Block the Door

Norm pushed his bed flesh against the door. It created a horrible noise and I hoped to God that no one heard it. "Could you be more quiet?" I ask, annoyed. "Unfortunately. I can not." "Enough bickering. Did you successfully block the door?" Olivia asks. "I did, but we have a new problem." "I sigh."What now?" "The only way out is if you guys smash the wall." "Can't you climb through to this side?" Olivia wonders. "Nope. I need both my arms for climbing. I only got one right now." I turn to Olivia. "Any ideas what we can smash the wall with?"

Muffled Voices

We had our ears placed against the cold wall for a good while. Right as we were about to give up we heard the smallest voice. "Who is it?" Olivia asks in a whisper. "I don't know. I can't tell, but it sounds like there are other people there." "Well, keep listening."  A few more minutes passed by of us listening to muffled voices. I took my head off the wall. "What if it's Norm?" Olivia shrugged. "It's possible, but we have no way of confirming that, let alone getting to him." The indistinct chatter on the other side of the wall continues, and we scratch our heads as we are unsure of what to do next. Then , suddenly the voices stopped and a door slammed shut. "There goes who ever it was." Olivia says. I sigh. "Now what?"  Our existential dread was interrupted by banging on the other side of the wall. Olivia appeared white as a ghost. "Don't move a muscle. Don't say a word. No one will know we're here." I whisper. "I know you're there." The voice shouts from the other side of the wall. I squint my eyes. "Norm, is that you?" "Yeah it's me. What are you guys doing?" "We don't know. We sorta found ourselves here. Who was with you?" I ask. "Some doctor checking up on me. I don't think he really gives a shit. You know, just checking up because he has to." "He didn't hear us, did he?" Olivia asks. "As far as I know, no." "How can you be sure?" "I'm a rodent. We have better hearing than you guys." "That works for me." I reply. "You guys stay where you are. I'm gonna find a way to lock the door and get to you."

Between Walls

The hole in the wall was narrow, but we were able to push in the edges and make it wider. On the other side was a dark, narrow tunnel. Bits of light would would shine in here and there. Olivia guessed that we were between walls. I placed my eye against on of the many cracks to check out Olivia's theory. I could see soldiers resting in their barracks. It was lights out which also meant that Olivia and I  were to step even lighter than before. To do that we walked ever so slowly. It must have taken an hour just to move a foot, but we reached the end of the tunnel without causing a ruckus . The only problem was that we were now at a dead end again, and this time there were no cracks in the wall to peak in. Olivia placed her ear against the wall. "You hear anything?" I ask. "No." I place my ear against the wall. "Do you have any luck." She asks. "No, but let's wait here for a minuet. We're bound to hear something."

Killing TIme

Some people can block out certain noises. I can not do that, at least not with clocks. I try. I close my eyes and think of a happy place, but that ticking noise never stops. Once you notice it, it is impossible not to. For me at least. Olivia has no problem tuning it out somehow. She sits next to me with her legs crossed in a meditative position. Good for her, but I need to do something a bit more drastic. I stand up on the couch and grope the edges of the clock in search of an off switch. No such luck, but I don't give up. There had to be something. Unfortunately my curiosity would get the better of me. The giant clock started to come off the wall. Olivia was still meditating, blissfully unaware. I shouted at her that clock was falling and we didn't have much time, but she couldn't hear me. I had to do something. I lept forward pushing Olivia off the couch in the process. A second later the clock crashed into the couch. "Did you do that?" Olivia asked about the wreckage. "Yeah." Olivia whistles. "Thanks for getting me out of the way." "I had to. You would have been squished like a bug." Olivia gets up and examines the new hole in the wall. "Well, looks like we found a way out."

Soldier Friend

Zip, the quite soldier with a blonde buzz cut studied Jones as he struggled to get on his wheelchair. It was more difficult than Jones had anticipated, and Norm noticed Zip's lack of effort to help. "Ain't you gonna help?" "Pipe down.He has it." Zip snaps. "Yeah, I do. Why don't you mind your business?You disgusting rodent." Norm knew that Jones was playing them, still the comment did not sit well with him. Unfortunately his annoyance was obvious to Zip. "Something bothering you?" Norm did not respond. "I said is something bothering you?" "No, not at all." Zip gets in Norm's face. "You don't like being called a rodent, do you?" "Can't say I do." "Well that's too bad." Jones is finally sitting in the wheelchair. Zip walks behind Jones and starts to push him. "You are a rodent. I will not call you anything else." "That's fine, but where are you going?" Norm asks, changing the subject. "You don't need to know." Jones says coldly. With that Jones and Zip exit the room, leaving Norm alone. "What have I created?"

Bad Plan

"What do you think Davies wants from him?" Jones asks Norm. "I don't know. Probably the same thing he wants from you." "And that would be?" Norm sits up. "You can not be this dense." "What?" "He wants you to fight for him, again." "I get that. I mean I am a soldier after all. But why would they want that guy? Why would they want him to fight?" Jones questions. "They probably see him as someone they can easily manipulate." Jones sighs. "I suppose you're right,but what do we do now?" "You go with them." "Excuse me?" "You heard me. You're gonna go with them. When Davies comes back your stomach will be much better, and fix that wheelchair. What the hell were you planning on doing with that?" "I was going to beat him over the head with the wheel." Jones says, defiantly. "Yeah, and then what?" What do you mean?" "After you beat Davies over the head were you planning on doing the same thing with everyone else? You know, just hobbling along on one leg, bashing every single soldier with a pillowcase?" "I suppose it's not the most well thought out plan." Jones admits. "No it's not. In fact it's suicide." "Okay I won't do that. I'll join Davies, then what?" "Then you act like you absolutely despise me. I'll do the rest."

New Position

Initially Davies and Todd did not see eye to eye, but it did not take long at all for Davies to sway Todd's view. On the way up to Eagle Eye's office, Davies filled Todd's head with ideas of finally getting the respect he deserves. The door to the office was ajar, suggesting that Eagle Eyes was waiting for them. Davies pushed the door all the way open. This time Eagle Eyes did not have his back to anybody. Instead he was seated at the window sill, admiring the newly lit city. Neither Davies nor Todd said a word. They waited a minute for Eagle Eyes to speak. "This was all my doing." He says, looking out the window. "And what glorious work it is." Davies replies. Eagle Eyes turns his attention to Todd. "Your employee had a chance to be in on this. You know, the one with the red cape?" "I think I know who you are talking about." Eagle Eyes nods. "He could have been a part of this, but he refused to help." "What exactly did you want him to do?" Todd asks. "It does not matter." Eagle Eyes takes a pause before continuing. "Is it true he was a general?" "Yes, technically." "What do you mean technically?" Eagle Eyes questions. "It was a merely a strategy he did to save his own skin. He knows nothing of the art of war, or much else for that matter." "That's obvious." Eagle Eyes snickers. He then stands up and walks toward Todd. "I know a bit about you as well." "What do you know?" Todd asks, nervously. "I know that you were in charge of the health and wellness of many people, but I don't care to go into the abstract right now." "What do you want to know then?" "I've done some research and I've noticed every single building you've worked in was destroyed in some way. You want to know what I think?" Todd gulps. "It's those clowns you've been hanging around with. They are responsible, not you. You create. You don't destroy." "I certainly try to create." "You do. You create, and you create well. That's why you will make a newer, stronger fortress for us." "I suppose I could." Eagle Eyes half smiles. "You will. Davies will make sure of it." Todd glances back at Davies to see him cracking his knuckles.