Escape

The room was dark and the window sealed that had never and may never be opened. Today I had planned it all out, today was the day we would escape. Someone had said today would be foggy all day and night. But I would have to get my “collar” off first, continuing to stare out the window I scratched my neck where the black metal shock collar was. Humorous, since I could turn into a big cat they apparently felt the need to treat me like one. Dawn had begun, the sun crept into the sky. The city was buzzing as usual but I couldn't hear anything from inside.

 Buildings looked over buildings androids everywhere. How I longed to be free. Roaming out there amongst the streets. This asylum prevented that though it prevented the freedom from the supernatural. Only the wealthy with these powers could avoid it. Money meant power and power apparently meant freedom in some cases. Sighing, the door creaked open and in stepped a woman in a lab coat with blond hair in a neat bun on the top of her head. Her lips were pulled tight together and her eyes were a lifeless green. Almost as if she was a robot herself. “Time for breakfast Celeste” she said bluntly. My eyes traveled from her face to her hand which held a small metal box with one button shock. Rising from the chair I sat in I followed the woman-Kirsti out. They might as well put a leash on me and call me kitty with the way I was treated. 

Many others with supernatural powers were being ushered out of their rooms all ranging from ages 7-19. Anyone above that were considered adults and were taken somewhere else. They filed down the nice clean white halls and stairs before reaching the large dining room on the left. Inside where massive long tables their food already waiting for them. Everyone was served the same thing. I searched for the others in the crowd eagerly. Spotting Reid first, a fairly tall boy with white hair and green eyes. Unusual looking but some babies were genetically modified to look a certain way.

The thought sickened me, making my stomach lurch. I shouted for him and he turned immediately beaming a smile that touched his eyes. Pushing through the crowd to get to him some teens giving me looks some not caring at all. A foot stretched out before me, but nimbly I hopped over it unbothered. Turning back I saw it was Wanda, with her arms crossed and red unruly hair blocking one of her blue eyes from sight. Wanda rolled her eyes I only smirked in reply. She could be as jealous as she wanted but she would never best me.

Joining Reid we walked over to the long mahogany tables. Lamps attached to the wall lit the room. Others filled in but people stayed clear of the empty five chairs next to us. Reid sat across from me pretending not to stare at my fairly new collar using his peripheral vision. I examined the room for prying eyes and ears but found none. I had been lying low these past few months to lower suspicion. Apart from the stunt I pulled to earn me the collar however.

 I had tested my limits inside the asylum from making it to the kitchen to the other levels. I had found their weak spots and fully intended to take advantage of them. I coughed “Tonight”  picking at my sad oatmeal with a plastic spoon. He nodded subtly looking bored, his short hair spiking up everywhere made me want smoothen it. Someone plopped down in the chair next to me and I stiffened. To my left was a boy with fairly long brown hair, his feet kicked up on the table. “Sorry beautiful this seat taken?” the boy said haughtily now Reid tensed 

“get out newbie” he hissed. The stranger laughed putting an arm around my chair 

“what's the matter-” suddenly the chair flew back. Whirling around I was relieved to see Spirit, Flame and Braxton. Kade had her hand on the chair

 “you're in Spirit’s seat” her wispy black hair was done up in two loose buns on the top of her head. Kade had dark eyes and was pretty in a kick butt sort of way. She had told me her family came from a place that was once called Japan. The stranger just gaped at her. quickly Kade grabbed his shirt and yanked him away and Spirit swiftly reclaimed her seat. The chair bigger than her little seven year old frame. Flame sat on her other side Kade and Braxton sitting next to Reid. 

“Do you have it?” I asked and Flame nodded at me intently 

“it's hidden under my bed” I scooped some oatmeal into my mouth. It tasted bitter sweet. And soggy. Healthy I scrunched my nose. 

“Tonight we all open our windows. We can't leave with all these rings on so we'll have to climb to Spirits block which is the top level” Reid said firmly. Spirit nodded “from there let's go to the Overlords office”. We all agreed on it. I was the only one of my kind and the only one who knew about the titanium claws I possessed.  It was vital we left before Friday which is when the staff took blood to determine the level of their power and if they needed to move them down any levels. I was already on the bottom level deemed the most powerful. Level Zero.

