Page 6 of The Reaper's Vice

Dr. Kebler laughs like I just told the greatest joke of the year. “Yes, changes of scenery can often help people suffering from mood disorders and being cooped inside for so long. However, I think we’ll need to be a little more creative given the… circumstances.”

I continue looking out that window, rubbing the raw flesh along my wrists. “Mm. I don’t know. I think a change of scenery isjustwhat I need.”

Dr. Kebler’s throat bobs. His eyes shift nervously toward the locked door, where an armed guard is waiting on the other side. And I know what he’s thinking.Would the guard get here in the time it takes for me to lunge across and snap his neck? Probably not. The doors don’t open that quickly.

“I think I’d like to go back to my cell now, if that’s alright.”

Dr. Kebler’s complexion brightens at least three shades as he presses the call button for the guard. There’s a loud buzzer, followed by two distinct clicks as doors unlock and hiss open slowly.

I shuffle through the doorway, a manic smile spreading across my face as Joe, the security guard, leads me back to my cell. We pass through several more doors before we come to a long hallway with dozens of cells breaking up the wall on each side.

Inmates push their arms out through the bars as we pass, some trying to grab at me, others flashing vile gestures that aid the filth spewing from their mouths. I try to muster an ounce of fight, but I realize I can’t even blame them for their hatred. After all, everyone here thinks I did it. They all think I killed that little girl.Arelia.

And I’ve never denied it because… well, because it’strue.But it was in no way how the news outlets and the prosecutors made it seem. Of course, in Moriton, hardly anything is how it first appears.

Especially things that happen after dark.

“Pick up the pace,” Joe snaps, prodding me in the back with his electric baton. A violent pulse of electricity spreads through my body, causing my eyes to roll back as my body convulses involuntarily. A cruel cackle makes it through the thick fog of my mind as I writhe on the floor, thick bolts of pain causing my heart rate to spike and sweat to bead across my brow.

“That’s it, maggot. Squirm for me.” Joe sneers, digging the tip of the baton deeper into my spine. The world goes black for a few moments, and when I regain consciousness, I’m splayed flat on my side with foaming saliva falling from my opened mouth.Fucking nasty.

With a grunt, I shove myself to my feet, all the while trying to blink away the fog that’s overcome my vision. “You’re a real pissant, Joe, you know that?”

A snarl leaves his thinned lips as he raises the baton high over his head. “What the fuck did you say to me, maggot?”

I watch with glee as his thumb presses a button of the thick black stick, followed by a hum of electricity signifying he increased the voltage.

“I said…” I pause, trying to keep the manic laugh from bursting forth. “I said that you’re a disgusting piece of human refuse in dire need of an attitude adjustment.”

His eyes light with fire. “I’m going to make you regret that.” He adjusts his grip on the baton, his biceps flexing as he aims to bring it down on my head, but I’m faster than that. In an instant, I duck low, sweeping my body in a half arc and appearing on the other side of Joe’s baton. With a sick grin, I rear my head back, enjoying the startled look in his light green eyes as I bring my head forward, smacking into the bridge of his nose with a sickeningcrack.

“That’ll do it.” My smile widens as I watch his body slump to the floor.

I drag him by his collar into my cell, the sound of cheering and cursing growing to a cacophony as the rest of the prisoners realize what I’ve done. I rip the guard uniform from his body and replace my orange outfit with one of blue and black.

I’ve barely buckled the belt when the alarm goes off, the shrill drowning out the riotous noise from the prisoners and sending a shock of fear to my heart. But I don’t have time to be afraid. I don’t even have time to think as a swarm of guards round the corner, their batons raised with murderous snarls as they race toward me.

Instinct takes over as I grab the officer’s baton and click it on, smirking as a buzz of electricity fills the air. I raise it high, touching the tip to the electrical box just above my cell door.

There’s a blast of sparks, and then all hell breaks loose.

The cell doors throughout the hall short-circuit at once, the cheering from the prisoners overshadowing the alarm as they realize they’re free. A laugh peels from my mouth as I watch the officers’ faces fill with horror at the way they turn on their heels and try to outrun the angry mob of prisoners chasing them.

The men are angry, and they’re out for blood. I can’t blame them, but I also cannot participate.I have something more important to attend to.

Screams fill the air, thick with the tang of blood as I walk down the hallway, my eyes taking in the mass amounts of carnage with disbelief. It’s barely been a minute, and the prisoners have managed to tear the crowd of guards to shreds—quite literally. Body parts, brains, and sinew coat the walls, the floors. Hell, even the ceiling is spattered with its own mixture of human innards.

Police sirens sound in the distance, and I quicken my pace, pulling the key card from my pocket and holding it to my chest like the lifeline it is. Instead of using it on the main exit, I take a left at the end of the hall, leaving the screams and sirens behind and heading in the direction of the kitchens. With the key card, exiting the prison is a lot easier than I imagined—although, I’m sure it had something to do with the commotion I caused with the prisoners.

My hands shake as I push against the last door to the outside world, a new wave of relief filling my veins as I take back what was stolen from me eight long years ago. I step into the dusk, spreading my arms wide and marveling at the way the breeze kisses my skin. There’s a zest of cypress in the air, a faint chirping of birds as they bid adieu to the day with their joyous song.

As I look up at the purple sky, clear of the iron bars that usually impair my sight, it becomes abundantly clear.

I’m free.

My fingers find the set of car keys in my pocket, a smile breaking my face for the first time in eight years as another truth becomes clear.

I’m going to get a fucking drink.

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