“Escape With Help”
Some three, four, possibly five weeks after my capture I am sitting on my “mattress” thinking to myself, planning an escape, when something new happened. Two guards were walking down my hall, doing their rounds I assume. When suddenly, they stop right in front of my cell door.
I don’t notice them right away though. To tell you the truth I only notice them because, the short, fat, and somewhat grandpa looking one spoke, “You there, young sir.” He addresses me. I look up to see who has spoken and to whom they are speaking to exactly. As my eyes, land on his face he continues, saying in the kind of voice a grandfather uses to speak to a young child, “We need you to come with us for a short talk.” I’m not used to anyone speaking so kindly toward me, or anyone here, so I just sit there and stare at him wide eyed, mouth opening and closing slowing, trying to form words, but un-able to. So I just look like a buffoon. The man standing next to grandpa, (that’s what I have decided to call him in my head) decides to speak up at this moment, seizing the chance to mock me. “Yes you, you stupid imbecile! Get off your a** and come with us now!”
Looking up from where I sit to look the man in his face I decidedly say, “No, I do not believe I will.” Grandfather looks down at me with a sad look on his face, although I have no idea why. The gorilla, his partner I guess, gets angry and tries to grad at me through the bars. I quickly push myself away from him afraid that he will kill me in his fit of anger.
“Come with us now, before I make you!” He yells still trying to get at me through the bars.
“Why should I?” I question him and grandfather.
This question just makes the gorilla angrier and causes him to further his attempts to get me through the bars. Grandfather suddenly does something that both surprises and touches me, he put a hand on the gorilla’s shoulder and whispered something I couldn’t quite make out, but caused the gorilla to stop trying to kill me, and for this I am grateful and can finally breathe easily. Grandfather then turns toward me and very kindly asks me to come with them.
I take my time and think this request over carefully finally answering, “I will come with you sir, since you appear to be honest and kind, I will not however go with your… umm… ah... acquaintance. If he is to come I refuse to go.”
After a few moments, of though the grandpa sends the giant gorilla away and lets me out of my cell, forgetting to cuff me as they had in the past. Although my strength is back and I could easily over power the man walking next to me, I can’t bring myself to harm him. He has been to kind to me. Instead, I try to think of a plan that doesn’t involve harming the old man. As I begin, to formulate a pan my escort to I don’t really know where, speaks to me.
“Young man what is your name?”
This question catches me off guard and I am about to tell him who I really am, but catch myself at the last second quickly saying, “I don’t remember my name, what is yours is I might inquire?”
“My name is Arnold Solvack, but you may just call me grandpa, everyone does.”
“Ok, sir grandpa.”
“No, sir, just grandpa will do. Now, tell me where were you born?”
“I can’t remember anything about who I am or my past.” I reply hoping he doesn’t notice the catch in my voice as I tell this lie. To my relief he doesn’t.
“Okay, so let’s just talk about what I know about you.”
I stop walking, swallowing hard. This is it he knows that I am lying; I quickly try to think of a way to get out of this. I decide to act confused and surprised in hope that he will believe my facade.
“What… You… Know… About… ME?”
“Yes, that is what I said.”
“Well then, let us speak, please.”
He begins to speak, “For starters I know that you were born into a wealthy family with a scientist father, and successful writer as a mother, and three younger siblings.”
Putting on a mask of surprise and excitement, like a child at Christmas I reply. “My father was a scientist? So, he helped cure diseases and stuff?”
“Yes, I would assume so. I also, know that you lived in a small town in Alaska where you consumed knowledge like a sponge, quickly following in your father’s foot-steps.”
“So, I guess that means... That I-I am a scientist as well?”
“That is does my young fellow, that is does.” He is silent for a moment then continues in a hushed tone. “But you already knew that didn’t you Jake Seilek? Young American scientist, one who has bred a highly engineered strain of rabies. Also, your father remembered too even if he acted as though he didn't, that is until those idiots tortured him into madness. ”
I freeze, stopping dead in my tracks. “Wha- What did you just say?”
“That you’re a scientist?”
“N-No, it was before that.”
“That I know you remember?”
“Yes! How do you know!? And what do you plan on doing with me now?”
“Of course I know, I have been watching you intently since they brought you here.”
“Since, they kidnapped me you mean, and that doesn’t answer that second question.”
“Oh, well I’m going to help you escape.”
I am very confused by this point. How has he been watching me? What does he mean by my father remembered too, did he act like he didn’t remember like I have been? Why is he going to help me escape? None of this makes any sense at all! “I don’t understand,” I begin, “why exactly are you going to help me escape?”
“Isn’t it obvious? No? I am going to help you escape so you can go create a cure for the rabies strain you created.”
“Wait just one second now. That isn’t not part of my job on the experiment someone else was supposed to invent an antidote for incase it was ever needed, not me.”
He gives me a look of frustration before answering, “That maybe be, but whoever was supposed to fabricate the antidote is probably long dead or infected-“ I interrupt him, “Infected?” “Yes infected,” he continues, “your poison somehow got out and has started what we can only describe as a zombie apocalypse.”
Now it’s my turn to give the looks, “A zombie apocalypse? You have got to be kidding me. This is some kind of joke isn’t it?”
“No, Jake this is not any type of joke, I am helping you escape so there might be a hope for the salvation of mankind. Now, stop arguing with me and let’s get a move on we only have a few more minutes to get you up to the heli-pad and away from here. This is your only chance of escape, are you going to take it, or do you want to stay here and become your father?”
I don’t even think about my answer I automatically agree to what he has offered. Then, I remember that I had promised myself to get out of this prison with my father. “But what will happen to my dad? Is there any chance he would be able to come with us?” I say catching up to grandpa.
“I am sorry, but there is no time, and only you will be going, I’ll stay and make sure not more harm come to you father. I promise” For once in here I trust someone. I just hope it don’t turn out to be a bad idea.
***
Before I know it, I am in a helicopter flying to a small town in Colorado. Who knows what I will find there, I just hope it isn’t beyond salvation. As, I sit in this helicopter, looking out its small window the full weight of the responsibility falls on my shoulders. Again, I find myself making promises. I promise that I will find a cure and fast. I don’t care what it takes I just know this is my entire fault and I am going to fix it, no matter what the cost to me.
