A Breakout

• Jake Todaro, Grade 7
• Short Story
• 2017

“JACK! JACK MARTIN, PLEASE WAKE UP!”
I crawled further under the covers to sleep.
“Jack, we haven’t much time,” the voice came again. I gave up hiding and woke to see a chestnut brown beagle sitting on the foot of my bed.
Had it talked?
“You need to come with me and quick,” it said again in a heavy British accent.
It had.
“You need not need to understand, just come!” A knock came onto the door.
“Jack, breakfast.”
“Please come with me! I need you to come right now. The end of the world is upon us!” The door creaked open and the dog said two words that may change my world before it vanished.
“Find me.”
Not knowing if that was a dream, I went outside the door into a shared hallway greeted my Doctor Lucia. Yeah, I’m in a Mental Health care clinic. Not wanted by anyone, and I have never spoken in my life. I have never found a reason to speak, not to anyone here that is.
“Ah, Jack! Breakfast is downstairs!” I didn’t speak to him. I never speak to him, nor anyone else here. No one is sure if I can speak, but if I were to, it wouldn’t be to him.
Every day is the same, breakfast, rehabilitation, dinner, bed. All except for one thing. I found a way out. Every month, a supply truck comes, and the next one is tomorrow. If I manage to intercept it, I can make a break for it.
My day gets from crazy to crazier as it goes on. First, the birds start talking to me, then other animals. My minds draws from the dog all day and I decide to take action. I will find him. All I need are supplies.
Midnight dawns, as I managed to hide from hall patrol, I learnt to sneak into the sport’s closet where I collected a duffel bag. Crossing the floors towards the lunchroom, my footing slipped and I hit the floor with a thud.
“WHO’S THERE?” Patrol yelled after me, so I picked up the pace.
“Run Jack!” a voice said to me and a swarm of bids went for my pursuer, I picked up the pace to round a corner to come face to face with another guard.
With no time to spare, I dived under his legs, having a kick for good measure and continued to the truck, parked outside. But that didn’t stop them chasing me.
I had actually made it. With guards close behind, I rushed into the back of the truck as it lurched off. About to be caught, I jammed the door close as the truck moved out of the compound into new life. With a small sleep, after an hour I opened the truck container door and jumped out onto the grass. Facing the sunset, animals talking to me, I knew what I had to do. I set out for the dog, needing to find him.
“I’m coming.”