Peeling off the vinyl skin, a sigh of relief escapes my lips. How the hell did I survive so long? I'm already tearing off the stained shirt as I slide the door closed behind me. hands still clammy from the ice. "That's gonna hurt tonight," I was told. "Yeah, can't hardly wait," was the only answer I could muster at that moment. Putting on a clean t-shirt, free of any logo or brand, gives me the short-lived anticipation of a well-earned rest for a nobody. The door does not block out the seemingly endless sounds, only muffling it, just enough to provide a temporary sanctuary for the weary. Reality surges back into my mind as I envision my escape route. The machine buzzes into life as I feed it my card emblazoned with a scribbled name. I slide open the door, body crashing into the foreign elements that have grown sickeningly familiar. Waving a mock salute, I smile and perfect my scripted lines to a tee, "See you on Thursday."

Run fast. Run free. Run now.