Sam nervously ran her fingers along the wall. She hadn’t dared tell a single soul of her capture, and how it was intentional. There was a brief second the previous day when she’d ached to turn to Melanie, but alas her mind had driven her to surrender.
She felt as her inners tightened. She knew now, that there was no way that any of them would possibly understand. Not when they themselves had been forced to do what they did. None of them were criminals of cold blood, but instead, they were all innocent victims of circumstance.
Sam’s fingers stopped, and slipped into a slight opening in the wall. She briefly paused, before turning to investigate.
‘What is this?’ She asked, baffled by its curious ridges. She ran her fingers along the thin lining in the cold, metal wall. ‘Is this a–door?’
‘It’s an entrance to the emergency tunnels. They’re everywhere.’ Luke said. He opened the tap to wash his hands. A few drops of water had poured into his palms, but it was merely enough to rinse off the top layer of dirt. ‘You just need to know where to look.’
‘Emergency tunnels…’ Sam paused. ‘Do you know what this means? They can lead to anywhere in the Keep!’
She brushed her hair behind her ears, and cleared her throat. She vigorously pinned her foot to the damp floor, and forcefully shoved her entire bodyweight towards the door lining.
It barely made a dent.
Melanie emerged with a wet cloth, and flung it into the bucket. ‘Don’t even think about it. We’ve all tried it.’ She sighed. ‘The only way you’d ever open it, is with a passkey. And to do that, you’d have to take one from the guards outside that door.’ She motioned towards the bathroom entrance.
‘Well, it’s not impossible.’ Sam said, rubbing her bruised shoulder. ‘I mean, there has to be a way!’
Luke groaned doubtfully. He took a good look at the tightly sealed door, and then at Sam. Her pale blue eyes had burned with hope, the very same hope they’d all lost with time. ‘I really don’t know Sam, it’s too dangerous.’ He said. ‘You’d have to ask Shawn. He’s dealt with this before.’
Sam’s breath fell short. Once again, it all came back to one single person: Shawn.
He would haunt her thoughts, and she would grow to know him in her mind, even though she’d never actually met him.
‘Fine,’ Sam said. She pulled up her sagging overall, and lowered her sleeves. If none of her friends had the guts to even try to escape, there was only one thing left to do.
‘Then I will find Shawn, and I will ask him to help me.’
Chapter 9
Shawn had grown fond of sitting alone.
His accustomed table stood hidden away in a rear corner of the Keep’s busy cafeteria, and was vibrantly covered by small rays of sharp wastelands sun. It had the perfect view of every other prisoner, and kept him safely out of sight from the patrolling guards.
He still remembered, long ago, when Mike and the rest of his roommates had all sat next to him. His mind replayed all the pointless rivalries they’d sport over who’d eaten the most grub; and tossing crumpled up napkins at the crow on the balcony. Those were truly some of the best times of his life. Unfortunately, it was nothing but a mere memory now.
‘Do you think I should go over there?’ Sam asked, nervously. She anxiously ran her fork over the blue tray of brown goo, not to have eaten a single bite.
‘Well, it doesn’t seem like he wants any company,’ Luna said. She’d been the only one with the same view of Shawn, as Sam. ‘But, if you want to risk it, be my guest.’
Melanie took a witty shove at Luna’s gut. ‘Come on, he’s not that bad!’ She leaned to her side and glanced nosily at the black haired rebel. He’d unbuttoned his overall, and wore a white vest underneath. It had tightly clenched to his lean skin from the scorching day’s labour.
Melanie raised her eyebrows. ‘Not bad at all, I must say!’ She dramatically swooned, and found herself loafing on Luke’s lap. His soft breathing had deepened, and a slight shade of pink had flushed into his cheeks.
‘Okay, that’s enough!’ Sam laughed. She emptied her glass. ‘I just want to talk to him about Mike, that’s all.’
Her eyes drifted to where Shawn was dining, alone. His sole focus was on the guard’s movements, and the way they patrolled past him, one after one. She’d wondered what he was thinking. To do the same thing every single day for the past five years, and to stare at the same grey bricks everywhere he went. He had absolutely no freedom, and his entire youth had been wasted. No wonder he’d want to climb the fence for fun.
