Run

C H A P T E R T W E N T Y

One more time, Leah. Just one more time.

I encourage myself in my head before yanking my hands apart once more, finally breaking the rope.

My wrists are raw and irritated from the countless tries it took, but I'm free nonetheless.

I immediately start to untie the rope at my feet and jump up from the chair as soon as the rope comes untied. I don't have much time to do this, so I have to be quick.

A guard comes to check on me every hour during the night, and I've already taken up twenty minutes trying to undo my ropes, so I don't have much time left.

I run to the back of the warehouse and grab a burlap sack that's lying on the ground and fill it with the food I saved from supper. It's not a lot, just an apple, a bottle of water, and a granola bar, but it'll have to do until I get to the nearest town. And even then, I won't have any money for food.

It's fine, Leah. It'll all be fine. You just need to leave. Then you'll be fine.

I start the walls for a knife and a gun. Just ones small enough to fit in this sack and be inconspicuous. But it looks like everything on these walls was made for war. Everything was huge; even some of the knives were bigger than my head.

I only have thirty minutes left. I tell myself. Beggars can't be choosers.

I grab the smallest weapons I can find and stuff them in the sack. I use one of the ties from my wrist to tie the sack together and sling it over my shoulder. I make my way to the back door of the warehouse a slowly start to turn the handle, but before I can get one foot out the door, I hear a voice.

"Leah? Are you in here?"

I freeze. My head starts beating a mile a minute and my head swirls with all the possibilities of what could happen to me.

I could be killed. Burned. Raped. Beaten. I just wanted to escape the torture, but by doing so, I brought the worst torture upon myself.

"Leah it's okay. It's just me." I recognize my mother's voice now and I instantly calm down. I slowly come out from behind a small wall that is separating us. And what I see breaks my heart.

In her hands, she holds a backpack and a stack of cash.

"I thought you might need this." My eyes brim with tears and I run into her arms, embracing her with everything I have. She wraps her arms around me as best as she can and hugs me back. I feel her body start to shake and realize that she's crying too.

"Leah," she says through her sniffles "I'm so sorry. A daughter should never be put through this, especially by her parents. And I don't expect you to forgive me, but at least let me help you."

I nod my head while I wipe away the remaining tears on my face. I don't think I'll ever be able to forgive them, not wholly, but I need all the help I can get right now.

"I brought you a backpack, food, water, a flashlight, and cash. It should be enough to last you a few days. Oh, and there's a map and a burner phone in this front pocket. If you need anything you must call me."

I nod and hug her again, enjoying the feeling of being in her arms again.

She helps me transfer my food and weapons from the sack to the backpack.

"Oh, and one more thing," she takes off her coat and pulls out a hat and gloves from her pockets. "Put these on."

The coat was quite big, considering it was maternity size, but felt amazing nonetheless.

She looks at me again, with tears in her eyes and strokes my cheek.

"Be safe, Leah. I love you." I give her one last hug before I turn around and walk out the door. It's cold outside and I immediately shiver. I take out the flashlight and the map and try to figure out where the hell I am, but to no avail.

So instead of dwelling on it, I just head in whatever direction I deemed suitable.

********

After walking for a good two hours at least, I pulled out my bottle of water and granola bar. It was starting to get light out again so I could semi-see where I was going. I don't really care where I end up, I just want it to be far away from my father.

Soon, I can start to make out the shapes of buildings in the distance. Part of me wants to keep going; I've only walked for two hours and two hours by foot is not two hours by car. But another part of me can't stop envisioning a nice bed and warm shower. Yeah, a shower would be great.

I walk through the streets of this little town before spotting a small motel. I've always been a little weary of motels, but desperate times call for desperate measures.

I walk in and immediately try to soak up as much information as I can. The address, the color of the walls. It's always good to pay attention to your surroundings, especially when you're in a motel in a foreign country.

"Excuse me," I say to the woman working the front desk. She looks up at me with a slight narrowing of her heavily lined eyes.

"Sì?" Her accent was incredibly thick. And I could tell that it was going to be difficult to communicate with her. I've picked up a little bit of Italian from my time with Vincent, but not enough to have a detailed conversation.

"Um, I'd like to rent a room please." I say, praying that she knows English. If she doesn't I'll have to try my best to ask her in some very slaughtered Italian.

"Sì," she says again, before turning around and grabbing a set of keys from the hook behind her. "It will be fifty per night, per favore." Her words are incredibly thick, and mushed together, but I thank my lucky stars that we were able to make some form of communication.

I hand her the money for the night and she hands me the key. I flash her a friendly smile and head down the hall towards my room.

I stop in front of room 3B and open the door. The aged wood lets out a small creak as it swings open. I fumble around the wall trying to feel for the light switch and turn it on once I find it.

The room was cozy to say the least. A single bed and a nightstand were pushed up against the far wall with a TV  opposite of it. A small armchair and mini fridge were in the corner. The smaller than most bathroom was next to the ajar bedroom door. It was small, but it was infinitely better then being retrained to a metal chair.

I decide that a hot shower is the most pressing matter at the moment and make my way into the bathroom. Unfortunately, I don't have an extra set of clothes with me, so I'll have to change back into what I'm wearing now. But it's still better than nothing.

I start the water and immediately am comforted by the steam that hits my face. My shoulders sag and I let out a sigh that I feel like I've been holding for years. Everything is just, gone. Everything I thought I knew just vanished before my eyes. Everyone I thought I loved has betrayed me and I don't think I'll ever feel the same about them. How could I? My father's a murderous mafia leader, my mother's a notorious liar, and Vincent? Vincent's a liar, a murderer, a kidnapper, and an awful, awful person. He only cares about himself. And I don't think he'll ever be able to care for anyone else. He's too self absorbed; too unaware of anyone else's problems.

I step out of the shower feeling refreshed, but also troubled. I worry about the future; I can't live like this forever. Sooner or later I'll have to face them. But for now, what I really need to do is get some sleep.

*******

Okay first off, please don't kill me. I know I haven't updated in like 2 months but please hear me out. I'm not in any sports right now, but I'm still extremely busy. Since the beginning of the school year, I've been involved in student council, all state choir, oral interp, and the one act play. And throw all of my school work on top of that. And my church has recently gone through the murder of one of our members, so my family has also been busy with that.

I know you all probably still hate me, but please try to take all of that into consideration when I update late. But that being said I'll hopefully never have to update 2 months late again.