As I slam into the Blacksuit's rock-like chest, I hear a gasp. Probably from Jake. The entire room has gone silent, staring open mouthed at the lunatic who has dared to attack a Blacksuit. The Blacksuit steps back a pace, obviously as confused as the others.

"And what," he says menacingly, "do you think you're doing?" I almost apologise, say it was just an accident and beg for forgiveness. But then I remember. I need to get out at all costs. Steeling my shaking nerves, I step forwards and jab the sharpened spoon into the Blacksuit's chest. He gasps, shocked and injured, and staggers back a little. I let go of the spoon, visibly shaking now. This was a bad idea. The makeshift dagger is too small to do any real damage. I've fucked up. I try to run out of the door, to push past him while he's still stunned that I was stupid enough to do that but as fast as lightning he grabs me by the throat, spins round, lifts me off my feet and slams me into the wall. I choke, scrabbling desperately at his huge hand that has me pinned to the wall. With his other hand, he grasps the makeshift dagger and pulls it out of his chest, ignoring the accompanying spurt of blood and throwing it contemptuously to the floor.

"What exactly made you think that was a good idea?" He asks, slowly increasing the pressure on my throat. "You must have gone mad. You're going to die for this, you know that?" It's over. I failed.

His sadistic smile grows as he presses harder and harder against my throat. I gasp and wheeze, desperately trying to delay the inevitable. I'm already beginning to feel dizzy from lack of oxygen. I can see everyone in the room still frozen, completely stunned. Everyone except one person. I attempt to focus on him, my vision blurring. It's... Jake? He's walking slowly and stealthily towards us, carrying something white in his hands. A sheet? What is he planning?

"J..k" I rasp. "Don't..." This is the end for me, and I know it. Nothing he can do now can make any difference. He'll just end up getting himself into trouble. The Blacksuit obviously thinks I'm talking to him as he releases the pressure, just for a second.

"What's that? You want me to stop?" I suck in a quick, desperate breath before he slams me back on the wall, pressing even harder than before.

"Maybe you should've thought of that before you attacked me." I focus on Jake, watching his every movement. He's right behind the Blacksuit now, and still hasn't been noticed. Things then happen very fast.

"Watch out!" Jake yells suddenly, throwing the sheet over the Blacksuit's head. He then yanks the sheet, causing him to release my throat and fall backwards. I gasp and fall to the floor, precious oxygen flooding my lungs. Meanwhile Jake throws a corner of the sheet towards a Skull, who catches it instinctively. The Blacksuit gets to his feet, face contorted in rage. He rips the sheet off his head, causing the Skull to stagger towards him. Realising there's someone holding onto it, he turns to face the unfortunate Skull.

"So. You want to join in too?" The Skull realises what Jake has just done and drops the sheet like it suddenly burst into flames.

"No! It wasn't me..."

"I don't understand what is up with you lot today. Do you all suddenly have a death wish?"

"No! Please, it wasn't..." Suddenly I realise I'm being helped to my feet.

"Jake..." I mutter. "Thank you..."

"Never mind that. Just go," Jake says. "Before he realises you're still alive." I suddenly realise there are tears in his eyes.

"Jake... come with me. The Skulls won't be happy with you..."

"No, they won't. But nobody ever notices me. They won't even remember what I look like."

"But we can escape..."

"Scott. Go. I'll come with you a little way, but you have to get out of here." Then, the sound that I'd been hoping for. One long blast on the siren. Lockdown.

For a split second, everyone in the room stops what they're doing. Jake is the first person to react. Grabbing my arm, he pulls me out of the room. As we leave, I snag a sheet off the side and scoop up the makeshift dagger from the floor. I'm going to need them. Running as fast as I can, I tie the spoon-dagger to the end of the sheet. Jake watches me do it as we run.

"I hope you know what you're doing," he pants. I skid to a halt. We've reached the air vent. Jake stops.

"Scott?"

"This is it Jake. This is how I'm getting out. Last chance to come with me." For what seems like forever, he contemplates the question. Then slowly shakes his head.

"I can't," he says quietly.

"Then this is goodbye," I say, trying not to sob. I give him one last, brief hug.

"Good luck, Scott." He says tearfully, then runs off down the corridor. I grab the sheet and swing the end with the spoon at the air vent. It bounces off. Trying my best not to be put off, I try again. And again. And again. Each time becoming more desperate.

"Come on!" I mutter, frantically trying to get it in. Just as I'm about to give up hope, the spoon sails through the grille.

Cautiously, I tug on the sheet. The spoon sticks in the grille and I breathe a sigh of relief. Not wasting any time, I put my entire weight on the sheet and attempt to walk up the wall. It's more difficult than I expect and I slide down a few times. There's one heartwrenching moment when the spoon almost slips out of the grille, but thankfully it doesn't. Even if I wasn't worrying before, I was now. It seems like it's been far too long without anyone coming down this corridor. Although, I remind myself, this was the whole reason why I needed a lockdown. All of the Blacksuits are busy making sure everyone's in their cells. After what seems like an eternity, I reach the grille and grasp it tightly. As if what I'd just done hadn't been tricky enough, I now had to hold my entire weight up using the grille whilst trying to remove the spoon. My fingers are beginning to cramp but I get the spoon out, switching hands quickly. I insert the sharpened end into one of the screws at the bottom of the grille, twisting. My arms are killing me, but eventually the screw pops out and falls to the floor. I breathe a sigh of relief and begin working on the second one. And freeze as I hear a sound.

Barking.

Panicking, I twist the spoon faster and faster. The dogs are coming. They've smelt me. Dread rises up in me and I find myself wishing Jake hadn't intervened. If the Blacksuit had killed me, then I wouldn't die this way. I wouldn't be torn to pieces by those creatures. Frustrated, I yank on the grille. Why won't the screw come out?! Then disaster happens. The spoon slips from my fumbling, sweaty hands and drops to the ground. The breath catches in my throat and I begin to feel sick and dizzy. The dogs are getting ever closer, I can hear them, and I've lost the spoon. Desperately, I grasp the screw with my fingers. It's sticking out just enough to turn it by hand. Shaking, I yank it out and throw it to the floor. The dogs are just around the corner now. If I don't manage this final push, I won't make it. With the last of my strength, I grip the bottom of the grille, brace my legs against the wall and then push hard, swinging the grille up and running my feet up the wall and into the air vent, using the momentum to swing my whole body inside. Without skipping a beat, I twist around and pull the sheet up and into the air vent with me. I turn and see a dog leap up, fangs bared but nowhere near high enough to get in the vent. Quickly, I swing the vent closed and shuffle forwards until I find a corner to hide around, extremely aware of the loud bangs that accompany my every movement. Then I slump against the side of the vent, exhausted and exhilarated. I may not have made it out yet, but the most difficult part is over. As long as they don't realise what I've done, I'm safe for now.

…...

Or at least, that's what I thought at the time.