Chapter 4

Paige POV

Pushing his motionless body off me, I sprang to my feet, shaking uncontrollably, the gun slipped from my grip, landing on the carcass, before it slid off his body hitting the concrete. Falling to my knees, everything around me was in slow motion, even the blasting of the ongoing gunshots, I killed a man... I killed him. Staring down on blood coated hands, I wiggled my fingers around, small sobs escape my lips, looking down at my pale skin above the stains, it looked like an apple that was dipped in caramel, but instead of the nude savory, it was scarlet and sticky, with blood.

Scrambling to my feet, I began to climb the fence again, desperate to get to the other side. Wincing in pain, the barbed wire sliced through my thigh inflicting me to let go, crashing me to the ground landing on the briefcase,

“Fuck,” I groaned, clasping to my lower back, wiping my hands in the grass Using the fence as support, I pulled myself up, clutching onto the briefcase handle. Staggering into the trees, I squeezed my aching sides, hoping I would make it far enough. Feeling how light it became, I glanced back at the briefcase, realizing it was opened,

“Shit,” I muttered, the lock was probably damaged when I fell on top of it,

Stooping, I looked over my shoulders as I rounded up hundred dollar bills, filling my pockets and anywhere else I could stuff money, I just need enough to buy food and pay for a motel room for a few days. They will be looking for me, so I have to lie low for a while, I won't make the same mistake as before, I am finally freed, and I decide to stay that way.

I have been dragging my ailing body for more than five miles, I can no longer hear the gunshots and that can be a good thing or bad thing, good that I am now far away from them and bad that maybe they now realized that I was gone and is now looking for me. Arriving at the end of the path, I was now standing in the middle of a park, couples sitting on benches, lost in each other's gaze. Strolling past them, I managed to smile, thinking to myself, I will have that someday, Love. The ideal man for me must be charming, but dominant in certain areas, he must be simple, overlooked... A hidden gem in a stack of needles.

Marching out in the streets I earned the glances of strangers, perhaps they were concerned, I would be too... A young girl with bloody hands wandering this hour of the night on the road, let's just hope they keep their mouths shut because Morris will not find me... I won't let him. Pushing the door open to a store, it was empty, and the night shift cashier must have not heard me come in because she is yet to acknowledge my presence. Unhooking a wool sweater from a rack, I slipped into the women's bathroom, closing the latch on the inside of the door.

No wonder people were staring at me, I have dried blood all over my face and neck, it must have squirted on me when... It happened. Clasping my hand over my mouth, sustaining my gags, I pictured the clear images in the back of my head, the neat hole that drilled in the side of his head, oozing with congealing blood clots, and the smell it carried... It was like a butcher shop, with a fresh kill but still, it was putrid.

Organizing the cash I had on me into one fold, I began to undress, standing over the sink, today I killed a man, and I will probably kill a lot more, but I survived. After I thoroughly scrubbed my self, I wiggled my hips back into the leather pants, slipping the sweater over my torso, pulling the hood over my head, if Morris is going to catch me, he will just have to catch me running.

Dumping the jacket into a bin, I kept my head low, walking out of the privy, grabbing a few snacks from the shelves, all I have to do now is find myself a motel. Marching up to the cashier, I lowered them on the counter,

“Oh my,” she clasped on to her chest, “You startled me, I didn't see when you come in,”

Of course, you didn't, you suck at this job.

“The shirt is included,” I muttered “That's ok, I can always punch in the details, I am just too lazy to do it sometimes,” she chuckled, trying to make conversation, as she flashed the items in front of a barcode reader, Glancing over my shoulder, through the display glass on the now lonely streets,

“Aren't you afraid? You know... to be out here all alone?”

“No, I am more afraid of my boss, than robbers, in fact, no one will dare try to rob his place,”

Spoken like a true accomplice.

“Who is he? Your boss?”

“That will be fifteen ninety-nine,” she uttered, ignoring my question There is a reason why this store is the only one opened after hours, it's either protected by a group of gangsters or its own by a powerful one. Sliding a twenty dollar note across the counter, I took the bag from her hand, she suddenly was becoming uneasy, and she couldn't look me in the eye. Ambling out of the store, I pushed the door open, pacing up the streets, whoever her boss is, he must be terrifying, she didn't use words, but her body language said it all.

The night was cold, not that I haven't had dreadful days, but I would rather be in a warm bed with a lot of pillows, watching TV, or reading a book, eating popcorn. Closing my eyes, my fantasy was disturbed by rumbling. It was a stray dog sniffing around, searching for food. Dipping into my bag, I pulled out a pack of potato chips,

“Hey boy,” I called out to him, but he ran, watching me from a distance,

Snatching the sides of the bag, it popped open, sprinkling the chips on the ground. Stepping away from it, I looked back, seeing him devouring it quickly, even the dogs know what over trusting someone can do to you. Lowering my head I kept walking, I couldn't find a motel anywhere, and the darker the night grew, the more danger that lies ahead. From behind me, a hand clasped over my mouth with a damp cloth, pressing it against my nose. Releasing the bag from my grip, I hopelessly try to fight, but I felt my body growing weaker... until I passed out.

Slowly I opened my eyes, groaning from the discomfort in my arms, they were being stretched... No, I was hanging from something. Trying to move I hear chains rattling, where am I? My eyes danced around the room for clues, but I couldn't see a thing, it was too dark.

“Two hours Paige... The last time it only took me fifteen minutes to catch you, but this time, it took hours, that's a new record,” the lights flickered on,

I was back in the dungeon.

Staring ahead of me, Morris sat in a wooden chair, Billy stood next to him.

“You set me up, you knew what would happen, and you sent your men in there to die, so what? So you can test my escaping skills?”

“People die everyday Paige, I lost some men tonight, including Peter... But hey, who cares, they knew what they were getting into from the start... life isn't a fairy tale,”

Oh, Peter.

Shifting my gaze to Billy, I could feel my cheeks getting red from anger, but his face was unreadable, I couldn't tell if he was faking it or he genuinely didn't care that Peter died.

“What if it was you, huh? Don't you see this man is a monster, and he doesn't care about you... Any of you,”

Lowering my head, I realized I was only in my underwear, that son of a bitch.

Hurrying into the room, was one of Morris's men, whispering into his ear,

“When I get back,” he stood from his seat, “We will negotiate how many whips you shall receive, you didn't only get some of my men killed, but you lost my money,” he marched out of the room, Billy following behind him like a lost puppy.

Trying to wiggle my way out of the chains, the sound of gunshots began to tolled outside, what was it now I thought, who else did Morris piss off. It has been fifteen minutes and there still a shootout going on, I need to get out of these— Running into the room was one of Morris's men,

“Paige... There has been an attack, Morris said you should run, don't look back just run, I am going to let you down—”

Before I could respond, blood splashed across my face, a few drops landing on my lips, my ears were shrieking due to the proximity of the gunshot. Looking down on the man's body, blood leaked from his head, pooling around his face. My lips trembled, staring at the man fixed at the doorway, it wasn't one of Morris's men, and although he already killed his threat, his gun was still pointed at me.