Aaron clenched his teeth. ‘Big mistake,’ He said. ‘That guy is serious trouble!’
Sam blinked, confused. Her watery blue eyes drifted across Aaron’s suddenly infuriated face. Ever since she’d first asked about Shawn at the construction site, his mood had been nothing but foul.
‘This is a prison, Aaron. Aren’t we all serious trouble?’ She asked.
‘Just trust me on this, okay?’ He shifted uncomfortably in his seat. His voice had softened, and he leaned in closer, gently grazing his fingers against Sam’s. Their eyes were locked together, morphing their minds into one single thought.
For a moment, he felt as if nothing else had mattered.
Sam pulled away, and rapidly blinked to her senses. ‘I’m sorry Aaron, but you’re not going to keep me from doing this. I don’t need you to protect me.’ She shoved her tray away, and rose to her feet. ‘Up until now, I’ve been getting along just fine on my own!’
She felt the soft graze of Melanie’s touch on the back of her arm, but refused to acknowledge it. She’d at last obtained enough guts to face Shawn, and wasn’t about to waste it on Melanie trying to discourage her from doing so.
She took a deep breath, and fished her way into the masses of prisoners. Even though her eyes were entirely fixated upon Shawn at all times, she couldn’t shake the agitating tightness of her limbs when passing by Viper’s table. She’d dropped her fork to the floor, and pressed her dark lips together in a blazing smirk. ‘Oops!’ She whispered, her eyes taunting.
Sam carefully stepped over the fork. She felt Viper’s scowling glance following her in her every move, as if she’d mortally tried to crush her with her mind. For a brief moment Sam paused, and shook Viper from her thoughts. Her mind had to be crystal clear if she’d wanted any luck.
Sam slowed down as she neared Shawn’s table. She held her breath, and cautiously sat down across from him. Shawn’s eyes had slowly risen from his tray, without blinking, and scanned Sam’s face.
‘Well. Well. Well. What a surprise, and who might you be, lovely thing?’ His flattering words rolled smoothly off his tongue as a sweet piece of candy.
‘It’s Sam.’
Shawn’s mouth relaxed into a daring smile. ‘Sam Cyrus?’ He asked.
‘How did you know?’ Sam asked. Her eyes were glued to his. She’d suddenly felt completely exposed, and as if any upper hand she might’ve had over Shawn, had flown out the window at once.
‘Mike told me a lot about you,’ Shawn said between bites. ‘And when I heard you’re here, I figured you’d come to see me, sooner or later.’ His teasing glance deepened, and he held out his fork. ‘You want a bite, sweet cheeks?’
Sam cringed. She shook her head in disgust, and motioned his fork away. ‘No, I’m good thanks. I don’t know how you could possibly eat that stuff!’
‘Well, if it’s the only thing you’ve had to eat for the past five years–’ Shawn shrugged. He flicked his dark curls to the side, and leaned in closer. His breath was warm against Sam’s skin, and grazed her neck as he smoothly whispered. ‘Listen doll face, I know you didn’t come over here just to soak in my good looks–and not that I mind bathing in your charming presence–but what’s the catch?’
Up close, he’d seemed all the more attractive. Sam could see the dark shade of scruff sneakily growing around Shawn’s mouth, and almost instantly she’d thought her knees had gone numb. He smelled faintly of dirt, with a rich hint of labou
ring sweat. His green eyes had beamed of cunningness, appearing glossy and glasslike within the bright rays of the sun.
‘Well, um, you see,’ Sam stuttered. Get your head together, she told herself. ‘Rumour has it, that you’ve helped Mike and the others to escape, and–’
Shawn released a wolf-like growl. He tossed his tray across the table, and rolled his eyes to the back of his head. ‘Oh, I should’ve seen this coming!’ He gripped his hands to the edges of the tabletop, and stood upright. ‘Listen, I was the one who had planned that escape with Mike!’
Sam’s eyes aimlessly darted across Shawn’s raging red face. She’d felt the fuming heat gradually rising up into her own cheeks, but felt too weary to compose herself a part in yet another scene in the cafeteria. ‘I didn’t mean it like that!’ She cried, reaching for his arm. He drew away, and reclaimed his unsatisfied seat.
