The hallway. It seemed like a mile long. Twelve cells lined the right side of the hallway, all prisoners that were on death row. I was the farthest one from the room where the rope hung. That rope...I never thought a rope could take a person’s life, truthfully I never thought I would ever have the thought I would have to face that kind of rope. None of this was meant to happen. I didn’t mean to commit all those crimes. It was the voices inside my head telling me what to do. Those ignorant voices. So many voices.

  What did they want from me? I did everything they told me to do and now they won’t leave me alone.

  Only a two more days to live.

  I couldn’t stop imagining about that small little room with the hanging rope coming down from the ceiling It swings back and forth, and back and forth.

  Does it ever stop swinging?

  “Apollo listen up, I have a plan that will get you out of here.”

  Oh no, it was the voices again. It feels they are in the cramped little cell with me. They make me feel like they are enclosing me in this small little dungeon where they torture me with their insane ideas.
  I remember that horrific day, the day that I ended up in the stupid, rotten place. It all started about seven months ago. That’s when the voices checked in into the mind of Apollo hotel.

  Who knows why they chose me instead someone else, this question may never be answered. Anyway...seven months ago, voices. They just gave me ideas on what to do. First thing they told to do was how to cheat on my AP history test. I was so stressed, I knew I was gonna fail, I didn’t have confidence in myself. Those evil little voices were so helpful… at the time, until they got wicked with their ideas.

  But many people hate me because killed three families, three people in each. I killed them all at three clock in the morning. They called me the Triple Threat. Because of the killings that were put into operation, (because of the voices remember) I was put into the Atlanta Penitentiary, on death row.

  “Apollo? I are you even listening to me?” It was Clayton.

  I gave all the voices names, I could mostly tell which one was which by what kind tone or idea they have, Clayton mostly gave the ideas so I could tell who the voice was this time.

  “What is it Clayton?”

  “I have a way to get you out of here, you are starving and look like a piece of china, if someone was so as to touch you, you might break.” 

  “That’s what prison life is all about, when you are on death row they only give you one meal a day, and since when do you care about my well-being, you’re the one that got me here.”
  “Hey there was more than one voice telling you what to do, and
besides I got a way to get you out of here.”

  “NO, I don’t need your crazy ideas anymore.”

  “Do you want to live or die?” Clayton asked in tone as if he was rolling his eyes.

  “Yes, of course I do, I want to see my family again, I miss them so much.”

  A gloomy haze came over me. All I could think about these last few days of my life was my family. My wonderful mother who is a 2nd grade teacher, my father was a dead-beat, my step-father who was the real father figure in my life was a surgeon. My two sisters who are twins are my best friends and I miss them the most of all.

  “Earth to Apollo, it’s Clayton here. Do you want me to tell you the plan or not?”

  Wiping away the tears, I choked out, “Go ahead.”

  As Clayton proceeded to tell me what his plan was, all I could think about if was how he had managed to come up with is pretty detailed plan. If I ever want to see my family again I might want to listen to him, and I better give Clayton credit for coming up with this insane plan. I was actually starting to believe that I might actually see my family again.

  “Wait, wait. So you’re telling me that when I steal the lunch ladies keys, once I get out of this nasty cell, you just want me to make a run for it?”

  “Basically. Oh by the way, you may have to knockout the lady out but I think she will be fine, I mean you did kill 9 people.”

  Okay, that comment that Clayton made was just rude. But anyway the thought of just making a run for it scared me a little, but I don’t know why.

  “Apollo you will be just fine, if you get caught I bet Clayton will have another plan.”

  This was Andrea. She was the comforting voice, but she probably was the most dangerous voice in my head. She seemed so innocent but she wasn’t. She was basically peer pressuring me, but much worse. I thought she would be the one who tried to talk me out of committing those crimes, but I was undoubtedly wrong, completely and utterly wrong. She encourages me more than any other of the voices, she seems so comforting and safe, I fall for her tricks every time. I shouldn’t, but I do.

  “I don’t know guys, I don’t think I can do this.”

  “Believe me Apollo, this is a good plan.”

  “Yeah Apollo, Clayton has a good plan I even feel this could work.”

  This is Dawson. He thinks he is the smartest of all the voices, he thinks he is the best of best, that he knows everything about everything. He can get annoying, often.

  “Dude if Dawson thinks this plan will work then you should definitely go through with it.”

