n the ventilator cord. Her heart seized in her

n look for her coat. She stumbled out of

ecurity. Relying on her memory of the penthouse layout, she sprinted toward the kitchen, pushing

too loudly and made her already trembling legs dangerously unstable. She kicked them off, leaving them on the landing, and continued descending barefoot, her hands draggi

on maintenance gate in the underground garage, and dragge

ainst the side of a yellow c

the backseat. She dug into her pockets, pulled out the few crumpled twenty-dollar

ignoring the receptionist as she used the hallway walls to support her failing body, inching her way desperately toward the VVIP wing.

d shot out, grabbed a fistful of her hair, and

head bouncing off the dry

her, her face twis

disappear for a whole day? My Brittanie had to suffe

scalp. She grabbed Glendora's wrist w

d, her voice shaking. "Show me the

ed out her phone and tappe

till in the hospital bed. The machine was pu

She slumped against the wall, cold sweat s

ith shifty eyes stepped out. He was a black-market doctor,

are losing time," the

by the arms and dragged her into the adjacent blood-draw room,

next room. Brittanie was sitting up in bed, scrolling

against the orderlies. "You're lying! You'r

ie hard across the face. The sharp

d maliciously. "Remember who holds yo

ed Allie's arm and jammed a massive,

began flowing through the t

. As the blood rapidly drained from her body, the room began t

llie let out a weak breath, thinking it

hand down on her shoulde

ped the full bag for a

eyes widening in pure horror. "You can't

wn, her face inche

a whispered like a demon. "If you die, I'll jus

the last remaining piece

d down her pale cheeks. She went completely limp i

ace of color vanished from Allie's lips. Her breathin

finger began to beep frantically

e quickly pulled the needle out. "That's it.

tor. "Lock this door from the outside. Let her rot in here until we get paid. If she dies, just dump her in the alley," she comm

reezing room. No bandage was applied to

nd and pressed her thumb hard against th

ing the crushing wave of uncons

ment her bare feet touched the floor and

llapsed heavily onto the freezing ti