"I know you're here because you might be innocent. I believe in your innocence, and I think it's important for everyone to give others the benefit of the doubt. That's how we can solve problems in our community. Even if someone deserves to be here, they might change, and they might be the one to help you achieve your goals. People can change," she said, and he nodded.
A small, strained smile played on her lips. She wasn't truly happy about being there.
"The funny part is, I'm here because I trusted the wrong people. I believed they could change, and that's why I ended up here. I believed she would change, but she didn't. She just wants to hurt people. It's all she wants. I don't see myself getting any better. I just want to fix this city, it's dying in mess. I need a stronger hand to push aside my emotions. Maybe then I can save everyone, show them the right way," he said, taking a deep breath.
"Exactly. You trusted the wrong people because you always have. It's not just one person, it's everyone in society. We all trust the wrong people," she said. Daniel immediately jumped in, picking up on her statement.
"Exactly, that's my point. Everyone in this world is a wrong person. Everyone around me, everyone, is always wrong. I try to trust them, and they hurt me. The worst part is, I tried to save them. I tried to save their lives, and the very person who brought me here, I saved her life, and she betrayed me," he stated.
He was right, and the lady understood what he was saying. She recognized the pain in his words, the feeling of being betrayed by everyone. He was right that people can be wrong, but he was also wrong in thinking he was the only one who is righteous. Everyone believes they are righteous in their mind also, everyone thinks they are the only one who sees the world clearly and so think la whatever they did was the right thing to do.
There had to be a way to make everyone see the same way. Maybe there was a specific action he needed to take, something he hadn't considered yet. Maybe there was a way to fix this, but he needed support. He couldn't do this alone. He couldn't be a one-man army against the whole world. No one could. Even if he was trying to save the world.
"That's it. I know that's what you're thinking because you've been betrayed by everyone around you. You're not the only one who feels that way. Just like me..." The lady said, taking a deep breath before continuing, trying to make her point clear. She wasn't the enemy; she was trying to be a friend, to support his emotions and his vision.
"I was once betrayed by everyone I trusted. And do you know why I say 'once'? Because it brought me to where I am now. Everyone I've ever supported, even the people closest to me, betrayed me. I made the same statement you did: everyone in this world is mad, everyone is a betrayer, and I'm the only righteous one. If that's true, then that means you're also a wrong person for me to trust..."
She stated, and Daniel looked at her with a calm expression. He seemed to be understanding what she was saying. She was making a good point, a point that needed to be considered. She was intelligent, and she could be a great help.
"I don't know if you're getting what I'm saying. If I truly believe that everyone in this world are evil, even those who betrayed me, then that means you yourself are also an evil person to be trusted, just like you feel about me and the rest of us. You can't believe you're the only righteous one. You have to think there's a way to change things, a way to solve this problem. You've faced issues, and you're not the only one. I know most of the people here are brutal killers, but some of them are innocent and don't deserve to be here too just like you. Now that you're here, I believe you're our only hope of getting out of this place. Don't think selfishly," she finished, leaving Daniel staring at her.
"Such a brilliant girl, with a brilliant mind. What a woman gave birth to such a beautiful, intelligent soul," he thought, speechless. She stretched out her hand for a handshake, and he took it.
"I'm Tina," she said.
"I'm Daniel," he responded.
"I know who you are, Daniel. The fate of everyone here lies in your hands. It's true, like I said before, that most of these people are dangerous, but they've spent their lives without support for their emotions, their dreams, their motivation to make society a better place. But if you can save these people, they can be a great help, a very useful help, no matter what they've done," she encouraged, making Daniel look around at the killers.
Most of them looked dangerous, even at a glance. Some seemed innocent, some appeared normal, and some you wouldn't believe had done such things. They might be innocent, trapped here with no way out, they all will be willing to do anything now to save themselves, to help themselves out of this place but it's not possible any more, but since Daniel is here, hope have lighten up within them, he could help.
Looking at them, Daniel had to admit Tina had a wonderful idea. The problem was, how could he possibly believe he could save them all? They were locked up, inside cells. How was he supposed to save them?
Not to mention, these people were the problem. They were corrupt, killing innocent people, stealing, taking what wasn't theirs. That's what he was fighting against. Now he was going to help them escape punishment? Where was the justice in that? He needed people to support him, good people's support not criminals, It was a difficult decision to make. He needed to think about it. He needed to think about how he was going to get himself out of this prison first before even thinking about them.
He couldn't see himself escaping this prison, let alone saving twenty other people. It seemed impossible. But he'd done impossible things before. Looking around, then down again, Tina couldn't see that motivation in him, the belief that he could save all these people.
The air crackled with tension as Tina stood close to Daniel, her presence a warm contrast to the cold, sterile walls of his ward. "I know this is a tough choice," she began, her voice soft yet firm. "You might feel like you can't even save yourself, let alone all these people. You might think they're your enemies, the ones you're supposed to fight against. But trust me, people change. I'll give you time to think about it. When you're ready, let me know your answer. Together, I believe we can get out of this place, and then we can help you achieve your goal."
Tina's words hung in the air, a promise whispered against the backdrop of their dire situation. Daniel, however, remained silent, his gaze fixed on Tina. His mind was a whirlwind of emotions, a storm of confusion and uncertainty. He blinked, trying to make sense of everything, his heart pounding against his ribs.
The weight of Tina's words pressed down on him, a heavy burden he couldn't ignore. He knew she was right; people could change, but could he? Could he trust her? The thought of escaping this prison, of fighting alongside these people, was both terrifying and exhilarating. He had to make a decision, and quickly.
The clock was ticking, counting down the hours until their final judgment. They had less than 48 hours before the inevitable verdict was passed. For them, the only possible sentence was death, a brutal and merciless end. Daniel knew he had less than 24 hours to decide, to formulate a plan, to find a way out. They couldn't wait until the last minute to escape; the guards would be on high alert, their movements restricted, their chances of survival dwindling with every passing moment.