Barely ten more minutes had passed before personnel started getting in their cars to head home. Dr. Kilby came out fairly quickly as one of the first groups to leave. He got into the driver's seat and, without a glance towards the back of the car, started the engine. There was a checkpoint at the end of the parking garage, but the guard didn't even notice him.

Luan questioned how easy it was. Surely it had to be harder to escape? Hos anxiety grew as they traveled through slow traffic. By the time the long car ride ended, Luan had developed a nervous tremble. Dr. Kilby did not even appear to notice the slight shuffling of Luan's clothes. The man exited the car.

Filled with a need to get rid of his nervous energy, Luan swiftly wriggled out and gazed through the window. Dr. Kilby's shoulders were slouched and he walked forward with a slight drag incorporated into his gait. Something bigger must be going on in his life than just the trunk not locking. Luan hoped he hadn't also cost Dr. Kilby his job. Thought of turning himself in to prevent that possibility filled Luan's mind. The problem was, Luan wanted to be selfish. And hadn't he already set being selfish into motion by leaving in the first place? He should have worried about morals earlier; he wasn't turning back now. Luan said a silent sorry to Dr. Kilby before making his way out of the car.

 Luan found himself on a street bordered by smaller but well-maintained houses. Most of the houses had opened windows and he could hear families chatting. If the windows were open, he could be seen and remembered. This would most likely help the facility find him. He needed to go somewhere he couldn't be seen. Unfortunately, Luan didn't see anywhere suitable.

Despite his apprehension at being seen, he decided it was best to wander around the neighborhood. The first place he saw was a playground, but he didn't want to have to constantly hide while kids played. Next, he came across a house with signs saying that it was up for rent. However, he was sure the facility would look in places like those and he'd have to leave if a family rented it.

As he moved on, a group of kids younger than him biked by, startling him. They barely gave Luan a glance. A smile grew on his face as he waved at their retreating backs, even if they didn't see it. He didn't want to be seen, but there was something about the interaction that felt so new to him, he couldn't help but feel happy. Luan continued with a slight skip to his step.

Not long after, he noticed that the houses were farther and farther apart while there were more trees. He was reaching a forest! Luan was sure the tree foliage would provide cover and that he would find some good hiding spots. At some point, he had even read about which plants were edible, surely he would remember a few of them. Actually, maybe not, but he could probably handle the more harmful ones better than others. With his decision, Luan slipped between the closest trees.

The shade cast by the tall trees brought the temperature down, causing Luan to huddle into his jacket. It was sometime in early fall, Luan paid more attention to the time of day than which day, and the nights were steadily getting colder. Luan had never been one for the cold, preferring warmth and fuzzy blankets. Nonetheless, he pushed the coolness away and trudged deeper towards the thicker parts of the forest. His plan was to keep walking until it was too dark for even his cat-like eyes to see. Then, he would curl up somewhere relatively safe to sleep.

The plants around him amazed him. Even though he had seen pictures and a few house plants, his experiences paled to the real thing. Without question, He would have stayed frozen in awe at the reds, golds, and greens swirling around him if it had been broad daylight. It was a truly magical sight for him and he gawked at all the plants and small creatures he came across. He was distracted enough to trip on the roots several times. One time, he had to go back and find his slipper which had fallen off.

After about an hour in the forest, Luan decided to give his feet a rest. Positioning himself at the base of a tree, Luan slowly let out a breath. The thought that he had escaped fully hit him at that moment. Luan grinned as a giddy feeling overcame him and he let out a few giggles. He wasn't in the facility! There were no cameras to watch him, no required activities, and no people he had to report about himself to. He had complete control of his activities and also got to explore the world a bit. At some point, he'd probably get lonely, but he'd just try to find some city or town to visit for a day. Furthermore, if something really bad happened or he could not take care of himself, Luan was certain he could find a way back to the facility.

Or maybe the facility would find him first. A mechanical whir filled the air. Through the leaves, Luan could just barely see a helicopter lit by its own lights. Luan hopped to his feet. His break was over.