Chapter 26- Suicide Season

‘How do you know that stuff isn’t going to go bad?’
‘Cuz it’s cold outside and I restock every couple days,’ he replied, smearing peanut butter on the bread.
‘How?’
‘The cafeteria ladies.’
‘Oh, please,’ I said laying down. ‘Don’t tell me they give you these?’
‘Nope. I steal them.’ he handed me a sandwich, ‘Here. Besides it’s not like they need it. They use goo or whatever it is.’ I giggled and took a bite of my food. He laid down next to me and propped himself on his elbow. ‘So, am I making your stay better?’
I chuckled, ‘Yeah, I guess so. Although I can’t wait to get outta here.’ Nick looked down and took a bite of his sandwich. ‘Hey, I have a question.’
‘Hm?’
‘Why did you show me this place?’
‘What do you mean?’
‘I mean like, it’s your secret place and you showed me almost as soon as you met me.. Why is that?’
He shrugged his shoulders, ‘I don’t know. You seemed like you wouldn’t tell anybody.’
‘But how would you know that if you had only just met me?’
‘You seemed different, Alice. There’s something about you that… I don’t know.’
I put my half-finished sandwich down and propped up on my elbow facing him, ‘Do you know what I think?’
‘What do you think?’ He smiled.
‘I think that you like me.’ I poked his chest and laughed.
He cocked his head, ‘Oh, really?’
‘Yes, I think you bumped into me three days ago on purpose. Cuz I know you’ve been flirting with me since then.’
‘And why do you think that?’ he asked, smirking.
‘Cuz I’m a very smart gal,’ I replied, getting closer. ‘And I just so happen to kinda sorta like you to.’
He seemed to perk up a bit after hearing that. ‘You’re not f*****g with me, are you? Cuz if you are that’s so not cool.’ I moved in closer and kissed his cheek. He blushed looked astonished. ‘Wow…’
‘What?’ I smiled.
‘N-nothing.’ I giggled and got up.
‘Sooo. How come your bracelet thingy never goes off? We are outside the gates.’
He was silent for a second but he finished off his sandwich and stood. ‘Technically we’re still on the grounds. I don’t know why but it never goes off.’
‘What is it really for?’ I walked over by the water with Nick right behind me.
‘It’s for when they need to control me, they shock me with it and it’s for location,’ I sat down, sticking my feet in the water.
‘That’s horrible. You don’t deserve that.’
‘Nobody does,’ he sighed, sitting down beside me. I rested my head on his bare shoulder and looked at the waterfall.
‘What would be the first thing you would do if you ever got outta here?’ I yawned, tired from the lack of sleep.
‘I don’t know… I would want to settle down, move outta my dad’s house even though he doesn’t think of me as his son anymore.’
‘Why doesn’t he think of you as his son anymore?’ I mumbled.
‘He disowned me when I came here. He said a murderer was no son of his…’
‘He’s an a*****e. You’re a great person and if your dad had any brains, he would be proud of you for protecting that girl.’
‘Yeah I guess, I might move in with my grandmother if she’s still alive. Until I get back up on my feet that is.’ He laid down and I readjusted myself so I could lay on his chest.
‘Why don’t you come stay with me when we get out?’
He chuckled, making my head bounce. ‘If we get out. Wouldn’t your brother be mad?’
‘He can deal with it, besides I can kick his a*s thanks to you teaching me your ninja skills.’ He put his arm around me and I relaxed more.
‘At least I’d be able to protect you.’ I heard just before I fell asleep.
*****
‘Alice… Alice, wake up.’ Nick nudged me gently.
‘Mmm, what?’ I opened my eyes slowly and saw that it was dark. ‘Oh, s**t,’ I exclaimed as I shot up and would have fell over if Nick hadn’t caught me.
‘We are so dead,’ he mumbled handing me my pants and guiding me to the tunnel. ‘Come on we have to hurry, if they find out we’re missing they’ll put us in the hot box.’ We ran through the tunnel and along the wall until we got to the door. When he pulled on the door it wouldn’t open, he pulled again to see the same result. ‘S**t… Okay,’ he came over to me and walked me past the door. He walked up to a high rock wall at a dead end. It had crevasses in it about 10 feet up and connected with the man-made wall. ‘I’m gonna boost you up first, okay? Are you good at climbing?’ I nodded my head. ‘You climb over to that wall and then down the vines, okay?’
‘B-but what about you? How are you going to reach the ledges?’
‘I’m going to need you to try and lift me up.’ He guided me up to the rock and knelt down, holding his hands out so I could fit my foot in it. He hoisted me up high enough to where I could grab onto the handhold. As I ascended the wall I got close enough to grab a hold of the other wall. I lifted myself onto the top and looked down at Nick. Just before I was about to reach down to help him I heard a thwp! and felt a burning sensation on the back of my neck. I gasped and reached to grab whatever it was. As I pulled out a tranquilizing needle my whole body went numb. It dropped out of my hand and I tried to keep hold of the wall for balance. ‘Alice!’ Nick called out from below, frantically.
Everything began spinning around and I lost balance.