Story - Dystopian Prison

A boulder fell from the cliff above, missing me by only a few inches. I knew this plan would have been dangerous, but I couldn't have predicted this. I could die just as easily as I had fled. The barking of dogs and shouting of guards was getting closer. They had firearms while I was stuck on a cliff side with raggedy clothing. I felt like an ant on a hill that was about to be sprayed with a hose by some thoughtless and merciless child. I didn't have much time left, but I couldn't find any footholds.

                The shouting was getting closer. I didn't have many options, so I decided to descend from the cliff. I could wait in a tree and ambush one of my attackers. Perhaps by relieving him of his weapon, I'd be able to defend myself and bide my time until I found another escape route. It was dark, and I was covered in filth. The brush and foliage was thick, and the forest surrounded me on all sides.

                I wasn't thinking right. In my haste, I had forgotten about the dogs. They detected my scent and start barking at the tree I had taken refuge in. The guards took aim, and I hopped to a nearby tree. The dogs followed, and the guards with them. We kept this up for a good five minutes before I noticed I was getting tired. They hadn't given us much time for sports or much food for that matter. I was out of shape.

                I found a thin branch below me and hopped down to set a trap. A dog charged forward and jumped towards me. I let the branch go, and with a cry, the dog, if you could call it that, was crushed. Their dogs had thick fur and twisted, razor sharp teeth. They looked more like wolves than dogs to me. I hopped back into the tree and looked for another opportunity to strike back.

                I knew I couldn't keep this up. However, I was able to successfully rid myself of the dogs. I suffered some injuries when one got on top of me. This one was much faster than I had expected. I also knew that I couldn't use the same trick on the guards. They were more careful and alert, but now I didn't need to swing from tree to tree. As long as I could stay out of their line of fire and outrun them, then I would be safe.

                I heard a few gunshots, but none of them found their mark. I had just realized that I didn't need to run from my pursuers. While travelling through the thick brush, I created a cacophony of noises that were easy to follow. If I stopped moving and hid for a little while, they might pass me up or I might get a chance to strike one of them. I decided it was my only option left, sprinted forward with what was left of my energy and dove into a bush.

                The guards stopped running when I stopped running. They fanned out and started looking around, cautious that I might be nearby. They were right to be, because I had hid under their noses. Rather shortly after they started searching for me, one of them stepped on my back. I tried my best not to make a sound. Why did he wear cleats? When he took his foot off my back, I quickly grabbed his legs and tripped him. I grabbed a nearby rock and slammed it against his skull. Unfortunately, he didn't have a gun on him, but I did find a nightstick. The other guards were alerted and I took off.

                I decided to hide in a tree again, to shuffle things up. I couldn't keep using the same tactics. There were 3 guards left. Since I stopped moving and there was no more noise, they started searching again. This time they did so together. I picked out one that had a pistol. I had never fired a gun before in my life, but I figured I could handle a handgun.

                I threw the nightstick at one of the guards as another walked under the tree. I dropped down on the one underneath me and we had a short struggle. I was able to take his weapon and knocked him out with the handle of the gun. The first guard I attacked fell to the ground and the one standing nearby went to see what happened. It was dark, and he hadn't seen the nightstick. I was already pointing the gun at them by the time they noticed what was happening.

                “Halt! Your playtime is over”, said one guard.

                “Put that gun down, and we'll let you live”, proclaimed the other guard.

I had come this far already, and there was no way I'd just come quietly with them, not after all I had done to get here. I shot one guard, then the other, and continued my escape. The cliff was no good, so I found another route. I couldn't stand being holed up in that place, and I hope they got the message. I promised myself that I'd never go back there again, even if it meant the death of me.