28. KIm
I drop from the vent, landing with a soft thud on plush carpet. My heart hammers against my ribs as I scan the empty bedroom. Moonlight streams through gossamer curtains, casting eerie shadows across antique furniture.
"Come on, Kim," I whisper to myself. "You've got this."
I creep towards the window, my dancer's instincts kicking in as I move silently across the floor. The latch gives way with a faint click, and I ease the window open, wincing at every creak.
A cool breeze hits my face as I peer out. The ground seems miles away, but I spot a sturdy-looking trellis running down the side of the house. It's now or never.
I swing one leg over the sill, then the other. My fingers grip the windowsill as I lower myself onto the trellis. It groans under my weight.
"Shit," I hiss, freezing in place.
Seconds tick by. No alarms, no shouts. I let out a shaky breath and start my descent.
The trellis is rough against my palms, splinters threatening with every movement. I focus on each placement of hand and foot, willing myself not to look down.
Halfway there, a voice drifts up from below. My blood runs cold.
"Check the perimeter again," Sam's muffled command reaches my ears.
I press myself against the wall, barely daring to breathe. Footsteps crunch on gravel, growing fainter. When they fade completely, I resume my climb down.
My feet touch grass, and relief floods through me. But I'm not safe yet. I crouch low, scanning the manicured lawn for any sign of movement.
The woods beckon at the edge of the property, promising cover and a path to freedom. I take a deep breath and sprint.
My legs burn as I push myself harder than any dance routine. The sound of pursuit rings in my ears, real or imagined, I can't tell. Branches whip at my face as I plunge into the treeline.
I don't slow down, don't look back. The city lies ahead, and with it, my chance to reclaim my life.
I crash through the underbrush, branches clawing at my skin and snagging my clothes. The woods are a maze of shadows and half-light, the moon playing hide-and-seek behind wispy clouds. My lungs burn with each ragged breath, but I can't slow down. Not now.
"Where the hell am I?" I mutter, pushing sweat-soaked braids from my face.
The ground beneath my feet suddenly slopes downward, and I stumble, nearly losing my balance. That's when I hear it – the soft gurgle of running water.
I pause, straining my ears. The sound grows louder as I creep forward, until I break through a line of trees and find myself on the bank of a river.
"You've got to be kidding me," I hiss, staring at the dark water cutting through my escape route.
The river isn't wide, maybe twenty feet across, but in the dim light, I can't gauge its depth or current. A shiver runs through me as a cool breeze kisses my damp skin.
"Okay, Kim. Think. You can do this."
I scan the bank, looking for any makeshift bridge or fallen log. Nothing. Just murky water and the vague shapes of rocks breaking the surface.
A twig snaps in the distance behind me. My heart leaps into my throat.
No time left. I have to cross.
I ease into the water, gasping as the cold bites into my legs. The current tugs at my knees, stronger than I expected. I take another step, then another, fighting to keep my footing on the slippery riverbed.
Halfway across, my foot slides on a mossy rock. I pitch forward, arms windmilling. For a heart-stopping moment, I'm sure I'm going under. But my fingers brush a protruding branch, and I latch on, steadying myself.
"Shit, shit, shit," I pant, willing my racing pulse to slow.
The far bank seems impossibly far. My clothes are soaked, weighing me down. But I can't turn back now.
I push on, each step a battle against the current. Water laps at my waist, then my chest. One misstep and I'll be swept away.
Finally, mercifully, the water begins to shallow. I drag myself onto the opposite bank, collapsing onto my hands and knees in the mud.
I want nothing more than to lie there and catch my breath. But I can't. Not yet.
With trembling limbs, I force myself to stand. The woods loom before me, dark and unfamiliar. But somewhere beyond them lies freedom.
I take a deep breath and plunge back into the trees.
The woods thicken around me, branches reaching out like gnarled fingers in the darkness. My wet clothes cling to my skin, sending shivers down my spine. Every step becomes a struggle against exhaustion and the uneven terrain.
"Come on, Kim," I mutter to myself, pushing through a tangle of underbrush. "You've danced for hours on end. This is nothing."
But my body betrays me, muscles screaming in protest. The adrenaline that fueled my escape is fading, leaving me drained and disoriented.
A twig snaps somewhere to my left. I freeze, heart pounding.
"Hello?" I call out, voice barely above a whisper. No response.
I force myself to keep moving, but now every rustle of leaves sets me on edge. The darkness seems to press in from all sides, playing tricks on my eyes. Shadows morph into menacing shapes, only to dissolve when I look directly at them.
"Get it together," I hiss, rubbing my arms to ward off the chill. "It's just your imagination."
But is it? A low growl rumbles through the night air, sending ice through my veins. Wolves? Coyotes? Or something worse?
Panic claws at my throat. I pick up my pace, stumbling over roots and rocks in my haste. Branches whip at my face and arms, leaving stinging welts in their wake.
"Stupid, stupid, stupid," I curse under my breath. "What were you thinking, Kim? You're gonna die out here, and no one will even know."
The enormity of my situation crashes down on me. I'm lost in unfamiliar woods, soaking wet, with no food, no water, and no idea which direction leads to civilization. And that's assuming Sam's people aren't already closing in.
I lean against a tree, trying to catch my breath and calm my racing thoughts. "Okay, think. You've got street smarts. Use them."
But the skills that kept me alive in Capitol Heights seem useless here. No amount of quick thinking or fast talking will help me navigate this wilderness.
A rustling in the bushes nearby has me tensing again. I scan the darkness, straining to make out any movement. Nothing. But the feeling of being watched intensifies.
"I should've stayed," I whisper, the realization hitting me like a punch to the gut. "At least with Sam, I was safe. Fed. Warm."
The thought of his mansion, with its soft beds and hot showers, makes my current situation seem even more dire. What if I've made the biggest mistake of my life?
I stumble forward, my legs burning with exhaustion. The woods seem to close in around me, the darkness growing thicker with each step. My breath comes in ragged gasps, echoing in the eerie silence.
Suddenly, a voice cuts through the night. "Kim!"
I freeze, my heart leaping into my throat. It's Sam's voice, distant but unmistakable.
"No, no, no," I whisper, panic rising in my chest.
I force my tired legs to move, pushing through the underbrush with renewed desperation. Branches whip at my face, leaving stinging welts, but I can't slow down.
"Kim, where are you?" Sam's voice rings out again, closer this time.
My foot catches on a root, and I stumble, barely catching myself on a nearby tree. The rough bark scrapes my palms, but I barely notice the pain.
"Come on, little dancer," Sam calls, a dangerous edge to his voice. "You can't hide from me."
I bite back a sob, pushing myself off the tree and breaking into a run. The forest floor is treacherous, uneven and littered with obstacles. My dancer's grace is long gone, replaced by pure, animal fear.
A twig snaps behind me. I whirl around, my eyes straining in the darkness. Is that a shadow moving between the trees?
"Kim!" Sam's voice is so close now, I can almost feel his breath on my neck.
I turn to run again, but my foot lands on empty air. The ground disappears beneath me, and I'm falling, tumbling down a steep incline. Rocks and branches batter my body as I roll, unable to stop my descent.
My head strikes something hard, and the world explodes into a burst of stars. Then, darkness swallows me whole.