Chapter 4
Fear gripped her heart as she squeezed through the window opening. She felt the pain in her leg and looked down quickly. Blood ran down her leg like a river, but she just ran straight ahead. She had to get away.
An alarm began to blare behind her. She had a month before they’d ship the girls away to who knew where, but now that time was more than likely cut in half, now that she escaped. She continued to run as sticks punctured her bare feet but pushed through the pain. It was nothing compared to the kicks, punches, and shoves up against a wall she would receive and have received.
She was so afraid to see if someone was coming after her, but she heard the alarm shut off and then a gunshot. She didn’t think, she just dove to the ground,
twigs, and rocks scrapping her legs and arms. She scurried back to her feet and ran her lungs burned and feet ached. Low limbs slapped her in the face as she flew, causing more scratches.
She tripped over a log and tumbled down a dip in the land, splashing into a creek. She laid there on her back for a minute. Maybe she was the wrong one for the job. She ached so severely and barely ate enough to keep herself alive because she had actually wanted just to be done and die for the longest time. She had tried a few times in that cell of hers. She looked around, had she ever seen the outside before? Or was she born into the hellish place?
She struggled to her feet and climbed up the other side of the dip, dirt caked under her broken off fingernails. She shivered as the coldness crawled around
her. She bit back tears of pain and frustration as she limped away from the water. She wondered how long before she’d get to the road.
She didn’t enjoy anything around her because she didn’t know how to. As she continued around the thick trees, the sun began to set. She wrapped her arms
around herself, trying to ward off the cold, but it wasn’t working. She was so cold.
If it had been any darker, she would have run face-first into the run-down wooden building. She looked it over for a second and then went to the door, barely
hanging on to the building. She managed to push the door open a little and looked inside.
Every inch of the place was covered in dust, and everything seemed as dilapidated inside, but she knew she couldn’t keep going in the dark. She felt so cold too.
She squeezed inside and closed the door as best she could. She walked up to the cot, up against the one wall, pulled the blanket off it, and wrapped it tightly
around herself as she shivered again.
She knew she wouldn’t sleep, but she at least wanted to be a little warm. She climbed onto the cot and pressed her back against the wall, pulling the blanket
around her tighter. How was she going to explain to anyone that she had no clue who she was? She would get looks like she was crazy if she told them her name was One six nine. She shuddered and pulled her knees up to her chest. Then again, she probably was crazy since she was traipsing through the woods in a t-shirt and a pair of barely-there panties, who else would do that unless they were crazy?
Justin let out a huff as the sun sunk lower and lower on the horizon. Soon he wouldn’t be able to see. He gave up for the night and climbed up a thick, huge oak tree and found himself just as a thick branch. He pulled out a sleeping bag and draped it over himself as he settled back against the solid tree, but he knew sleep would evade him. He just didn’t want anyone to see him on the ground, especially the bastard who took precious Marnie if was indeed out there. ‘Don’t worry, honey, I’m coming, and I’ll find you.’
She stared at the door as the light just began to break the horizon. She didn’t sleep a wink, but she was warmer than the night before. She slowly untangled herself from the blanket and began to search the cabin a little. She didn’t know what else she may run into in the woods that may slow her down.
As she searched the cabinets and drawers, she found a bunch of canned food fruit, but she had no idea if they were good. But, if she needed them, then it was better to have them than not. She also had no clue if she liked the stuff or not, but she would deal with it. She continued the search and found a can opener and a brown, worn out bag.
She stuffed the can opener and canned food in the bag, and she’d make sure everything would be returned once she figured out where she belonged. She didn’t find any clothes, but she grabbed a couple of knives that seemed to be sharp and stuffed them into the bag also.
She glanced around. Nothing else seemed to stick out. Well, this was as good as it was going to get. She grabbed the blanket and stuffed it inside the bag also, just in case she was stuck outside that night. She carefully walked to the door, opened it a little, squeezed it out, and then pulled it shut. Hopefully, she’d find someone who she could trust, and they wouldn’t hurt her more.
Another woman would be the best option; men weren’t high on her list to have help her. She'd probably end up in the same place she was just at, or somewhere worse.
She glanced around her, she stepped into the stick and leaf-covered grass. At least there was light to help her see better than the night before. But it was still chilly, at least her clothes weren’t wet anymore either. She headed the direction she had been going last night.
The sticks poked her feet painfully, but at least she didn’t have to run. She just kept pushing herself. Anything was better than the continual abuse she had endured.
Justin groaned as he moved to get his things packed back up and climbed from the tree. He jumped down the last two feet, the ground solid beneath his feet. He glanced around and pulled the map out the chief had let him take. He scanned it a little, and he was nowhere close to where they had stopped searching. He huffed, putting the map back in his pocket, checked his Glock, and stuffed it into his jeans' waistband.
He began to head deeper into the trees. If he found anyone lurking around out here, he’d probably shoot first and ask questions later. He’d just have to make sure it wasn’t a fatal shot.
The leaves crunched beneath his boots as he tracked through the trees. He pulled the baseball cap down over his face a little as he headed into low hanging limbs. This was ridiculous.