Delusions of the Mind

Day 11- Failed Escape

“What did you guys find yesterday?” I asked, as we sat around an empty field. The events of yesterday still clouding my mind.

“We didn’t find anything useful as a marker, the only thing Keylan found yesterday was your missing pins.” Emilia replied laying down stretching her arms above her head soaking in the warmth of the sun.

“I had an idea yesterday, about using the tree branches themselves as a marker. Either breaking them or marking the tree bark with something so we knew we have done passed those trees.” Ben explained, watching the clouds drift by with Emilia.

“It would work, if we could prevent from doubling back within those woods, or we didn’t forget to mark a tree. How do we know the path through those woods don’t change all the time?” I inquired, just thinking about that, if the path became different every time to escape, we wouldn’t know where to go after we marked a tree.

“You think the path changes through the woods every day?” Emilia asked, glancing my way trying to hide the shock on her face.

“He’s right Emilia, we don’t know if it changes or not, we know nothing about the woods surrounding us. Without knowing the answers to each question that could come up, the woods won’t be our best chance at escaping.” Ben stated.

“So, you’re both saying we sit here, and do nothing?” Emilia questioned.

“No, we’re not saying we sit here, and do nothing. We’re saying we sit here, find all the answers we need, before we enter those woods. We only have one shot at escaping, and everything must be perfect. If we fail more of us die.” I reply, turning to look deep within the woods, the strange flip my stomach did each time I stared into those woods, was enough to put me on edge. Someone was watching from the woods, wondering if we would make a run for it each time, we discussed it.

Shaking the feeling getting up from my position, walking away, “Guys, I’m going to go attempt to find Keylan and talk with him. Do either of you know where he could be?” I asked over my shoulder.

“We haven’t seen him today.” They called in unison.

Where could he be, the discussion we just had was supposed to be between the four of us, yet he had missed it. He was one of the main people I was counting on to help us get everyone out of here alive, without his knowledge of the forest we wouldn’t survive. Passing one of Keylan’s friends heading in the opposite direction of where I just came from, following him at a distance wondering what was going on. The small crowd gathering outside of the forest, each voice blending with the next, trying to train my ears to listen only to one out of the crowd.

“Is Keylan coming back?” Asked one person.

“Hopefully he finds a way to free us from this hell hole.” Stated another.

“What if splitting up isn’t the answer?” Shouted Keylan’s friend.

He was right splitting up wasn’t the answer, splitting up would lead to failed escape attempts, and more people dying. The gasps rippling through the crowd as Keylan’s body was ejected from the forest, covered in blood and dirt, with his bones sticking out in multiple areas of his body. I wasn’t standing close enough to be sprayed with blood as his body sailed through the air.

“Your friend should have heeded your warning. Terrible pity that you will lose another tonight.” Came Gabriel’s chilling voice.

“What do you mean he should have heeded my warning? He couldn’t have been trying to escape, he knew the rules, you had the wrong person!” I shouted.

“Evan I couldn’t have had the wrong person; your friend was trying to find the exit by himself. Why else would he hide the fact he found the perfect marker and destroyed it?” Gabriel inquired.

“Your lying! He wouldn’t have put someone else’s life in danger! He would have hidden anything from us!” I screamed.

“Who are you screaming at?” Keylan’s friend asked.

Spinning around silently cursing Gabriel for always disappearing before being caught by someone else. “No one.” I replied, turning to head back to Ben and Emilia. They needed to hear the news I had just received.

“Ben! Emilia!” I called, searching the clearing we had sat in a few minutes prior to me leaving. Circling back to check the warehouse, hearing a shrill, piercing cry come from the trapeze tent. Who had died this time was the only thought my mind played as I rushed over to check.

Following the gazes of everyone around me to the trapeze wire the delicate female body, dressed in a purple and silver costume, of our best acrobat hung as the wire had apparently be cut and wrapped around her neck. Leaving her dangling, fighting for air as her fingers had been trapped under the wire as she pulled against it. Her eyes bulging from their sockets.

Gabriel wasn’t kidding when he said failed escape attempts would end with two deaths. Spotting Ben consoling Emilia, I walk over to them, this was the second death Emilia had to personally deal with. My heart ached as I couldn’t be the one to console her, as my mind was preoccupied with finding the creep responsible for all of this.

The crowd of performers was growing slimmer with each death. Surely, he would slip up and leave more of a clue to his identity soon. This game of cat and mouse couldn’t continue much longer, he would eventually run out of potential targets. Surveying those around us trying to drown out the questions of why or who could do something so vial. Trying to focus my attention on the ones who looked unphased by the scene in front of them. Which wasn’t too many of our crowd, everyone either had fear painted across their faces, or were crying. Very few held calm expressions.