Echo
The Institute, 2012
"Goodbye," I whisper, quietly opening the window. It's a three-story drop to the ground, with no way to slow the fall, but I'm desperate. I drop, landing in a heap on the cold, rocky ground. Luckily, I didn't hurt myself. I double-check my bag, making sure everything's there. I'm wearing black to blend in with the moonless night, but that won't help if I'm caught. I slip past the guards, careful not to move too fast. As soon as I get close to the wall surrounding the center, I take out my hoverboard. It's a prototype, but works perfectly. Like me, I think, a working prototype. The only difference is that it's not the only one. The other two, plus the blueprints, are in my bag.
I'm outside the Institute, facing against the wall, climbing up slowly. The wall is smooth, but there are tiny nicks in the wall. Not deep enough for anything but my fingertips, but they'll do. I reach the top of the wall and see the electric barbed wire. I step over the tangled wires. This is my most risky moment. If I'm spotted now, it's all over. There's no way I can run faster than the - crap!
I've been spotted. Jumping down the 50 feet of wall, I land funny and feel my ankle twist. It's probably sprained, but it doesn't matter now. I can only think of one thing: run. I do, but barely manage to get into the trees outside before the pain is too much. I collapse, and realize I'm still holding my hoverboard. I drop it and snap. It unfolds, revealing the secret technology. It's shaped like a surfboard, about half my height, and a good two feet off the ground. I jump on, wincing as I land, and the straps wrap around my feet and ankles, making an inadvertent splint. I lean forward, and the board responds, shooting forward. I lean right and left, zigzagging through the trees. The guards have released the dogs, I can hear their distant barks. I lean forward even more, coaxing every bit off speed out of my board, reaching the stream.
I'd spent the past 18 months in that place, but I've spent the past 6 planning this. The stream is my ticket to freedom. I just follow it and I'll reach the town.
The dogs are getting closer now - I can hear their barking getting louder. The dogs are vicious - I've fought them as part of the tests after the op.
But I'm nearly out of the woods. Once I reach the field, I'm barely ten feet from the town, and I can catch the bus out of here. Reach DC, and I'm home free.
But first, I have to reach the field. With mutated, vicious dogs chasing me.
This is gonna suck.
I burst out of the trees, a pack of about twenty dogs hot on my heels. I lean forward, coaxing the last of the speed out of the board. The dogs have fallen back a bit, but they could catch me in a heartbeat if my board crashes.
I probably shouldn't have thought that.
My board cuts out. I press the button on the side, and it collapses. I shove it in my bag as I run, five feet from the town. It's nearly dawn, and the sky is beginning to lighten. I'm running on a sprained ankle with dogs at my heels. Then I reach the town. I'm running as fast as I can, and the dogs have stopped. They won't go into the town, for which I'm grateful, because I'm in the town, and safe. The bus has pulled up on the street corner, and I pay for my ticket and board the Greyhound. The bus starts up and leaves for DC.
I've escaped with documents people would kill for.
I'm a sixteen year old girl, alone in the world, and I have no plan, little money, and all of my possessions fit in a rucksack.
But I'm free. And I wouldn't trade that for the world.
