Chapter 13: Open Window

At that, Rou lunged at the guards to give me a few seconds to make my escape. One of the guards shot his gun and grazed my shoulder as I ran to that small hole and forced my body through. It stung as the blood from my exposed flesh trickled down my arm. Rou had been right, if they had fed me anything of substance, I would never have fit, but I was practically skin and bones and slid through with ease.

In the pitch black darkness, I crawled on my hands and knees, unable to see anything, not even the nose on my face. I moved forward blindly, desperate and afraid. After all the resentment I had held for that man, he ended up being my salvation. I kept up my pace, dragging myself through the most foul smelling filth that none could ever imagine. It burned as it hit my nostrils, but I still pushed onward.

For what seemed like hours, I continued forward, pulling my body through the pungent sludge, searching for any signs of an exit. I could hear the squeaking of the rats that lived in the sewage drains. The noise and the constant dull pain of my wound helped me keep my sanity; as long as I could hear them, I knew I was still alive. Just like a rat, I continued onward through the sewage.

Further and further I pressed on with nothing but my furry friends' squeaks to keep my head. My eyes had adjusted to the darkness somewhat because I could see traces of them as they ran past me. It almost seemed as if they were helping me, cheering me on in my struggle for an exit. Some of them had even climbed onto my back and shoulders. In an odd sort of way, this brought me comfort. It had been a very long time since I had anyone or anything that I could call a friend.

I had lost track of time. I had no idea how long I had been going. It seemed as though I had been crawling for an eternity. If it weren't for my friends, I'd have given up long ago. Suddenly off in the distance, It could see a small patch of light. Outside? I couldn't be! I quickened my pace, forcing my tired broken body towards that beautiful light. It was a ray of hope in his monotonous black hole. Closer and closer, I could almost smell the fresh air.

I reached out my hands and felt it. Iron bars that led to the outside world. I pushed them to the side and stuck my head out. The dim light from sunset burned my eyes and the wind stung my skin, it was almost too good to be true. I almost didn't believe it, until I felt the rain hit my face.

I stood up for the first time in this foreign land that I had only heard of from Rou's teachings. The grass was soaked and squishy, reminding me of my life in the forest. Oh, what a glorious sensation it was to feel the earth beneath my toes again, to feel the rain pelting on my face and body, and to see the shine of the midsummer night's full moon as it stood in the sky, like an old friend. Full moon. That's right, it's my birthday today. And what a splendid gift this was; my freedom from that cold, unfeeling world.

My happiness, however, was soon crushed as I heard sirens sounding around me. A voice on a loudspeaker rang through the din: "Attention citizens of No. 6. There is a young deviant on the loose in the city. We ask that you remain calm and stay inside until he is captured. VC-103221 is considered to be armed and dangerous and should not be approached by anyone besides the proper authorities. Under no circumstances should anyone help or harbor this criminal. Officials are searching the area as we speak. Thank you for your cooperation."

Criminal, I thought to myself, who was it that murdered my people, destroyed my home and subjected me to testing all this time? This announcement, however ironic it was to me, would only mean bad news for me, so I decided to move on. I needed to find a place to hide until I could devise a plan. Going back to the forest was an impossibility; I needed to seek shelter and weigh my options. Using the darkness to my advantage, I snuck about the city.

I reached a rural part on the outskirts of the city with a more cozy atmosphere. The houses were large and uniform, yet they were surrounded by a small wooded area that reminded me of my forest days. I could feel the slight sting of my gunshot wound, the blood still dripping slowly over my arm. That's when I heard it. A loud cry, a mating call, carrying over the pounding of the rain. I followed the noise to find its source.

When Romeo spoke of his Juliet, he compared her to the sun, saying that her beauty far surpassed the moon. At that moment, however, I felt that he was sadly mistaken, for this boy shone brightly through the night with a celestial glow that was far more beautiful. His soft, brown hair and piercing honey eyes sent shivers through my very core.

I couldn't understand nor describe the feelings that overcame me. He was a heavenly vision set before my eyes by Shizen Herself. It was only until I heard the sirens passing from afar that I snapped back to reality and went for that open window. I climbed up the balcony, ignoring my pain, towards my newfound Juliet, in the hope that I might find shelter from the bitter, biting cold.