The Reflections

winfry and isa had been in their cell for several days and it didn't seem like they would be let out any time soon. Sergeant Sombrero had visited them a few times but he wasn't able, or willing, to answer their questions. He said they would have to wait until he received further orders from his superiors. Sombrero seemed to be a few steps away from being a complete jerk, but a strand of compassion (or maybe it was his full face) saved his personality. Too bad he was completely useless. Just like their “librem” and “quilaire”

winfry had kept them entertained by telling stories from his past and his myth. isa loved his stories. And winfry loved that isa loved his stories. But after about a week of captivation, isa began to worry. Were they ever going to be let out? Why were they even locked up in the first place? If they didn’t get any citrus fruit it would only be a matter of weeks until they got scurvy. And what if there were rats in the prison? How was she going to deal with her upcoming period? And there was only so much comforting winfry could do. They needed to get out.

So winfry and isa began to scheme up an escape plan. It involved hording the prison soap, stealing two forks, a scantily clad isa and excessive heroics and cleverness from winfry. That plan flew out the window during the Assmachestani strike.

“You two. Get your things together. We need to move to the next tower.”

“But wh”

“Don’t ask questions. We don’t have time. Just get ready. Now.”

But that response just made them wonder all the more about what was going on that would make them have to move so quickly and the guard so nervous. And with their vivid imaginations, winfry and isa were having a series of waking nightmares as the guard led them down the hallway of the prison and to the entrance of the tunnels that lead to the other towers. They could hear the muffle of shouted orders from the floors above and every third minute it seemed they felt a slight tremor go through the building. Whatever it was, was trouble, at least for the Foggistani force.

winfry knew what to do.

After they strapped on their bags, the guard handcuffed the couple. But that wasn’t a problem for winfry. By the time they reached the tunnel to the other tower, winfry had picked the lock. (winfry had learned how to pick locks while living with a host family in Economic Elation. The patriarch of the family was the leader of the Slits hackers’ gang. In addition to teaching him about Elatian culture, the family taught him to pick locks and other tricks of the trade. It was definitely a good way to spend the first semester of his 3rd year of university.)

But even with the handcuffs off, winfry still need a few more tricks up his sleeve. The guard was still armed and still considerable bigger than winfry.

“isa” The guard had finally let winfry get close enough to whisper to isa.

“What?”

“Trip the next time you feel a tremor and don’t get up.”

“What?”

“Just do it. Trust me.”

isa wasn’t sure what winfry was up too and she would normally demand a much fuller description of the plan but the next tremor didn’t give her enough time to think about it. She let her legs twist as the ground shook and she plummeted to the ground.

“Get up.”

isa dutifully tried to get up but then collapsed with a shriek of pain. isa turned out to be quite an actress. Too bad she never tried out for any plays.

“We need to keep going. You need to get up.”

isa tried to lift herself and managed to struggle to her knees. But that was it. “I can’t do it. It hurts too much.”

“We have to get to the next tower before… We have to get to the next tower. Here, I’ll carry you.”

But as he went to pick her up, he lurched forward because his feet were handcuffed together. Before the guard crushed isa, winfry pushed him aside and kick out the rifle as he land with his hands bracing his fall. Before the guard could figure out why he was on the ground, winfry pulled isa to her feet, scooped up the rifle and dashed off down the hallway towards the next tower.

The first part of the plan had worked but it was a desperate move. winfry was counting on the rest of the Foggistani forces being too occupied with whatever was causing the tremors to respond to the guards inevitable calls for help. And winfry was counting on an emergency exit at the middle of the tunnel just like the one he had noticed on their trip through the last tunnel. And he was counting on whatever was causing the tremors to be a good ways away from the emergency exit if it even existed. At least now they had a Foggistani AQ rifle.

The emergency exit checked out. It opened in the hollow created by the roots of one of the wood’s gigantic trees. They hid in the roots until they were absolutely sure they were alone, or as alone as you could be in the woods and then the set out.

“Oh winfry, how did you get your handcuffs around his feet? That was so clever of you. And how did you know where that exit would be? You are so” …

They had escaped. Now they had to figure out what to do. It would be a lot more difficult to help Lithuania now. And of course that’s what they still had to do. But how?