Fueled by fear we took less than a minute to find the crack in the rock. It was no longer a sliver. The explosion had ripped a massive hole in the floor, and way below it raged a river. We walked to the edge of the drop and peered down. It was impossible to tell how far below the water was-its flow just a gray streak in the shadows. But the air was sweet and cool, the foam settling on our skin and easing the pain of our wounds.
There was no sign of Gary.
"You sure you want to do this?" I asked Toby. "You can't even stand, let alone swim."
"I don't care," he replied. "I just want to get out of here."
I nodded.
"You ready?" asked Zee.
I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. In that second a thousand thoughts flashed through my mind-the day I was caught, the day I arrived here, the guards, the dogs, the warden, Kevin being slaughtered, Ashley falling to his death. Monty, taken and twisted and turned into a monster, into a blacksuit.
Then I thought about Donovan, snatched in the middle of the night, awaiting the same horrible fate.
I'll come for you.
"I'm ready," I said. Taking one last look at Zee and Toby, I leaned over the edge and let the cold air embrace me. There was nothing but death behind me, and probably nothing but death ahead, but at least this way I would be free.
And smiling at the thought, I jumped.