woke up

on the nightstan

spilled belongings from the foyer while she was unconscious. She looked at the locked oak door.

d photo hit her like a physical blow. She grabbed her

ran to the door, pounding he

ried out. "Plea

uard's muffled voice replied, devoid

her knees to her chest. She bit down hard

tearing across the gravel dri

Heavy boots pounded across the marble foy

r ear against the

mbling. "Stay here, kid. Don't move until I get back from the gate!" The heavy

s curses ripped fr

nt yelled. "Bring the secu

oor, followed by the slamming of ca

the entire security forc

into her throat. This w

the strength to fight, but she could deceive. Her eyes la

at the hardwood floor. It shattered

the half-healed scrape on her arm from her

ly, hot and dark, dripp

nto her back and let ou

by!" she shrieked, thrashin

blood and her pale, trembling form, hesitated. If the b

d. The heavy do

, his eyes darting to the blood on the flo

s lamp, letting gravity do the work as she lunged forward. The guard,

arp cramp, she fumbled through her bag, grabbing her

he hallway, avoiding the main stairs, and darted toward the serv

e door, and stumbled through the dense, thorny hedges bordering

toward the dark highway, hiding in

ast, she pulled her iPhone from her pocket

station. With trembling hands, she paid a cab driver in cash-the emergency sta

al, she bought a ticket for the first Greyhound

blending in with the exhausted travel

ack row, taking the window s

tion, leaving the glittering skyline of New York behind, J