Until Dawn

Chapter Two

The double doors were looming before us, the sounds of the outside world almost deafening as I watched Nicky slowly reach out her hand and grab the door handles. She pressed her ear to the door for a moment, listening intently for something before slowly pulling it open. I was immediately assaulted with sounds and smells and the incredible feeling of freedom as I looked down into the parking lot and towards the gates. Thankfully, the parking lot seemed to be empty and I could see the gate wasn't locked yet, giving us a way out.

We started to walk hesitantly out of the building and into the cold night air. I heard Alex let out a breath that sounded right in my ear and I turned my head to look at her face. Her eyes were wide and shining as she took in everything around her and I wondered how long she had been stuck at Litchfield for before I gave myself up. It felt amazing to be outside after less than six months of prison time. I could only imagine what it felt like for her and the rest of the women surrounding me, to be out after years of time locked away from the outside world. A smile over took my face, despite the dire situation we were in. I couldn't help but be happy for all us, despite the fact that there was a big chance that we wouldn't even make it through the night.

"Should we just run for it?" Big Boo asked, her eyes searching the car park. "What if someone sees us?"

"No one's gonna see us, there's no one here," Nicky assured her. "But, if we all start running, they'll sure as fuck hear us."

"Wait up, do ya'll hear that?" Poussey said, causing us all to stop dead in our tracks, straining to hear the noise. It only took me a moment to realize what it was before I looked up into the sky.

"Shit," I whispered, watching as a helicopter flew above us, choosing that exact moment to shine it's massive flood light down into the parking lot.

"Run!" Alex shouted immediately as our bodies were lit up by the light and everyone immediately turned into Olympic athletes. Watson was in the lead, her long legs leading us from the car park and towards the gates as the men in the helicopter started firing their weapons at us. Several women screamed as the ground was peppered with bullets all around us. I was second in front and I watched as Watson literally threw herself into the fence, throwing it open for the rest of us to rush past her. Rather than keeping to the road, I immediately turned and started running into the forest that surrounded Litchfield where I knew that the helicopter couldn't follow us.

I kept running, my heart hammering in my chest, too terrified to stop or even look behind me. I could still hear gun shots along with my own footsteps pounding on the ground as I pushed myself as fast as I could go. It wasn't until my legs were burning and my vision was starting to tunnel that I stumbled to a stop, leaning against a tree and panting heavily. Watson skidded to a stop a few feet away, hardly even breathing hard, though her eyes were filled with fear.

"Come on, Chapman," she said, moving closer to me. "Let's keep going; get as far away from that place as possible."

It was only then that I realized we were alone. Watson and I spent every day out on the track, running for miles and I should have realized that the other girls wouldn't be able to keep up with us. I looked up at Watson, feeling the urge to just keep going, to get as far away as I could, but I couldn't. My mind instantly turned to my family and friends. Where were my parents, Polly and Larry? Why hadn't they called me to let me know what was going on? Had they left the city to get away? Left the country? I lingered on those thoughts for a moment before my mind finally turned to Alex. She had come back for me when they were making their way to the visitation room to escape. I knew that she still probably hated my guts and just did what she thought was right by bringing me with them, but still. Even though she was probably glad that I had run in a different direction, away from her, I had to go back. Despite everything, I couldn't leave her behind.

I couldn't leave her, again.

"I can't," I finally said, looking apologetically at Watson. "You keep going; run until you can't run anymore or find a place to hide. I'm going back for the girls."

"Chapman, be serious," she said, grabbing onto my arms and looking into my eyes. "We left them way back. They could be dead right now, from the police or the zombies. Forget about them, we should keep going."

"All the more reason why I should find them," I replied insistently. "If they're dead, if Alex... I can't just forget about them."

I could see that she wanted to argue with me, to keep going on together. I knew that she had forgiven me since I got her thrown into SHU with the screwdriver incident and we were even sort of friends now. We spent a lot of time together, out on the track, even if it was in silence. I don't know if she wanted me to go with her because of all that or if she just didn't want to go on alone. Either way, I think she quickly realized that arguing would be futile; my mind was set and I was one stubborn bitch.