  I know this may sound crazy, but people already tell me I am crazy anyway so, why not, I’m gonna do this, I’ve got nothing to lose.

  It’s almost time for Operation Escape Death Row to commence.   The lunch lady will be here any minute now, I just have to be patient and wait.

  Suddenly I was feeling like my lungs were not getting enough air, my chest felt like it was burning up, like a hot flame from a hot camp fire was burning my insides up. I saw something out of the corner of my eye. It was her, the lunch lady. She was all wrinkly , and she looks likes she has been in the tanning booth a few too many times, she reminds of  one of those pigs the hawaiians roast over the fire.

  It’s time.

  “Now Apollo, just go up to her when she gives you the food and just kinda knock her out, okay?”

  “Okay.” I had a shaky voice and it was very hard to choke out that one word.

  “Just breath, in and out, in and out.” Andrea instructed in a very calming voice.

  As I saw the lunch lady approach my cell. I walked towards my cell door, waiting. *I can do this, it’s for my family.* She finally got to my cell and passed me my food. I jumped into action, I was fortunate enough to have her just close enough where I could knock her out, step one complete. It was feeling as if I was blessed or something because her keys were near the bottom of my cell door, just enough so I could reach. I unhooked her keys from her belt of her dull white skirt, her outfit reminds me of the outfits of the lunch ladies at my old middle school in Tucker Georgia.

  As I reached for the keys, I was shaky and barely could concentrate on what my task was. I was sweating so much that I could see the tiny drops of sweat drip off my nose, I never knew I could sweat so much. With caution I unlocked the cell door, trying to be silent so none of the ignorant idiots would snitch and say I was escaping, but that didn’t work. As I creeped out of the cell as swiftly as I could, but that didn’t work out well at all, one of the other inmates, who is VERY, VERY loud, yelled out.

  “OOOO! Apollo is trying to escape! HAHAHA!” His voice reminded of an evil villain's voice from a Disney movie, it made me jump a little but not causing nightmares or anything.

  Ugh, this was a major dent in the plan, most likely now I will have less time to run, the guards would come any minute.

  “Apollo pick up the pace, you’re running out of time, just run.”     This was Clayton, dang he is pushy sometimes.

  “Leave me alone, I have to focus if you want your plan to work.”

  I was so lucky because the door to death row unit was wide open, this was my chance to just run. I ran, I felt like I was a cheetah running to catch my prey. My adrenaline was pumping and I couldn’t feel anything, until a surge of energy run through my body, but it wasn’t raining, and I was not outside, what could it be? I was flat on the ground when I came to the conclusion that I had just been tasered and I had been caught.
  One day to live.

  It has been a few hours since my first attempt of achieving my goal of getting out of this terrible place.
  “It’s okay Apollo, Clayton has another plan in the making, I know this one for sure will work.”
  “Hey! I came up with the plan this time.” Of course Dawson had to butt in as usual.

  “I do not care who came up with the plan, I just need to know what it is so I can try to get out of here.”
  “Hold up impatient one, we still have to come up with the final detail.” I can’t really describe the tone of voice Clayton was using, but I know I did not like it.

  “Whatever, just hurry up, I want to get out of here.”

  “Okay, okay, when the guard comes by the left side of your cell, there is a button the automatically unlocks all the cells in this unit, so if you push him hard enough into the button, your cell will be unlocked.”
  “Okay, but if all of the other cells are unlocked how am I gonna get out quick enough?”

  “Actually this will work towards your advantage, since all of guards are gonna be looking for all twelve of you, it’s bound to happen that they will forget about at least one inmate, so you can hide all around prison and get out undetected.”

  “Apollo listen to me,” this was Andrea’s sweet voice speaking to me now, “You don’t have to worry or fret, we will all walk you through this, and help with your confidence.”

  “Okay, well when does the next guard come?”

  “Well if I am correct, which I am I would say right about now.” stated matter of factly and a little snooty as well.
  “Go for it tiger.” Clayton saying this as if I was a little kid.

  The guard was almost to the left side of my cell, gosh he walks REALLY slow. I creeped towards that side of my cell, and was trying to be as silent as I could, we meet at the desired spot at the same time, it was going to be easy now. I slipped through the two metal bars and grabbed the guard by the throat and forced him against the wall where the button, he had hit the button just right because, suddenly I heard the click of cell door, letting me know it was unlocked. Just as last time I slowly creeped out of my cell. But this time I didn’t move quickly, I slow and stealthy like a ninja.

