lastic blinds of Chloe's cramped shared apartment. She woke

d the faucet on cold and splashed water onto her face over and over, des

plain gray hooded sweatshirt and a pair of faded, worn-out j

soft towel and hid it in the deepest corner of her

ll kitchen table. The screen lit up with the

ing her vocal cords to relax b

to meet her later that morning at the plaza outside The

tory group project, she would lose her college scholarship, and without that money, she wo

h sketchbooks and pencils, locked her ap

Chapel was packed. White doves fluttered around the large stone fount

of normal life finally loosened th

the fountain. Shirley wore a bright yellow sun

o her lips and picked up her p

hen a black Ford van with no license pla

ainst the curb, stopping vio

ng. Two massive men wearing black ski

s huge hand clamped over her mouth, swallowing her scream before it co

r veins turned to ice. The terror from the alle

run. She gripped the straps of her heavy canvas bag and swung it wit

metal pencil case, smashed directly into Alva

bbed a fistful of Chloe's long hair

alp. Tears sprang to her eyes, but she fought

A few people started screaming and runnin

hick, muscular arm and brought a heavy fi

skull. The physical blow instantly severed her ne

p like a broken ragdoll. Alvaro caught her around

sliding the heavy d

ing a cloud of acrid white smoke as it merged

haos. A few white doves

te. The wind blew the cover of her sketchbook