I’ve been walking for several minutes and the shadows frighten me. There is nobody about. It feels too dangerous for me to be walking around in here. It’s not lit up, just me and the trees. I make the decision to turn around and go back to find another way to somebody who can help me.
I come back around to the trees near the building and stand shivering behind one and listen. It is so quiet. I can’t hear any cars or people noise. I move around to the side of the building, keeping to the shadows. I can make out parked cars ahead covered in a thin layer of snow, and once I take the time to look up toward the sky, I can see there is a city lit up with tall buildings farther down the road.
My teeth are starting to chatter, and I try to ignore how wet and burning with cold my feet and legs feel as they are subjected to the subzero temperature. I make a run for it, hiding myself between the sparsely parked cars. The snow is thinner here, so I can move a little faster. I take a quick look back at the building I was in. It is a printing business, so the sign says.
I keep moving, careful not to slip and do myself any more harm. This is my only chance for freedom, and the universe granted me this small mercy. Nobody is chasing after me. This is a good sign. I keep myself hidden as best I can, and then I walk out onto a quiet street and make my way around a corner, hoping to meet a kind soul who will help me.
I try lightly jogging, which is more of a fast-paced walk, as I hold my arm against my chest, trying not to jolt my shoulder any more than necessary.
Somewhere along the way, I have lost both slippers, and I hadn’t even noticed because my mind was occupied and thinking about freedom.
I keep at a steady pace, excited for my freedom. I have managed to get away from Mathias. I’m breathing heavily from the exertion on my body, but I am facing liberty head on, and nothing will stop me from moving. I keep hurrying along at my steady pace down the sporadically lit street, when I hit a particularly slippery patch of ice on the pavement and go down hard, landing on my bad side. I swallow the scream creeping out of me and smother it by covering my mouth with the blanket.
I feel stitches tearing, but I get right back up, ignoring the pain, and make it past another block. I can’t go back to being a prisoner. I’m shaking uncontrollably, but I push on. I am free, and I need to keep it that way.
There has to be a kind person like Miss Catherine, who will help me. I have to believe somebody will assist me. The streets are still quiet, so it must be late evening. I can see more lights ahead; it is busier. My heart jumps with joy. There are people crossing a road parallel to the road I am on. I tug the blanket down over my head tighter, trying to keep the freezing weather at bay, but it’s simply too cold outside to keep my body heat contained inside it.
I’m making my way to another crossing when I nearly bump into two people who are walking around the corner and talking. I almost stop to ask for help, when I recognize the accent of one of the voices. I keep my head down and make it across the road when I hear, “What the fuck?”
I start flat out running, my blanket discarded. I just need to get to those people as fast as my body will take me.
The other person shouts out that he will get me, and I hear the click of a gun being reloaded.
Mathias shouts out to the other man, “No, Kane! Not necessary. Put your weapon down. I’ll get her. This is child’s play.” Then I hear fast footsteps chasing me.
I have to make it.
I need help, but nobody is coming up this street. They are all walking parallel to my street, their heads down, huddled in their warm clothing against the freezing cold night.
Boxer has trained me well. I can normally run fast, and I’m giving it my all with my arms pumping hard as I ignore the pain. My legs are pounding the ground and I’m praying I don’t slip again.
I can’t slip again.
I’ve made it a block closer to the people, but it isn’t going to be enough. I refuse to make it easy for Mathias to catch me.
I have to try.
I put everything I have into reaching these people before a pathetic squeal escapes me as I’m taken down. I expect to feel the ice cold ground smashed up against my face, but I’m rolled at the last second and he takes the full impact of our fall on an ooph. He then spits out several words in his language, which sound like he’s cursing me to the devil.
And then his mouth is smashed into my ear, as he snarls in English, “You fucking little idiot.”
I can’t move, because his arms have me caged in, so I let my head rest on his chest as I try to get my breath back, and my body shakes for so many reasons. From the cold, the pain, my fear, and beyond any of those things, my loss of freedom. I am so fucking mad at Mathias and these people.
I am indeed a coo yon, a stupid person.
And then something snaps inside me. I’ve had enough. “You… you are the fucking idiot for being a minion to whoever your Master is.” I slam my head back against his chest, pounding it as hard as I can. “I am not the fucking little idiot for wanting to be free, for wanting to be happy, for wanting to be left alone, so don’t fucking-little-idiot me.” I don’t know where that outburst came from, but now I’m spent. My heart is beating too fast and I need to calm down. I want to be fearless in front of these people.
How is Boxer going to find me now?
I feel like I have nothing to lose anymore, because how am I going to be saved when he has no clue where I am?
When he goes completely still underneath me, my gut instinct has the good grace to pay attention. I expect him to roll me over and strike me for my insolence and for escaping.
I wait.
But nothing happens, and then he moves a little bit, and the next words he says shock and confuse me. “You stupid little rabbit, you should have run through the park.” His growl is muffled in my hair.
I am replaying his words in my head when I hear the other man approach as Mathias releases his hold on me, and I’m brutally yanked up by Scar Face. This time, I do cry out in pain and wobble about as it finally becomes too much. Everything starts to get blurry and my balance is completely off-kilter.
I’m held brutally tight. I can feel his anger washing over me. I look down at the ground, trying not to let it show how much I hate him touching me.
“Fuck sake, Kane, could you have picked her blanket up?” Mathias is pissed off. “Look after her while I get it for her before she undoes everything the doc did for her.” Mathias is on his feet and running back up the street, leaving me with the man with the evil eyes.
I can’t believe I’m hoping Mathias will hurry back. I am suddenly released and look up, thinking Mathias is back, just as a sharp, violent sting attacks my cheek, shocking me as my head swings to the side and I yelp pitifully.
“That’s for trying to escape, bitch.” He is boiling with rage. I can’t look him in the eyes, afraid of what I will see in his soul. “You thought you could escape?”
I know this man wants to kill me in the most brutal way, and he would enjoy taking his time.
This is the man I was warned to stay away from by the girl who was gunned down by this very man. My fear of him has taken a front seat as I whimper and stumble when he pulls me about by my bad arm. My good arm presses against the front of my thin white gown as it starts to get soaked with fresh blood while I try to keep the stitches from tearing anymore, and nobody is around to save me.
Not even Mathias.