The Great Escape; Chapter 1

Chapter 1
Viktor Retciv

In some stories, the whole book revolves around one or two characters: what they're doing, what they think, how they feel. But what is really important to a book is how the two characters connect - or, in other words, meet each other. This is where one must introduce one character first, otherwise no one will ever get the story - in this case, Viktor Retciv. The man who is essential to everything.

***

Viktor padded around his room, running his fingers over a dry-cleaned tie sternly.

"Mother, I simply do not think this will fit with the whole 'old-fashion' thing, if that's what really is the 'daily theme day' at the jail, anyway," he paused, "but I do think it'd fit in if we weren't going to CLEAN THE JAILHOUSE."

He paced, hands behind his back, while his mother sat in a expensive-looking chair in the corner, sighing and resting her chin in her palm. Her gray eyes sagged slowly, watching Viktor's heels drag along the carpet. She put her hair in an old fashioned bun, tied together with a black ribbon - anyone could tell she is a dull women.

"Viktor, please," she sighed, kicking his feet meanfully, "you'll get stains all over the carpet."

Viktor hid his face in his hand, at the same time shaking his head and murmuring some cuss words under his breath.

"Oh, be quiet!" he snapped, stomping away from the room. "I just won't go!"

His mother smoothed out her dress that hugged her, but then billowed out into a puff of a skirt.

"We'll just find another person to clean the jailhouse, then," she sighed.

***

Jolinda looked from side to side, her bony hand grasping the end of the bar. Maxine mimicked her, groaning angrily.

"Food, please! It's past lunch!" she screamed, kicking the edge of the 'cage' - as she called it.

The constable walked towards her, his face red.

"Listen, punk, we'd starve you two rats if it was allowed! But, we don't want to break the law - unlike you. Your food will be here when it's ready, brought by the jailhouse cleaner today," he said through gritted teeth.

Jolinda sighed heavily, sitting on the rusty metal bed that was in the corner; no sheets, no blanket - only a pillow and a hard matress. Maxine kicked the toilet (that hardly worked, mind you) in anger and clenched her fists.

"Jo-lin-da." Her voice was almost scary with sheer hatred. "You, my - friend - are the only reason I'm here. If you hadn't tried to do that stupid dare! Then we wouldn't be here - or I wouldn't, anyhow, who KNOWS about you?"

Jolinda bit her lip, obviously not offended by Maxine.

"Come on, Max, we've only been here for 8 days, give me some time to think! Now, maybe the cleaner dude will help us -"

Maxine shrieked so loudly the constable held a fist up to their cell as he walked by.

"Do. Not. Call. Me. Max! My name is Maxine! MAXINE!! Get it through your head. Maybe I should start calling you Jo? Would you like that?"

Jolinda shrugged. "I don't know, maybe - sounds cool!"

Max shrieked again, hitting her head against the back of the broken toilet.

"I have a feeling," a voice said airily, "that you guys aren't supposed to be in here."

Max looked up brightly.

"Well, I'm not, but I don't know about her," she mused. Jo stood up quickly, narrowing her eyes.

"Shush, Max."

The jailhouse cleaner grinned.

"You guys don't look like criminals, either, so I believe you. May I have your name?" he inquired, staring through the bars at both of them. They both stood up, Maxine nodding.

"I'm Maxine - but ignore her when she calls me Max - and this is Jolinda," she replied.

Jolinda nodded, and the cleaner blinked in understanding of the two quarrels.

"I'm Viktor. My mother sent me here on force - she thinks I need to help criminals come to their sense. And, please, ignore the tie. She thinks there's a theme every day here; apparently today is old-fashioned." Viktor smiled.

Maxine's eyes brightened up and she pursed her lips together, as if she was thinking, and stuck a finger out to tap him on the shoulder. He raised his eyebrows in question.

"Do you think maybe -"

"You could help us escape," Jolinda finished.

Viktor sighed. "Well, I'm not sure what use I could be, but I could help. Yes, the great escape."

They all laughed, and the constable walked by, slapping Viktor on the back.

"Viktor, you're supposed to be cleaning, not making chit chat with these filthy dirtbags!" he lectured.

Viktor nodded in an apologizement, continuing to mop the floor along the hallway. Walking away, he waved when the constable wasn't looking, and Maxine waved back, grinning.

"Come back soon to help," she whispered so only Viktor could hear.