Morning Confusion
When I opened my eyes in the morning, I saw Shira standing right in front of me. She had a knife in her hand, but confusion was written all over her face—there was no anger.
"You... you didn't do anything..." she stammered, "Nothing wrong, right?"
I instantly understood what she meant. She had collapsed last night from exhaustion, and now waking up confused, she was wondering what I might have done to her.
"No," I said nervously, "I just laid you down on the bed. You were really tired."
Shira looked at me suspiciously, like she still didn't fully believe me. Honestly, she wasn't wrong—being alone in a room with a guy you barely know, in a place like this, I could understand her feelings. She lowered the knife slightly, but still kept it in a ready position.
"Why... why did you sleep on the floor?" she asked, pointing toward the door.
"I didn't want you to be uncomfortable, so we couldn't sleep on the same bed. Now calm down a bit," I explained.
She gave me a shocked look, like it was the first time someone had considered her comfort.
"Ohh..." she said quietly and slowly put the knife down. Then, suddenly, I noticed regret on her face. I realized she must have acted so quickly—trusting someone here was a huge deal. Shira said, "Sorry... I misunderstood."
That was the first time I'd heard her apologize. There was genuine regret in her voice.
"It's okay," I said, smiling. "It was natural to doubt. Sorry if I made you uncomfortable."
Looking at her face, it seemed like she wanted to smile but couldn't—or maybe it was just my imagination.
The Planning Begins
We both sat on the bed, keeping some distance between us. Shira still wasn't completely comfortable, but better than yesterday.
"Now tell me," she said, "What's your plan? You said we could get out of here." (She spoke carefully, as if saying this took a lot of effort.)
I took a deep breath. "First, I need to know everything about this place. You've been here for two years, so you must know more."
Shira nodded. "I can tell you. But before that..." she hesitated.
"What?"
"That room... the one you came from. There was a strange smell coming from it. And noises. Did you notice?"
I immediately became alert. "Yes, I saw the 'AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL ONLY' sign."
"That room," her voice turned serious, "that's where they do experiments. When fighters get badly injured and are no longer fit to fight... or when they don't want to keep them alive..."
A chill ran down my spine. "What do you mean?"
"It means this place isn't just for entertainment. It's something else. Something scientific. Something... more inhuman."
I realized this situation was even more dangerous than I thought.
"Alright," I said firmly. "There are even more reasons why we need to get out of here."
Information Exchange
For the next hour, we shared information. Shira was slowly getting more comfortable talking with me.
"Guard rotations change every four hours," she explained. "At 6 AM, there are the least number of guards."
"What about the kitchen staff?"
"They come early, around 5 AM. They also make deliveries from outside."
I made mental notes. "Exit routes?"
"The main gate is impossible. But there's a service entrance near the kitchen. It's less guarded."
"Weapons?"
Shira's eyes lit up. "There's a cache in the training room. But the key is with Captain Morris. That fat bastard with gold teeth."
"I can handle Morris," I said confidently.
"But there's a problem," Shira hesitated. "The other fighters—they won't cooperate. Most of them are already broken, or they benefit from the system."
"Garrett: How many fighters can we trust?"
"Maybe 8 to 10. Not more than that," she said. And even that she wasn't sure about.
We'd have to be very careful about who we talked to.
I asked, "Has anyone else tried to escape?"
Shira made a fearful face and said, "Since I've been here, I've seen about 33 people try to escape. But none have succeeded."
I was shocked. 33 people had tried and failed—that meant it wasn't going to be easy. I was already feeling tense when Shira continued.
She said, "Those 33 people were sent to that same room. I still remember their screams. Everyone heard them. No one knows what happened to them."
I wondered how terrifying those screams must have been if even Shira was scared. I knew I had to find out what secret that room held—I had to go there.
"I'm going, Shira," I said, using her name directly. "I'm going to the doc for a check-up."
Shira looked nervous but then said, "Okay, come back quickly, Garrett."
There was genuine concern in her voice, like she was depending on someone for the first time. And for the first time, she said my real name.
I said, "Yes, definitely. Just wait for a little while."
I reached the doctor. He examined me—this time the doctor was different, an old man.
He stared at me intensely as he checked my wounds, then said, "Hmm, looking at your injuries, they're healing pretty fast. How are you feeling now?"
I replied, "I feel numb."
He said, "I didn't mean that. Anyway, I've changed your bandage. You can go now."
I asked for some bandages in case mine got spoiled again, then left. The doctor felt a bit strange—like he was studying me deeply.
When I came back, I had proper medical supplies—bandages, antiseptic, pain relief medicine. I had actually brought them for Shira.
When she saw them, she was shocked.
She said, "Did... did you bring these for me?"
I said gently, "Your wounds need proper treatment. You really need this. Don't refuse."
She looked emotional and said, "No one... no one has ever brought me anything. Not in two years."
"Now I'm here. You can trust me," I said.
She silently nodded, tryi
ng to control her emotions.
And then she said, "Thanks, Garrett."!