"Fuck," she cursed, shaking her head. "Fine, I'll stop at the first empty place I find and you fucking find me there, okay? With or without those girls. I'll be a fucking scout and make sure there ain't no fucking zombies around, aight?"

I couldn't help but smile at her, despite the circumstances. "All right."

She stared at me for another few moments, maybe waiting to see if I would change my mind before shaking her head and taking off. I watched her as she left, running effortlessly and dodging trees and roots that were sticking out of the ground. Once she was out of eye shot, I turned back the way we came and started jogging, listening for the sounds of my friends.

The woods were eerily quiet; the only sound was my footsteps as I made my way back towards Litchfield. I was trying to figure out which way the rest of the women went. Did they follow us into the trees, or did they stay on the road? If they stayed on the road, were they still even alive? No, they would be alive. They were smart and they would have hidden in the trees, away from the helicopter and the Litchfield guards who would search for us when they realized we were missing.

Or would they?

I knew that most of the guards that worked at Litchfield were complete scum, but Bennett and Fischer were good people. Would they stay and protect the inmates or would they let them go and give them a chance in the free world? I knew that if it was up to Healy, he would just lock the doors behind him and let the girls either starve or be eaten by zombies. Fucking asshole, what I wouldn't do to meet him in these woods so I could drive my screwdriver right into his f-

Fuck, I thought to myself, shaking my head at the thoughts swirling in my brain. What was wrong with me? Was I already turning into a zombie, with all of this violence? I felt so angry all of the time, I just wanted to hurt someone. Suzanne was right; I am not a nice fucking person.

All my petals are fucking wilted and dead.

I sighed softly to myself and slowed my legs to a walk, not wanting to tire myself out. I looked up at the night sky between the branches high above me, noticing the slow lightening of the sky. It felt like I had only run out of the gates an hour ago, but it had been at least six hours since we made a run for it. I wondered if Alex and the rest of them had kept going, somehow passing me by without me noticing. I had no sense of direction in here and for all I knew, I could have just spent the last several hours walking in the wrong direction.

My thoughts were cut off as I heard something in the darkness to my left. Despite the slowly lightening sky, the tall trees surrounding me kept everything in shadow and made it almost impossible to see. I immediately stopped all movement, my ears straining as I listened for any noise that would lead to me to my friends. I squinted into the darkness, listening intently until I heard the sounds of strained breathing. I hesitated for a moment, praying to a God I didn't believe in that I wasn't about to walk into a zombie. I walked cautiously towards the sound, hardly making a noise as I searched the woods.

And almost screamed as a frying pan came out of nowhere, heading straight for my face.

"Fuck!" I shrieked, dodging the kitchen appliance and dropping to the ground, raising my hands over my head. "Red, it's me! Chapman!"

I looked up to see Red breathing heavily, her eyes wide as she stared down at me, the pan forgotten in her hand. After a moment, she cracked a somewhat apologetic smile at me. "Thought you were one of the dead ones."

"No shit," I mumbled as women started to come out of their hiding places behind trees and bushes. I searched every one of their faces, noticing the ones that were missing. Half of the group was missing, leaving only Red, Yoga Jones, Taystee and Poussey staring back at me.

"W-where is everyone?" I managed to choke out past the massive lump in my throat. I could feel my panic building, searching the sad and apologetic gazes staring back at me.

"We lost 'em," Poussey said, shaking her head.

"They're dead?" I whispered, feeling my eyes well up with tears as my body started to shake. I knew Alex was a fast runner and I had felt her right behind me as I made my way out of the gates. How had I not felt the sting of the bullet hit her? Surely I would have known if she was truly gone; I would have felt it deep down in my heart.

"Hey, Blondie," I hardly felt it as Red grabbed my shoulder, shaking it gently. "Your girl is okay. We just ran in different directions, you know? All of us did, but they're out there."

Oh thank fucking God.

"Well, say that, next time!" I said testily, glaring at Poussey who gave me an apologetic shrug. I felt my heart slow from its painful pounding in my chest as I took a few deep breaths before gesturing back to the woods behind me. "Come on, Watson is scouting for us."