His breath was heavy. ‘It doesn’t matter what you meant, you just want what everyone else wants–to get out of here–no matter who you’d hurt in the process! Do you know how many people have come up to me, just to ask that question?’ Shawn asked. He leaned with his back against the wall, and crossed his arms.
‘Well, I deserve to know!’ Sam said, regaining all strength in her knees, and hopping two cold metal seats closer to where Shawn had sat. Her eyes were pleading. ‘Mike is my brother, and I came here to find him. If that means I’d have to die trying to escape, so be it!’
Sam ran her thoughts across Shawn’s blank face. She felt the warmth of the sun’s rays burning onto her back, and curled up into a sudden stretch of defeat.
‘I just need to find him.’ She said, her voice trembling.
The bitter mischief in Shawn’s eyes had disappeared. He kept silent as he witnessed her fiery passion. ‘I like the way you did that.’ He said, softly. His lips slightly parted, and rolled back into a teasing smile.
‘Did what?’ Sam asked.
Shawn reached his right hand towards the midday sun’s rays. ‘The way you curled up in the sun. I liked it, it’s cute.’ He lowered his voice, and sung the song of flattery. ‘Unfortunately, I’m afraid it’s not cute enough to make me tell you how to escape.’ Shawn lazily reached across the table for his tray, and resumed eating. ‘But, it’s enough to make me like you.’ His mouth was stuffed, but still he managed to flash an infuriating grin.
Sam squirmed in silence. How on earth, can one guy make her both want to ball her fists, and melt to the floor, all at the same time? She opened her mouth, and paused to speak. His eyes were taunting, and studied her face with curiosity.
‘Do you know what Shawn? You’re nothing but a coward.’ Sam said. Her mouth had dried up, and she couldn’t breathe.
‘Well babe, you either learn to love it, or you leave it!’ Shawn plopped his feet onto the tarnished metal surface of the table, and audaciously raised an eyebrow. ‘That’s the way it works.’
Sam choked in repulsion. She rose to her feet and stomped away. Even though she’d tried to avoid the dreaded company of Viper, her blistering smirk had quickly burnt onto her spine.
‘DON’T SAY A WORD.’ Sam warned as she flopped down next to Melanie. She’d aimed her warning specifically at Aaron, who’d seemed rather pleased with her unfortunate return.
His mouth had curled up into a satisfied grin. ‘I won’t say a single thing.’ He choired, proudly crossing his arms and leaning over against the edge of the table.
‘So, what did he say?’ Luna asked, curiously. She’d reeled in Sam’s tray, and helped herself to a double helping of the untouched brown goo. ‘It looked like you really gave him a piece of your mind!’ She said, shoving a forkful into her mouth.
Sam sighed and bashed her elbow to the tabletop. ‘He didn’t tell me anything!’ Her head miserably rested in the cup of her palm. ‘He’s a total schmoozer–what a jerk!’
Sam knew, that even though she’d failed this time, she wasn’t about to give up on her very first try. There’d been too much on the line for that. Even though she’d hated to admit it, her entire fate had rested solely in Shawn Mustang’s oversized man-hands.
Sam looked up, and glanced across the room at Shawn. Her entire body had been struck stiff.
From all the way across the cafeteria, and past the blabbering crowd, he’d been arrogantly resting against the wall, staring directly at her. His eyes were cunning, but yet soft and warm.
A thrilled grin had spread to either corners of his mouth, and Sam could tell he’d been greatly satisfied. He’d succeeded in louring her out, and making her do exactly what he’d wanted her to. She’d been the perfect plaything to relieve his five year’s lack of excitement.
He didn’t want her to give up yet. He wanted her to come crawling back to him, and desperately beg for more.
‘We should ask Viper to come back to our table, don’t you guys think so?’ Eric asked. His loud voice had broken Shawn’s enchantment over Sam. She’d coolly reached for her glass, and drank a large gulp. The water had slightly tasted of metal, and actually made her throat even drier than it already was.
‘Sure, I guess we could.’ Melanie said. She sounded vaguely hesitant, which came to no surprise to anyone. ‘What do you think Sam?’ She shoved Sam in the gut.
Sam stuttered. Her mind was elsewhere. In a cold sweat she nodded, and faked a smile to seal the deal. ‘Whatever you want,’ she murmured.
