A Thousand Levels to You

Chapter 2 (Diamonaire)

The perfumed and artificial air brushed across the synthetic expanse of turf leading up to her father's manor. With soft, gingerly steps she inched her way across the wooden patio in a crouch. Her whole body tensed each time the floorboards creaked underfoot. At the edge of the patio, she glanced up at the third-story window. Her father's window. The room was still dark with the curtains drawn.

She exhaled, fingers quivering at her sides. "As if he could stop me now," she whispered before turning back towards the mass expanse of green turf separating her from the front gate of the property. "I am coming mother. Just you wait. He will not keep me from you. No. Not today."

She took off in a sprint. The dry air irritated her lungs, stirring a stampede of coughs to gather at the back of her throat. Do not wake him up. Do not wake him up! Her heart pounded harder, beat faster with each stride she took. Every restrained, ragged breath was like sandpaper scraping abrasively at her windpipe. Hold it together. Just a few more steps.

The gate was just within reach.

Her chest tightened and her eyes clamped shut.

It took all she could muster to hold off the built up onslaught writhing within her. Hand outstretched, the cool sting of the steel gate was just two, maybe three steps from the tips of her fingers. She tripped. Her hands instinctively went to cover her mouth and then she hit the ground. Hard.

The stampede shot off.

A coughing frenzy erupted from her mouth. Its echo grew, bouncing off the sleek steel walls around her, crashing back into her while panic surged through her veins. She snapped her head towards the window, still attempting to stifle her hacking coughs as best she could. For the moment all was still. There was no sign of movement.

And then there was.

Light washed across the turf and a shadow stepped towards the window. Her father's window.

She lay. Frozen. Her coughs finally subsided as though they, themselves knew what horrors they may have just unleashed. Head cocked over her shoulder, she watched her father. The shadow. He was still.

He knows. She thought, a soft sigh escaped past her lips.

The shadow passed by the window.

Or... Perhaps not.

A few moments of silence ticked by before she finally propped herself up onto her hands and knees. The gate was close. So close. She had to try. With a slow steady breath to calm her nerves and a searing motivation in her heart, she crawled forward. Slow and tense. I have to get to you. Mother, I need to be with you. In our special place. Together again. I miss you so much, my heart can barely bear it.

Once at the gate, she pulled herself up to her feet. The cool sting of steel across her skin and the burning desire in her heart were her only reminders that this moment was real. She could still do it. She could make the choice. She could leave.

The light still poured out over the turf. A long bright arm stretching, reaching out for her. But the chance was now and she would have never forgiven herself had she not taken it.

The gate creaked as she opened it, slithered through, and then closed it again behind her. Once off the bouncy turf and firmly footed atop the cobblestone walkway, she turned and stole another glance back at her father's manor. A white marble architectural masterpiece. Her home. But it wasn't. Memories raced through her mind of what home really was -who home really was - and she was determined to get back to it. Even if only for one last time.

There is no going back now. She exhaled and whispered softly to herself, "I am on my way."

Knuckles white from clinging tightly to the gate's metal bars, she let go.