Chapter 3 Find Her

ADRIANA

I dropped the tray in the kitchen and sprinted to my room. As soon as I closed the door, I let out the tears I had been holding back, collapsing to the floor in defeat.

"Yara! Yara!" I called for her but there was no response.

I would take any comfort I could receive right now but there was none. The pain was too much to bear. The people I had thought would be by my side were happily planning against me behind my back.

Lisa, my own sister. She may have never acted like it but she was still my sister.

My father.

My boyfriend. I had trusted him more than anyone.

And now, Yara. Had I really thought someone I had met just today would be faithful to me when the people I'd known all my life hated me?

They'd all left me, to deal with life myself.

The only person who could have helped me was long gone.

My mind flashed back to the last time I'd spoken to mum, just moments before she passed.

"Always be yourself, Adriana. Never shed tears for unworthy people. Your heart would tell you where to go, it would lead you to the right place."

Sometimes, I wonder if my mum knew how much I was going to suffer and cry but her words were enough to get me on my feet.

If they could plan, so could I.

I have had enough of Lisa and her evil doings. This was the last straw. I stood up from the floor, brushing the dust off and looked at myself in the mirror.

Lisa and the rest weren't worthy of my tears.

I reached under my bed and pulled out my small bag of money. I'd been hiding it for a long time, hoping for the day I'd be in an emergency and get to use it.

Today was that day.

Quickly stuffing the few things I had into a bag, I put together essentials that would help me on my mission. I was finally going to take the bold step and run away.

I won't let Lisa's bitterness ruin my life as she saw fit. In the meantime, I mapped out my escape route, taking into account every factor that may try to ruin the plan.

I heard footsteps in the hallway.

"Adriana!"

Lisa's voice, shrill and angry.

She must have found the abandoned coffee tray in the kitchen.

My heart hammered in my chest. I looked around frantically. I paused when I saw the window. I could go through the window.

The footsteps got closer.

I grabbed my bag and ran to the window, opening it as quietly as I could. There was a tree close enough to reach.

The door handle rattled.

"Adriana! Open this door right now!"

I didn't hesitate. I climbed out the window, my hands shaking, and reached for the nearest branch. My bag made it awkward, but I managed to grab hold and swing myself toward the trunk.

I heard the door slam open.

"Where the hell-"

I didn't wait to hear the rest. I half-climbed, half-fell down the tree, hitting the ground hard. Pain shot through my ankle but I didn't stop.

"FIND HER!" Lisa's scream echoed behind me. "DON'T LET HER GET AWAY!"

Then when it was time, I made my move.

It was evening and I knew that at this time, the back door to the house would be left open because this was when the guards changed shifts.

The first thing was to pass through the living room without anyone seeing me. With that successfully done, I looked behind me one last time before stepping into the cold evening breeze.

This was it, I was finally doing it but I couldn't fully celebrate because the major obstacle was getting over the border.

I began running as soon as I gained some distance from the house. Despite being out of breath and carrying a heavy bag, I didn't stop.

It won't take long for someone to notice I was gone because Lisa was always calling for me to do one thing or the other. And as soon as she realized I was gone, she would send out every guard to look for me. I had to get away, and fast.

My breath comes in ragged gasps as my feet pound against the earth, pushing me forward through the dense forest, leaves rustling with each hurried step.

My heart raced in my chest. Fear mixed with thrill at the possibility of getting away was what drove me to keep moving.

I can hear the wind whistling in my ears, carrying the scent of damp earth and pine. My muscles burn, but I ignore the pain, focusing instead on the rhythm of my stride, the thud of my heartbeat, and the sound of my breath as it blends with the rustling leaves and distant bird calls.

I feel the roughness of the ground beneath my shoes, every root and stone a challenge to overcome, but I'm driven by a force I can't quite name, something that urges me to push harder, run faster, and leave everything behind.

Night had fallen and the moon was nowhere to be found so I was basically walking in the darkness. I couldn't see the ground before me properly but I pushed forward anyway, my hand brushing against trees to guide me.

Then I tripped.

A root, a rock-I didn't know what it was. But I went down hard, my hands scraping against the forest floor. My palm split open again on a sharp stone.

I scrambled to my feet, pressing my hand against my shirt to try to stop the bleeding, but it was too late. Drops of blood marked the ground behind me.

No. No, no, no.

I kept running, but I knew. I knew they'd be able to track me now. The blood would lead them right to me like a beacon.

"Yara!" I called desperately in my mind. "Yara, please! I need you!"

Silence.

I pushed harder, my lungs burning, but my cut hand left blood on every tree I grabbed for balance. God, I was being so stupid.

My legs were giving out. I couldn't keep running like this.

I saw something. A structure. A cottage?

I didn't have a choice. I ran toward it, praying I could hide, could find something to bandage my hand with, could-

Strong hands grabbed me from behind.

I screamed.

"Got her!"