Eighty

I watched as Theo, the guard, peered cautiously through a crack in the door to ensure that the hallway was empty. It was midnight, and time for action.

My heart was pounding madly against my rib cage, but I was determined to leave this cursed place. How we would leave, I had no idea, but I believed that we would run to safety.

I felt a flutter in my chest when he motioned to me, signaling that it was time. When I tried to rise, the ache in my bones from days of confinement made me wince and move slowly.

“Come on, hurry. We don’t have time,” he whispered harshly.

We went silently down the dark corridor and hid at a corner, listening intently for any signs of movement.

He nodded to me, urging me to follow closely behind. We approached a door to a room with a large window, and Theo turned the handle as quietly as possible.

Entering the room, we both moved towards the window, and he glanced back to check for any intruders. He unlatched the window and eased it open, and the cold air whippe