Keeping Dreams Alive

Entry 463

"After carefully analyzing the prison's layout, I have determined that a tunnel is the only way to freedom. Every wall that constitutes the prison's perimeter is rigged with high-voltage electric current. Meanwhile, guards do not interact with prisoners and are only outside the holding area, thus making any escape through prison doors impossible. On top of this, I'm unsure if I can slip through any security without being targeted by the automatic sentries posted all around the facility. Apparently, my ability only works on living beings and not machines. "

Entry 464

"What kind of prison is this? These guards don't care about the life and death of the inmates. A man was attacked and murdered in broad daylight and his corpse was left there to rot. I don't understand this place, why could such cruelty be allowed without repercussions? I need to get out of here, and fast. For now, I have settled on digging under the barracks where the prisoners were housed. Since the barracks are raised a metre above ground, I have enough place to store the dirt without raising suspicion. "

By using her wrist blades, Kadyn cut away a piece of the floor which allowed her to get under the floorboard. With the limited tools she was able to gather, she began to dig through the relatively loose soil. However, the process was slow and painful as Kadyn lacked not only the right tools but also lacked vision. Her heavily fragmented eyes forced her to often approximate where she was going and what she was doing.

As the days went on, Kadyn also progressed forward with her work. Things were going as planned until a familiar face stepped onto the scene. Although still in bandages, Jagger was released into the prison grounds as an inmate. The masses of felons watched in amusement as Jagger staggered through the recreation field. Suddenly, a buffed man walked up to Jagger and ripped his walking stick out of his hand.

[Man] - "You won't be needing this after we fuck you up, mate! "

All the man saw was Jagger's bloodshot eyes before he was punched in the face. With a swift motion, Jagger retrieved his walking cane before shoving its tip into the man's eye. Even as the man yelled and begged for mercy, Jagger kept going as he pushed the cane deeper into the man's skull until he eventually stopped moving.

[Jagger] - "I declare myself the new leader of this sector. Anyone who dares to object speak out now! "

Yelled Jagger with a lunatic expression on his face.

Unimpressed by Jagger's attitude, several felons walked up to him all armed with improvised melee weapons in their hands. As they rushed toward him, they were surprised by Jagger's reaction speed as he dodged downward before kicking one of the men to the ground. With a sadistic smile, Jagger snapped the man's arm in half before acquiring his makeshift knife. With brutal efficiency, Jagger began to massacre the men by either slashing their throats or puncturing their chests.

The uproar of screams and noise soon alerted Kadyn who was trying to fumble her way to the cafeteria. With a perplexed expression, Kadyn peeked around a building and was immediately caught by different shades of red that filled her fragmented vision. By the end of the hour, around 30 men lay dead in front of Jagger while he himself was coated in a thick layer of blood.

[Jagger] - "Does anyone still want to challenge my authority around here? "

Kadyn immediately recoiled in shock upon hearing Jagger's voice. Fear quickly filled her mind before she crawled back into her hideout like a powerless little ant. No matter how hungry she got, she avidly refused to exit her hideout out of fear. She knew what kind of fate awaited her if she got caught by him and on top of that, she was in no condition to confront him.

As Kadyn hyperventilated, a noise above her head suddenly caught her attention. When she looked up, she saw an old lady peeking into her hideout. The woman then jumped into her hideout and eyed her with a curious but caring look.

[old lady] - "Who are you, child? Why are you so scared? "

Said the old lady in a gentle voice.

[Kadyn] - "Huh? How are you able to see me? "

Said Kadyn as she extended her wrist knife.

[old lady] - "How particular! Couldn't others see you as well? "

[Kadyn] - "Are you a cyberknight? How are you able to be unaffected by my ability? "

The old lady rubbed her chin while trying to remember her past.

[old lady] - "Cyberknight... that is a name I haven't heard in ages. I had a brother who was serving with that organization. They also tested me for compatibility with that crystal thing... and I was apparently a witch just like them cyberknights. However... "

The old lady took a seat in front of Kadyn.

[old lady] - "...They deemed my ability too useless for their organization. So to keep me from talking, they threw me into this dungeon of a prison. I've stayed ever since... I've stayed for so long that the prisoner ended up calling me Nanny. I care for them, sow their clothes, pack their wounds, and clean the barrack. At least they promised to protect me as if I were their mother, so that's a trade I'm willing to make. "

Kadyn observed the old lady with difficulty as she tried to determine where her crystal was.

[old lady] - "Looking for this? They forgot to remove the thing when they threw me in here. "

Said the old lady as raised her sleeve and revealed a shiny crystal embedded inside her mechanical shoulder.

[Kadyn] - "What do you want from me? "

[old lady] - "Considering what you are doing here, I only ask for a ticket to ride once this escape train starts departing. "

[Kadyn] - "Will you keep this a secret then? "

[old lady] - "My bed is just above. I'll make sure they don't detect your presence down here. "

After noticing Kadyn's vacant stare at the void as she was talking to her, the old lady grabbed Kadyn by the cheeks and analyzed her eyes.