As Sam was sure no one was looking, she glanced back at Shawn. His eyes were still shrewdly nailed to hers, and never before had she felt quite this agitated, while at the same time ecstatic.
What on earth had Shawn Mustang done to her?
Chapter 10
It had been just past noon, and the sun’s blistering rays were at its peak. A nasty wind had risen from the east, and passed through the Keep’s fences with all but elegance. Its scowling tune had brought hardship to those who’d worked in construction, and rendered them blind to their everyday tasks.
Even though every prisoner had been forced to contribute only their very best, there seemed to have been no admiral progress in building. For within the last twenty four hours, not even a single drop of water had emerged from the taps.
All around the prison lurked the appalling stench of old socks, and unwashed armpits. Even Jack Crowe himself had been reportedly seen carrying an old wooden bucket, scavenging every last drop of water from the central water tank.
Down in construction, Sam had once again been handed a shovel, and fell into line with Luna and Jamie for digging. They’d just about started, when the officer in charge came and nicked them away.
He had led them atop a large heap of amber sand, just behind the furthest watchtower, where it had been covering most of the Keep’s main water pump. Accompanying them, were several different diggers from other rooms. They too, had all been removed from their posts, and commanded to clear the pump from underneath the giant mountain of red sand.
If not, the water wouldn’t return.
‘Well, I guess this is better than to face the wrath of Viper!’ Sam said. She’d raised her voice above the howling wind, and covered her mouth from swallowing red lumps of rough dirt. ‘I mean, it could’ve been worse!’ Sam’s thought s drifted off to when she’d woken up that morning:
Viper had stuck a chewed piece of gum right at the very top of her overall’s zipper, leaving it nearly impossible to dig out of the narrow ridges. Sam had taken a deep breath, and pretended not to be bothered. She’d caught a faint sourness in the gum’s aroma, and thought it must’ve gone off. As usual, Melanie immediately descended into a rioting scene, and accused Viper of being all things insecure and jealous.
Ever since then, the air had been thick enough to cut with a knife.
‘I wouldn’t speak too soon if I were you!’ Luna smiled. Her short spiky hair stood upright in the howling wind. She’d scooped up a mound load of dirt, and saw it flying off her shovel and into the air. The wind had carried it past the construction site, hurling it right into the eyes of a passing patrol of
guards, way down below.
Luna instantly hid behind Jamie. ‘Oops.’ She snickered.
‘What do you mean I shouldn’t speak too soon?’ Sam asked. She watched as Luna whimpered in laughter of her own catastrophe. She saw the patrolling guards were clueless as to where the dirt had come from. They were searching the grounds for any guilty-looking culprits, but alas the strong wind had shorn their sight to no more than a three feet radius.
Luna wiped the tears from her eyes, and resumed digging. ‘Oh, look at who’s behind you.’
Sam turned around. She focussed her eyes on the tanned figure bent over just a few feet away. ‘It just had to be him.’ She sighed, feeling her heart quickening.
Shawn had been digging alongside two other guys. They hadn’t exchanged a single word, and laboured away in bleak silence. His face was shiny, and every now and then, he’d wipe his forehead on the back of his sleeve.
‘You know what,’ Sam said, gripping her shovel tighter. ‘This is actually great!’ She trudged her way across the dune, and through the weeping wind. Without thinking twice she pinned her shovel to a loose patch of sand where Shawn had stood by himself, digging in silence. His blank face turned towards hers, and a teasing grin formed around his mouth.
‘So, you came back for more then?’ He asked, raising an eyebrow.
‘I’m not here for you,’ Sam said, shortly. She kept her eyes focussed to the ground. ‘I’m here for Mike.’
Shawn stopped digging, and leaned to his side. He used his shovel as an anchor.
‘I’ve had such a good day so far. Don’t go ruining it with all of that again!’ He lowered his head towards Sam, and warmly breathed into her neck. ‘Did someone tell you that you look really pretty today? The wind in your hair really suits you.’
Sam clenched her teeth. She felt her heart pulsing as his hand made contact with hers. It wasn’t as smooth as she’d thought, but it carried the true strength of a man. His silky voice had sung that of a gorgeous melody, and for a brief moment she’d wanted him to take her into his arms, and hold her tight until the end of time.
The Keep (A Renegades story Book 1) Page 7
