Freedom

One of the guards had looked over towards Azra and asked. "Why are you out here? Has your guardian left you on your own."

He paused for a moment and thought to himself. 'Oh right.. she probably will not understand. How should I handle this?'

Azra was usually kept by the side of the doctor unless he had left her in a room on her own while he was busy.

It was a strange sight to see her alone in the hallway and nobody had ever seen her talk or properly respond to others besides the doctor.

He was uncertain if he should go to see how the doctor would deal with things, if he should leave things alone, if he should try to help her or if he should ask others how they should handle her during the time that the doctor would be busy.

When the doctor was busy, he usually did not like to be disturbed so the guard was hesitant to do that.

He was left surprised when the ashen white haired girl had suddenly reached into her pocked and shuffled some cards in her hand until she found the right one. "…"

It was the first time that the girl had responded to anyone so he was surprised and almost everyone had believed that she had some form of mental disability, was lacking in social skills or was a mute.

Seeing the card in front of him, he had suddenly started to believe that she was possibly a mute so he read the card. 'Running an errand, need to go back home to pick something up for the doctor. I can handle the walk there.

The doctor will be busy for another hour so he does not wish to be disturbed. An email has been sent to inform the director of this. Identity card has been passed over as proof so that there are no delays.'

Azra showed the identity card that was hanging around her neck along with her own then placed the card on top of the others in her hand.

The guard looked over her and then nodded. "I guess that he is far too busy today. Alright, let me escort you. Follow me."

The face of Azra did not change in response to what he had said but she briefly raised a card up that had [Thank you.] printed on it before placing it back on the cards.

The guard showed a slight smile. "Do not worry about it. I cannot just let a little lady like yourself walk around on her own. Are you certain that you have to walk? I can call you a ride or maybe someone can take you there that is not so busy?"

Azra picked out a card that had [No need. I can manage on my own.] printed on it then lowered her head as she put it back within the card. 'He seems so nice and human here but I already know his true face that he shows to the people kept prisoner here.

It is so easy to forget that these monsters have a life outside of this place and may even have a loving family waiting for them at home. I do not know whether to be jealous of what they have or just sickened that they can get to live that kind of life when they are like this.'

The guard turned his back on her and he played the role what was needed as he did the explaining for her and walked her right out of the front door.

Each time that they stopped at the bolted locked doors that needed a key to open or had to be unlocked from the other side was a nerve racking experience for Azra.

Every slight delay to her being one step closer to the outside was another second that there could be an alarm going off suddenly and the whole institute being put on lock down.

Azra may have bought an hour or more for his body to not be discovered but there were always other unpredictable variables involved that would lead to his early discovery.

Azra walked outside of the gate that had opened her and a sense of freedom had hit her suddenly which made her want to smile but her stiff face would not allow it. 'Ah sweet freedom!'

Since she was turning sixteen soon, she did not yet have a driving license and she hardly had an opportunity to get lessons so all she could do for the time being was walk.

The doctor lived around five to ten minutes away by foot so it was not all that bad for her but if he had lived further away then she could have walked to the nearest bus station or taxi spot.

Her foot stepped forward when a voice came from behind. "Hey!"

The guard who had came with her had been talking to the person who worked on the gate then came running behind her. "I can take you there and back quickly if you really need it. A kid like you should not be wandering off on her own, I am sure that the doctor will not be too happy to hear that nobody had helped you."

The cards were shuffled in her hand as she hesitated before picking out to cards that had [Yes please.] and [Thank you.] printed on them.

The guard waved towards her and said. "Follow me. My car is just around the corner. Do you have an address or can you point which way to go?"

Azra handed over a card to him which made him look over it before motioning her to follow. "It is just around here."

Once she was seated in the back seat, the car had started to move and the guard had turned the music on.

There was a photo of him, a woman and a little girl together that was near the driver seat then there was a bunch of soft toys in the back.

He put in the address into his location finder and drove there while Azra sat quietly in the back thinking over some things. 'Now that I am free, I have some more time to think about other things.

That revelation that I had undergone.. if it really is true then the world really is so much more screwed up than what I have experienced. There is always a chance of encountering that part of the world by accident so now that I know about it, I might as well think about whether I want to try to avoid it or step into it.

Who would believe me if I told them what I know? Even if they believed me then they would either try to silence me or use me for the information that I possess. If I want to enter that world then I really have to go all in without turning back. I cannot be soft anymore. If that is the case then what has happened just now is only the beginning and I will already be branded as a criminal so I cannot stop here.'

The car came to a stop suddenly and Azra was sitting lost in her thoughts, her attention turned towards the front of the car that had pulled into the driveway.

The guard turned around to face Azra and showed a smile. "We are here. Do you want me to come inside to help you?"

Azra raised a card which had [Yes please.] written on it. 'He knows that I am a mute or possibly disabled but isn't this a bit much? I have already shown that I can manage on my own without his help.

Her head raised to meet the eyes of the guard that was staring toward her then she knew of his intentions. 'Oh..'