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Wrapping Leo’s coat tighter around me, I look at my hands as they continue to shake. I can still hear Jack’s voice in my head.
I was free. I was free, and now I'm a prisoner again in this dark world I tried to escape, but no matter how much I try to run he'll always find me. The memories will always follow me.
Pulling the coat around me as I lie down, I wait for the stars to come out and then I can go home.
* * *
Crawling out of the tunnel, I look to see how dark it is and how many people are outside right now. If I go the back way, it will take me about an hour to get to Leo's house. Or I can go through the busy route and get there a lot faster. I mean Leo must be really worried; there's part of me that believes he's still out there looking for me. He promised that he'd find me and Leo wouldn't lie to me.
Looking around, it must be late now. Jackson will have dragged Leo back home by now as it must be coming close to midnight.Right Hope, time to get back to being invisible.It's not like I was full of confidence and walking around letting people look at me, but I was starting to let myself be free a little so it won't be too hard to do.
I walk up the small hill to get out of the park. There’s no one around at this time which is a good thing for me as I can make it out a lot quicker. When I get to the road, even though it’s so late, there are still people around.
I put my head down as I make my way past a group that is drinking and doing drugs. They say a few things to me, and I ignore them as I pick my pace up a little. If I turn around to look at them, it will make them think I want to talk, but all I want is to get home.
I can’t remember the last time I was this scared to be out here alone. Walking to work when I first started I think, it was a new road and I didn’t really know the way but after a week or so, I was fine as I remembered how to get there and back without having to look up. I know most of the way back to Leo’s, but there are some roads that I don’t know well enough unless I look up.
“Well, aren’t you just a beauty?” a man says as I go to cross the road. He grabs my arm. “I’m talking to you sweetheart.”
"Please, let go of me," I manage to say in the smallest voice, and the moment his hand loosens around my arm, I make an escape.
"Get back here!" one of the men shouts, and without looking behind me I continue to run, but I hear them behind me.
Dashing between the buildings, I find the right road that leads to Leo's house. I know it's not far from here, I'm sure of it. I hide behind one of the buildings while I get my breath back, taking in the roads around me to figure out where I am. I hear footsteps gaining on me, so I duck further into the shadows as they run past me. I kneel down for a moment just to get my surrounding settled in my mind, five minutes away, I'm sure of it. A few blocks out of the busy crowd then I know the way from there, just need to get through the rush now without running into them again.
Getting up, I start making my way out onto the street again. Looking both ways, I make a quick move trying to get out of the rush of people. People will be coming out of the clubs soon, and I want to get out before that happens.
Running for the last few blocks, I see the same group of men from earlier and my heart is beating faster. I’m so close, so close to Leo. I move quickly through the buildings to the other side so that I can get out of the busy area. As I get out of the side street, I bump into one of the guys that were running behind me.
I dodge away from them before they can grab me.Three streets away now, I can make it.I look over my shoulder to see they’re still following me. Why are they following me? Why? Wiping the tears away from my cheeks, I feel a little relief when I have Leo’s street in sight.
I take another look over my shoulder and see that they are still coming after me, so I pick up my speed to increase the gap between us.Please, Leo, be awake, please.
Running up to the house, I start banging on the door as I look over my shoulder to see them getting closer. I hammer harder and louder at the wood.Please open the door.
The door opens, and I jump in and quickly slam the door behind me.
"Hope!" Jackson pulls me in for a hug, and I don't fight him.
“Hope,” I hear Leo say as Jackson lets me go. Leo pulls me and wraps his arms tight around me. “Are you okay? You’re shaking.” He rubs my back to calm me down.
I jump when I hear the guys shouting outside. I hear Jackson open the door and my body tenses up again. "Hope." Leo moves to my eye level then looks over at the door as the men are out on the street looking around.
"Have you seen a girl running past here, long dark hair?" one of them yells, and Leo's hands leave my body, but I quickly stop him. I just want him to hold me.
“I’ve got this,” Jackson tells him.
“Please don’t leave me,” I whisper, as Leo pulls me closer and I start crying into his chest.
I hear some shouting outside, but nothing that I can make out, just listening to Leo's heartbeat is enough to calm me down.
"Come on," Leo starts walking, but I don't unwrap my arms from him. "Take a seat." He lowers me down onto the couch and his hands move to my neck, lifting my face. "I've been looking for you for hours, Jackson made me come home." His eyes move over my body as he turns my arms. "Where were you cut?"
"Just a little cut here," I tell him pointing to my arm. My body has finally stopped shaking, and I just want Leo to hold me. Hold me to take all the pain away from me.
“Hope, have a drink.” Jackson places a glass of water on the table. “Those guys won’t ever be looking at another girl or woman again,” Jackson tells Leo, as I just stare at him.
"Where were you? We looked over every inch of that park." Taking the water as Leo hands it to me, my hands begin to shake again. "Let me." He brings the water to my lips, and I take a small sip and pull away from him.
