Plip. Plop. Plip. Plip. The old pipe in my cell wept, creating a small puddle on the grimy floor next to my smelly mattress. This cramped cell has been my home for much too long, but I won’t be here any longer. Ever since I had arrived at Kenally State Prison on a false charge for murder, I had dreamed of self-liberation. Now, after 21 years behind bars, I had finally gained the resources needed to undertake the operation. Tonight, I will be free… and pipe, I’ll miss you too.

When the last head count of the night drew to a close, at exactly 11:36,  I silently crept up to the lock on my cell, and pulled a shiny, white wax key out of the pocket of my orange jumpsuit. I slid the key into the lock, turned it, and slowly pushed the door open. I winced, waiting for a loud creak or an alarm, but I was greeted with silence. I sighed in relief and continued down a set of dark stairs, approaching a long corridor filled to the brim with guards. I snuck past most of them, but there was one blocking my exit route. I unbuckled my belt, the polished brass buckle shining under the bright fluorescent lights, and whacked the guard as hard as I could. The man crumpled softly onto the shaggy carpet. I’ll make sure to get him a get-well card when I get out of here. If I get out of here.

The next part of my plan involved sneaking into the courtyard. For many months during our recreational time, I had been tirelessly digging under the sickly green artificial turf to get to a metal ventilation pipe. I then used some heavy duty scissors (They gave ‘em to me for good behavior) to cut through the thin aluminium plating. I almost laughed at the thought. Little did they know that I would be the one breaking out of prison.

I descended down the vent, using my vast knowledge I had accumulated over the past few months to navigate the maze of cold metal and darkness. After what seemed like dozens of blocked tunnels and dead ends, I finally arrived at the vent leading to the front entrance. I carefully unscrewed the vent with my tough fingernails, kicked the vent down, and jumped down into the lobby.

As I glanced ahead at the front door, I wiped a tear off my old cheek. After two decades, I would finally be able to see my family again. But I knew that once I opened this door, the alarm would go off and the guards and police would be on me in seconds. But I had nothing to lose. I forced open the door and hobbled off into the night, with the alarms screeching behind me.