shank he had so carefully crafted from a loose bolt he had removed from the leg of his bed. Not that he could ever quite recall from his dream exactly why he would be holding this crudely fashioned weapon. And he didn’t mind that either. He was worried more that if one day he did remember why he was holding it, he would be inclined to use it. And Matt never wanted that day to come.
Every morning at 6:30am sharp, the buzzer would sound, lights would come on, and doors would open. Another day about to begin for the 175 inmates of D Block. Disaster Block, Death Block, Doom Block. The inmates had a thousand different names for it, but in the end, they all meant one thing. If you had been sent here, you were a danger to society, to be kept well away from everyone. Even the other inmates were too good for you to associate with. D Block contained only the meanest of the mean, and the baddest of the bad. And they all had one thing in common. The Warden hated them, every last one of them.
In his mid forties, with a marine style flat top crew cut, tattoos on every conceivable part of his body, and a temper set to flare anytime, Warden Gardner was one mean son-of-a-*****. If anyone in this hellhole tried to mess with him they would know about it.
Now, sitting in the darkness, with tears rolling down his face, and the shank in his hand again, Matt realized that they were more than mere dreams. They were telling him something. He didn’t quite know how the ending was supposed to turn out, but he knew that somehow, this shank was a part of it. And he also had a feeling that the Warden too, was a part of it. He began to think about what the ending could be. If only he could stay asleep, dreaming for a few minutes longer than it would all become clear to him.
Suddenly the familiar buzzer was sounding, the lights were on and the doors were open.
But this isn’t right, Matt thought, It cant possibly be morning yet.
His thoughts were cut short by the yelling from the other inmates. There were people running around everywhere, cheering, and screaming, and as Matt looked out the door of his cell, he realized, there were no guards. Not one to be seen. And the doors were all open. He quickly decided this was his chance. If ever he was going to get out of this hellhole, now was the best time to try.
Matt started running, grabbing the handrail and virtually leaping down the stairs, his feet barely touching the ground. Other inmates obviously had the same idea, and there were fights starting to break out as they jostled for position, to get out the door. Matt held onto the bolt he had sharpened tightly, ready to use it if necessary. He had never had the need in the past, but today was very different. Today was his day to freedom, and no-one was going to get in his way. Absolutely no-one.
Sensing a slight break in the human wall ahead of him, Matt darted to his left and pushed his shoulder against a young man who was bleeding profusely from his stomach. Matt knew him as Stinger, a short, mouthy kid, who had more bark than bite. And the one time he did decide to go through with his threat of raping a 55 year old woman, the police caught him within minutes. He had left her battered, and barely breathing, but able to provide a detailed description of him to the police. Perhaps his insistence that she look him in the eyes while he did the deed wasn’t so smart after all.
The doorway ahead was tantalizingly close for Matt, and he lunged towards it, making it through into the corridor beyond, and leaving the crowd behind him in the cell block, still fighting over who was going to make it through the doorway and to the freedom that lay waiting for them on the otherside.
Suddenly, it dawned on Matt that he had been here before.
This is just like my dreams. Any minute now, I will wake up and this will all be over.
But unlike his dreams, this wasn’t over, and the crowd was now with him, pushing him against the next door, threatening to crush him if he didn’t get moving quickly.
Matt kept his momentum going, and pushed through the second doorway, and into the hall that he knew led to the visitors room, and ultimately the outside world.
Still a few more obstacles ol’ buddy he thought, But you know exactly how to do it don’t you? You have seen this a thousand times haven’t you? And don’t forget the shank in your right hand Matt, you WILL need to use it soon, you realize that don’t you?
As he ran down the hallway, Matt couldn’t help but wonder where in the hell all the guards were? He had been out of his room, in the middle of the night, and running now, for over two minutes, and he hadn’t seen a single guard.
Must be too scared to come out and fight with the crowd.
The door to the visitors room was open too. Matt could barely believe his eyes, as he made a sharp turn to the left, and entered the room.
Only a few more steps and you are out the door into the courtyard. Then its plain sailing.
And still he hadn’t seen a single guard.
Warden Gardner watched with interest on the six black and white monitors, the action that was unfolding before him. There were inmates running down the corridors trying to escape, but for every one that made it out the door, there were two or three left fighting to the death, lying bruised, bloodied and beaten all over the cell block.
Of course, there were a few who had already made it to the Visitors room, only a few more seconds before they were outside. Then the fun would really begin.
Matt leaped across the tables in the visitor room, and quickly glanced behind. There were now dozens of inmates on his tail, following through the same doorway he had just left, all vying for the outside world, and the freedom that it promised. He reached for the handle of the door, and turned it, not expecting it to move. But it turned and as he pushed open the door, the outside courtyard appeared, the sun bathing it in all its glory, and Matt could see, that the entrance gates were open also.
But you knew that didn’t you Matt? The voice inside his head reassured him. You knew that, because this is exactly as you dreamed it would be. Freedom is not far away.
Subconsciously, Matt lifted his right hand and held the shank ahead of him, ready to do battle with anyone that stood in his way. This part of his dream he knew well, but this was also where it ended. Every night, he awoke with this shank in his hand, sitting on his bed, sweating and shaking. He was forging new territory here. And he was sure he would wake up any minute.
On the monitors, the Warder could see Matt about to enter the courtyard.
“Ready yourselves men” he announced into the 2-way radio he was holding. “On my word..”
You should have all known better, you fools! He thought. What sort of prison would I be running, to allow you to actually escape so easily.
“Ready..” There were already dozens of inmates dead on the floor of the cellblock, and in the hallways, having tried in vain to find their way out. The Warden watched as Matt and a few others appeared on the outside cameras
“Aim..”
This is too good to be true thought Matt. I have dreamed of this moment for so long now, so many nights I have seen this, but I never thought it would really happen.
He stepped out into the full sun and held his shank high, ready for anyone who dared try to stop him.
“FIRE!!” The Warden loved this idea of his. A little bit of natural selection he called it. Let the prisoners kill themselves in an attempt to escape, and rid the system of the unwanted scum. Of course, there were the few smarter ones, who actually managed to get through the doors, and those ones he had to stop himself. But they were certainly casualties he could accept.
The cacophony that met Matt’s ears as he ran was unlike anything he had heard before. He raised the shank higher in a vain attempt to save himself, and it took a moment before he realized what the noise was. As he fell to his knees, he looked down at his chest, and saw the bullet holes, with blood pouring out. There were screams as the inmates behind him tried to turn and run back inside, but the guns were aimed directly, and there was no escape.
As he collapsed and slipped out of consciousness, the shank still in his hand, Matt had one last thought.
So this was the ending I never got to see. I should have known better