After delivering food to Grey, I hid back in the cupboard where I fell asleep on the hard floor, only to be woken by my own screaming as the events of my time here compact themselves into a frenzied nightmare which leaves me gasping for air and clawing at my surroundings as bottles of cleaning products and brooms clatter around me.

Crawling out the cupboard, the sleeping corridors are eerily quiet. I walk past large rooms humming with the vibrations of steady breathing, soft snores and quiet muffled murmurs. Distant footsteps ricochet off the walls and I have to remind myself 'It's not Officials. There are no Officials here. I'm meant to be safe'. I repeat the mantra in my head until I bump into a guard. Jumping back, I stare at the large gun across her chest.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you." The woman smiles.

"You didn't." I lie.

She looks at me carefully her face changing in recognition. "You're one of the girl's who broke in and set up the cameras. Everyone would come and visit you when you were unconscious."

"That's kind of creepy."

The woman laughs. "I suppose. What are you doing up at this time?"

"Couldn't sleep."

"This place does that to you. Eventually, you'll get so exhausted you can't hide from the nightmares anymore." The woman nods in acknowledgement then walks away.

I spot Annabelle in the distance and she waves at me, pacing quickly in my direction before I have a chance to hide.

"Cady, I've been wondering where you've been. I really should check you over," Annabelle says with a look of concern.

"I've been busy." I shrug. Can hiding in a cupboard be considered busy?

"You need to rest. Let's get you back to bed and we can complete my checks. It won't take long."

"Maybe, later," I say, retreating from her outstretched hands.

"Yes, of course, later. How about we go for a walk now?" Annabelle glances at my bare feet. "One of my colleagues used to walk barefooted for an hour every day outside. Apparently, it grounded him and connected him to the Earth. He was hung for writing a series of papers which discredited The State's system of sterilising people with genetic disorders." Annabelle smiles tightly before shaking herself back to the present. "But I wouldn't trust walking around here bare-footed, let's find you some shoes."

A range of tattered, worn shoes in varying colours belonging to previous inmates who are now dead loom in front of me.

"Nothing was wasted in this place," Annabelle says, digging through a room piled high with shoes stolen from corpses. "Apart from lives."

I accept a pair of scuffed plimsolls, ignoring the crawling sensation of another person's life rippling along my skin as I place them on my feet.

Outside, we walk along the dirt ground. The early morning dew seeps inside my shoes. Off to our left, there is a group of people gathered together running on the spot. Teddy stands in front of them, engaged in deep conversation with Terrell. They're too far away to hear but I see the intensity in their faces. What are they talking about?

"Teddy's been helping to train inmates who are strong enough. He gives them Official training so they have more chance of being able to defend this place if it was attacked," Annabelle says.

"Have they not attacked already?"

"Not since we took over."

We continue to walk around the perimeter of the building until we reach a flat expanse of land covered in green and brown. In the distance, I see the wall, so faint it blends in with the hazy sky and the enormity of the labour camp hits me.

"A week ago, I was working in these fields doing fourteen-hour shifts. I was surrounded by fruit and vegetables whilst starving because everything I picked was delivered to the outside world. Now the maximum someone works in those fields is four hours. The food they tend to and pick goes into their stomachs. Hopefully, the fact we can be self-sufficient here increases our chances of being able to maintain control of this labour camp." Annabelle says. "Now all we have to do is wait for the other camps to also be controlled by inmates. Once all the labour camps revolt, we will have a direct impact on the food supplies which puts The State at a disadvantage. They will struggle to maintain support if their people start to starve."

"So you plan on destroying The State by punishing innocent citizens through refusing to hand over food."

"I'm not planning anything, I have no wish to be a leader. However, whoever does end up in control of this place would be stupid not to use all this to our advantage." Annabelle smiles. "What are your and Sienna's plans?"

"We haven't decided yet." I shrug nonchalantly. It's a lie. I have a plan: make sure Grey is as close to ok as he can be then leave, without him.

"It's early days, no need to rush into a decision. We're all still acclimatising to this new way. It will take time but I feel positive about the future." Annabelle stops and we face the fields.

My short rapid breaths vaporise in the early morning air. I haven't been outside for what seems like forever. How many days was I trapped in that room? I blink away the tears stinging my eyes as I force away all the memories of what took place.

"Teddy's worried about you. When he found you, you were half-naked and covered in blood."

I wince at the image my mind forms. "Tell Teddy I'm fine."

"Are you fine?" Annabelle asks softly.

"Yes," I say firmly because if I wasn't what could she do?

Annabelle sighs in what sounds like disappointment.

My body aches and I want to return to my cupboard of darkness. I want to get away from Annabelle's sympathetic eyes and her indirect probing. I want to keep hiding but my nightmare was a reminder that I can't hide from my own mind.

Annabelle frowns. "If you ever want to discuss anything, I'm here. After the suffering you were subjected to, it would be understandable if you weren't feeling fine." Annabelle stops and we face the fields, the rising sun warms my face.

"I'm fine," I repeat but I'm not sure who I'm trying to convince, her or myself.

"If you're sure," Annabelle responds, however, I hear the questioning of my sanity. Maybe, she's heard I've been hiding in a cupboard since I woke.

"Cady, really think about your options before you decide you're next move. I'm aware of your involvement in exposing the harshness of the Labour camps, you risked your life and you triggered the events which lead to us being able to take control here. I know due to this, many people expect you to go out and fight against The State but no one would judge you if you choose not to. Lots of inmates have decided to remain, for the time being, and wait for a bit more stability before leaving. If you stay, I know you will be welcomed as part of our community."

It sounds appealing living a life where I'm not always on the run. I glance over my shoulder at the dark ominous building and the gnawing sensation restarts, eating away at my insides. The problem is this place will never be my home but I'm starting to doubt any place will be. My home is with the people I trust but they've all gone.