1 New Environment

I jolted awake, the distant sounds of talking could be heard. I slowly looked around, I was in a small room, the bed I had been laid on was small and uncomfortable. I slowly got up and made my way to the door. My head was pounding in my ears. I poked my head out and was instantly greeted by a blinding light. It took some time for my eyes to get adjust to the great light. I slipped out of the room and my eyes swept over the lush green landscape. The room was built around a giant tree, an ancient tree. One that had survived most wars. I looked back at the room, my gaze slowly stretched, room after room to my right and when I looked left I was greeted with a stairwell. I looked at the giant number five.

"The fith floor, and were not even halfway up to the tree." I thought.

I walked into the neighboring room, our rooms were almost completely identical except that it had a pair of white clothes folded on the bed. I slowly stepped into the room, I looked around to see if anyone would notice if I switched my clothes. I counted almost five minutes by the time I was done changing my clothes. I folded my clothes, I looked around for a bag or something I could use like a backpack. unfortunately for me the only other thing in room was a pillowcase. I put my clothes in the pillow case. I frowned it would almost be impossible to carry. I looked at the bed,

"anything else I can use?" I mumbled. "theee....blanket!".

the blanket was thin but barely long enough to hold the pillow and wrap one end under my right arm, and over my left shoulder. I stepped out of the room, and looked for a hiding spot for my clothes.

"Kids... a cafeteria??... no that's all too noticeable." I then looked at the tree.

"Bingo". I went over to the railing, vaulted over it and kept my grip. And I slowly yet quickly descended on the railings all the way to the first floor. I quickly realized that the railing was really close to the ground. I held on. I watched guards clamor up the stairs heading to the fifth floor. I swiftly dropped and landed on the soft dirt. The kids who saw me froze, I just ignored them and kept walking. I reached up to feel my makeshift bag, and I gave a sigh of relief upon noting that it was still there. I ran over to the tree, startling the kids who I ran past. Some kids were trying to climb the tree, I pushed past them, and started my ascent, I made a lot of progress

"Fourth floor" I remarked. A siren flared, and caused kids to panic. Guards poured into the field, kids were forced to go back to their cells. Some were hit with tranquilizer darts. I kept climbing, my whole body was burining, I was close to halfway up the tree, I didn't have to exert a lot of effort into climbing because I found branches and footholds to help heave myself up. I was super high up, and decided to stop my ascent and place my makeshift backpack down. I tried to hide it and cover it with leaves. But under pressure, and the siren blazing in my ear it was hard to concentrate, after looking at it from all angles, I noted that it was well hidden already and that it would be hard to spot from the ground. I started my decent, the alarm stopped. Each cell was closed and had a guard next to it. I started trying to drop from branch to branch this would help the speed of my decent.

"Third floor...."

"Second floor..."

I slipped, lost my footing and fell down the rest of the way. I was close to the ground I heard a sickening crack as I landed on my right ankle, I rolled over my shoulder. I got up and started dragging myself towards the exit. Coming from the exit, a guard dressed in red and black started making his way to me. I stopped my advance.

I limped my way back to the tree, we had eye contact the whole time. I turned my head in order to place my hands against the tree. I tried to use my arms and leg to throw myself a few feet up into the tree. All of a sudden he appeared right next to me, grabbed my injured ankle and threw me down to the ground.

I landed upon my back. I sat there heaving. The throbbing in my ankle was awful, the adrenaline rush had stopped and I closed my eyes. There was a ringing in my ear from when my head hit the ground. My vision slowly darkened... and I lost consciousness.