  Slowly I scouted out of the Death Row Unit. One step, two step, slow and slower each step I took. Searching for a good place to hide. I already knew Death Row was the closest to the entrance because not many try to escape when they are Death Row, because usually they are not there for long. This is an advantage for me.

  “Hey Apollo, you are doing great buddy, keep going.” Andrea was being so helpful….for once.

  “Hey, Dawson here, there is a radiator just a few steps up, hide behind there and you will be good for a little bit.”
  “Okay, OKay, but you guys need to leave me alone so I can think.”

  “Will do A-Dawg!.” exclaimed Clayton in a gleeful voice.

I was dozing off behind the radiator, when I heard the buzzing of the radiator turning on. This meant I had to move sometimes soon. I had to wait for the right moment.

  No footsteps in close range for me to hear, this has to be the time. I tiptoed my way out, pretending I was a ninja again.           Tiptoe, tiptoe. I was in the empty, I hope it was empty. One step. Two step. Three ste- *creek*. Oh no.

  “Dude, shhhh!” Clayton spoke in a hush voice.

  “How about you shush. Apollo just keep going.” I love when Andrea sticks up for me.

  The thoughts in my head were clouding up my brain. Only a little bit longer and I will be a free man, at least I hope I will be.     *THUD*! Was that a bomb? Or just a door? Who knows but I just know it scared the heebie-jeebies out of me. This must be a sign that I need to hurry up.

  “To my calculations, you need to pick up the pace, because in about 30 ft I would say the entrance to the prison is to your right.”

  I think Dawson was trying to act super smart but I already know this, I think he just needs point everything else, he is known as Captain Obvious by me and the other voices. Like always I was just gonna ignore him.
  Run. I started running. I could hear footsteps, and they were not mine, they came from behind me. *I just had to stay with this pace, keep going Apollo.*

  I was facing the door to exit. On the other side of that door I could be a free man.

  But I didn’t make it to the door, I did not make it to freedom. I did all this work for nothing, all this work to get knocked out cold by the guard’s nightstick.

  Twelve hours to live.

  Plan 1 and 2 failed. I can’t do this any more. I mind as well just give up. I know everyone says “Don’t give up!” or “Try,try again.” Well I’m done trying, I am going to give up.

  “Hey bud, that was a good effort.” Andrea was trying to cheer me up, it wasn’t working.

  “My ‘good effort’ isn’t good enough, I’m not free from this terrible place am I? No I’m not, so don’t even get me to try again with one of your dumb plans, because we all know it ain’t gonna work.” I was frustrated and I knew they could tell by the tone of my voice, and I didn’t care.

  “But Dawson and I came up with a really good Plan 3. I’m 99% sure that it will work this time.”

  “I don’t care, I’m done. I’m with all of you stupid voices and I’m done with life, so leave me alone.”

  “But Apo-”

  “Shut up!”

  I pounded my head, but it didn’t help get the voices to stop talking. *thunk,thunk thunk.* The pain increased in my head but I thought there would be to make them, stop, if I just kept trying. But there was no use. They will stick with me forever…. and ever… ever.

  Wait a minute, if I just go along with may execution, maybe then they will finally stop, I might all alone for once. It would be wonderful if that were to happen. Maybe staying put would be better for me, I mean I would be dead in less than twelve hours but if I get a chance to get away from Clayton, Dawson and Andrea, it would be the chance of a lifetime.

  Ten minutes to live.

  Any minute now the guards will come get me from my cell. Any minute I will be heading down the hallway to where the rope hung. I still ask, does it ever stop swinging? 

  *rump! rump!* The footsteps of the guards heavy steel toe boots came into my hearing range. They were coming for me.

  “Prisoner 897713 please rise and walk to your cell door slowly, no sudden moves.”

  Dang that guard is tall, what is he like 7 foot? Jeez! And such a deep voice, reminds me of the Arby’s guy’s voice, but the guard is more bland, not very exciting. Even though this guy wasn’t exciting I still listened to him. Step by step, I took leisurely steps to my cell door, I was in no hurry to be sent to my execution. But sadly I got my door and they yanked me out as if I was a rag doll. The hallway. It seemed a mile long. Twelve lined the right side of the hallway, all prisoners on death row. I was the farthest one from where the rope hung.