[old lady] - "Your eyes, can't you see properly? "

[Kadyn] - "I can't. "

The old lady suddenly pulled a pair of glasses from her pocket and pushed them onto Kadyn's face. However, the rear of the glasses kept slipping down as Kadyn lacked a pair of human ears.

[Kadyn] - "I'll arrange them later. Thank you. "

Said Kadyn as she took over the glasses.

After glancing through the glasses, Kadyn suddenly saw a clear picture from one of the fragments from her right eye. Although it isn't much, she was at least able to get a clear picture in that small area. Upon noticing Kadyn's apparent smile upon regaining a part of her vision, the old lady also showed a warm smirk.

[old lady] - "What is your name, young lady? "

[Kadyn] - "It's Kadyn. What is yours? "

[old lady] - "It's Lucy. Nice to meet you. "

The two of them shook hands before Lucy began to climb back under her bed.

[Lucy] - "Alright, Kadyn, you keep up the good work. I must head up now before they suspect something. "

Just as Kadyn was about to continue her work, two pieces of bread were suddenly dropped into her hands. When she looked up, Lucy smiled at her while she closed the trapdoor.

On the ground level, Jagger marched surrounded by a gang of other inmates who swore allegiance to him. After hearing of what happened on the basketball court with Jagger and other felons, no one in the prison dared to even brush him in the wrong way. Other gangs soon nicknamed Jagger "The Madman" while his gang was named "Helldivers".

Despite his rise to power, Jagger still felt the hunger left by Kadyn's absence. This hunger frustrated Jagger to the point where he would murder inmates from other gangs on a daily basis just to feel relief. Soon, the guards had to be involved due to the astronomical death toll that befell the prison since Jagger's arrival. The guards threatened Jagger with execution if he kept slaughtering other inmates Jagger quickly conjured a devilish idea with his twisted mind.

As a deal, Jagger would force inmates to battle in a gladiatorial fight on the basketball court every week. This would not only serve as relief for his frustration but also serve as entertainment for the prison guards as well. Unsurprisingly, the cruel guards agreed to Jagger's proposition since they saw it as a way to solve the overpopulation problem in the prison. In fact, the prison was so overcrowded that it forced the male and female population to exist within the same confine.

While Kadyn dug underground in complete ignorance, above her, Jagger organized his first death tournament. Almost the entire prison population gathered to see the spectacle. Even the guards couldn't help but gather on the walkways to watch. After the initial few fights where a few muscular felons tore each other apart, Jagger soon stepped into the ring himself. While the audience cheered for the previous few rounds, a deathly silence suddenly befell the ring as soon as everyone saw Jagger.

Inside the ring, even the three men who survived the previous few rounds began to show an expression of fear on their faces. With a sickly expression of amusement on his face, Jagger walked up to the men before savagely beating them to a pulp without mercy. In truth, Jagger still retained all the combat knowledge from Mike, who spent his youth training in all types of martial arts and boxing forms. This combined with his cybernetic arms, made Jagger an undefeatable foe in conventional combat.

By the end of the fight, the crowd slowly dissipated with Jagger coming out victorious. After making his way to the barrack with his closest gang members, Jagger was suddenly confronted by one of his lieutenants.

[Micheal] - "Please boss, we gotta stop this. This is getting too savage, we can't just kill people on a daily basis. It's a bit too much! "

Jagger shared a few glances with his other men who laughed maniacally with Jagger. Without warning, Jagger reached forward with a punch toward Micheal's face.

Entry 478

"Last night left me with an image I couldn't get out of my head. It all started with a few muffled words above my head before I heard a violent impact mixed with the sound of bone breaking. And it kept going... It kept going until I heard the wet splatter of blood and flesh that splashed all the way to the trapdoor above me. It didn't stop until blood seeped through the cracks and dripped onto my hair. God... then I heard him laugh, that accursed motherfucker Jagger. He laughed... he laughed as he beat that poor man to death. I need to get out of here, I need to get as far away from that hellspawn as possible. Please give me strength, Mike. Please guide me through all this! "

A day went by and Kadyn kept digging with the soup spoon that Lucy snuck to her a few days ago. She was as motivated as ever to escape from Jagger despite being protected by her ability. After exhausting herself, she sat back against the narrow wall before padding the dirt off Mike's coat.

[Kadyn] - "You know, Mike, you and I, despite us not being together, feel like we have been together much longer than we have been. "

Said Kadyn before wiping the sweat off her forehead.

[Kadyn] - "I could really use a kiss right now. I miss your touch and your warmth... "

Kadyn then rubbed her worn fingers against Mike's worn coat.

[Kadyn] - "If you were here, you could beat the crap of Jagger unlike me. Sigh... you better guide me once I get out of here. You better be beside me at all times once I get out of here. You are all I have left after all. "

Said Kadyn in a sorrowful voice as she gripped tightly at her coat.

After these words, Kadyn resumed her digging which was now reaching several metres underground. The monster of the above frightened her but the dreams of the beyond filled her heart with hope. She was determined to live, she was determined to make the most out of her opportunity. All she has sacrificed, all the sacrifices the people around her made were not for nothing. She will live the life she dreamed of.

To be continued...