 “It's been a joy here and all but we need to get out” I drawled sarcastically and the others chuckled 

“we're sticking together right?” Spirit voiced surprising everyone. 

“Yeah well swear on it, partners in crime” I fist bumped Spirit giving her a small wink and we all put our hands together in fists

 “I solemnly swear death will do us part, together for now and forever” same oath they swore when they all became friends.

Night had fallen and it was time. I had been carefully keeping a check on the time mentally since dinner. I crossed the room to my window, we were allowed to open it on the nights the overlord was away that's why it was perfect. .Silently I slid my hands beneath the sill and lifted the window. For a moment I stared out into the starry sky and sirens filled the night air . The staff had worked everyone hard today, but the six of us claimed we had digestion issues suddenly and needed to use the bathroom frequently(to conserve our energy). Everyone would be sleeping safe and sound. Minutes ticked by before someone landed on the window sill. Swinging himself in. I smiled expectantly “hey Flame-” but it wasn't Flame.

Before me stood the stranger smiling “waiting for someone?” This could actually go perfectly if I wasn't afraid. 

“What are you doing here?” I asked, trying to sound menacing, but by backing up I probably gave myself away

 “just hanging around” his eyes scanned over me disgustingly and I stiffened a growl rising in my throat. Thunk. Someone bigger landed behind him this time it was Flame, his blue eyes enraged. The stranger now looked a little frightened, his back turned towards me. Running up I swiftly did a kick to his head knocking him out, his body slumping to the floor.

 “The newbies are always rebellious at first this could bode well” I said gruffly, our plan had changed. We didn't intend on just escaping, we planned a murder scene.

Flame pulled out some organs underneath his coat that looked crushed and mangled mixed in with some of...their hair? “how did you get this?” I asked slightly concerned

 “you don't wanna know the birds I've killed to make this much” stalking out he threw it out the window wiping his fingers on his coat. That way it looked like they had been splattered on the ground and incinerated, after all this stranger was from Flame’s level. This had been the plan all along.

Flame then took a gun he had stolen off one of the staff members and put it in the stranger's hands before pulling the trigger on the guys head. Framed, murder, stealing. We were indeed partners in crime. But the asylum didn't care what we did to each other inside. But touching one of the powerful ones was a crime unforgivable here. Only the strong may survive.

My heart did ache for this dead person but my mother once told me some things must end for others to begin. I truly believe he died so we could begin.

Flame began to help me climb so we  would make it to Spirit’s room. My dark hair whipped around my face and the night buzzed with life. I gasped breathing the fresh air in, noises overwhelming me. City lights were everywhere. Grasping the edge of the window sill I hauled myself up fitting my fingers between the cracks and finding footholds. The fog made the the building slick with condensation. Flame was right behind me. I could feel the heat from his body “You're alright keep going” he said assuring me, I did not daring to look down. It wasn't that I was afraid of falling I was afraid of seeing the faked death of strewn guts. Or at least thats what I told myself. I paused for a moment mid step, causing Flame to pause too and look up at me “what is it?”

 “if anything happens promise me you'll take care of them” 

“nothings going to happen-” 

“promise me” I gritted out and for a moment he blinked  before dipping his head 

“alright I promise”

Finally we reached Spirits open window letting ourselves in. Waiting for us was Spirit, Kade, Reid, and Braxton. The rings on their fingers prevented them from ever leaving but I would fix that. My collar did restrained me from shifting but not from my newest power. Over my short nails slid out long iron claws that gleamed cleanly. My friends gasped “cool” Kade breathed eyes twinkling like a child's.

“Who's first?” Spirit stepped forward smiling brightly. Carefully I ran a claw down the middle of the ring tearing out the blue stone before stomping on it. Spirit giggled beginning to make her sheets float, my hair suddenly levitating around me in a halo, it was an unsettling sight to anyone but us it was unearthly, it was real. One by one I broke their rings. Flame and Reid came up and I nodded silently retracting the claws. Flame put his hands around my band and began to melt it, Reid kept me healed up. Though it did burn I endured it “sorry” he whispered I just grunted in reply. Finally it had melted away next my ring. Flame was the first room on the fire level making him the most powerful in that section. People like me didn't have a section we were one of a kind.

The molten iron dissipated and I felt my power surging back, the instinct to hunt, heightened senses hit me instantly. It was overwhelming to head and see so much more, but I held it together suppressing it. I turned to  Reid “it's time” I whispered, he nodded the little that streamed in shining on his moonlight shining on his fair face.

Reid cloaked us in shadows we moved swiftly through the halls going unnoticed and quietly as possible. My heart thrummed loudly in my chest and for the first time in many years I was truly afraid. But what was there to fear? The Overlord was away, if I was caught I would be restrained more and surely be a kitty on a leash. “Its okay” Braxton gripped my hand with his dark one. We traveled upstairs and around corridors. His hand was warm and much bigger than mine enveloping it. It was comforting. Nothing was okay though and it never would be until this place burned, and the thought of this place crumbled was the most enticing one I had ever thought of.

We came up against a metallic door with a lock that was child's play now. Sliding a claw out easily I  nimbly picked at the lock,  eleven seconds and it unlocked with a clink, the overlord was sooo old school. “Good job” Kade breathed nervously. Braxton slid his hand around the knob opening the door slowly. It didn't make a sound meaning it was well oiled, behind the door was a fairly large room. Blinking I observed the room, it wasn't what I was expecting or had imagined; dark, gloomy, sense of doom like. Instead it had wooden floors with cabinets here and there and a nice large window on the side of the room out looking the city alive with lights and heli patrols. We all filed in, Braxton shutting the door quietly. “The overlord has boring taste” Kade murmured “thought they would be more creative than this. 

“Check the cabinets leave nothing in disorder” Reid whispered and they spread out around the room. I crossed over to the desk at the end of the room careful to avoid the chair. Opening a drawer with my claws I found keys, nothing useful now. Closing the drawer I opened another one below it, inside were documents, interesting. Pulling them out nicely I carefully sifted through them. They were files of certain people their picture and name on it. One of them was Reid meaning they had their eye on him. 

Powers:

Limited healing abilities

Shadow cloaking

Can sense heat signatures

Age:

17

Transfer asylum:

Blackbrooke.

Blackbrooke? That must be where they intended to take him when he reached twenty...but it  was said that's where assassins went to be trained for well assassination. The Overlord must have some deep roots with the Government. Looking over I spotted Reid filing through a cabinet and considered showing him the paper. As if he could hear my thoughts his head whipped around, brows up in question. With a claw I waved him away in an “I'll tell you later” he nodded returning to his work. Sighing I flipped through a few more papers, the last paper caught my eye, it was a girl with unusual bright cerulean eyes that were outlined with a black iris and long black sleek hair. It was me

Powers;

Can shift into Panther

High fighting arts

Transfer asylum:

Blackbrooke.

My heart raced I had been trained to be an assassin too? It scared and thrilled me at the same time. I shook my head and  flipped through the papers quickly Blackbrook, Blackbrook, Blackbrook. They were all transfers to Blackbrook the only reason they hadn't been shipped over yet is that haven't tried to escape and haven't reached the age. I carefully put them back and moved on to other drawers. None of the others had papers, the overlord must have been observing us...I gasped was he thinking about sending them there early?! I moved onto the bottom drawer which sort of groaned when pulled out. Inside was a mask. It was thin silver, it seemed to make a design of roses or some type of flowers. Dust covered it, must be ancient. As if the overlord didn't want to see it. A smile tugged on my lips.

“Got some money let's go” Braxton announced quickly they all fled to the window. One by one we escaped into the night. Crouching on the window sill I looked back at the closed now empty drawer, before vanishing into the night with them, towards a new beginning.