The Traps of the Black Swan (Book 2)

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Limping back inside the station, Jennie was trying to suppress her shiver while the fear had clutched her tight enough to choke her.

She flinched when a jacket landed on her shoulder before an old cleaning lady came to her view. The old lady sighed looking at her state before she looked around and pulled her aside, "Why are you going inside again?"

The old lady noticed Jennie was fearing her too and she quickly left her trembling hand. "Did you leave anything behind?" She asked in a low, concerned voice.

A part of Jennie didn't want to trust the old lady after what she had been through in such a short span but she found herself sniffling, "M-my m-mobile." It came out so low that the old lady took time to understand.

"Stay in the corner, I will get it for you." The old lady whispered before she went inside.

Even though Jennie responded to the old lady, the fear seemed to elevate at the thought of what if the old lady brings those people. She was looking right and left to hide somewhere.

Before she could get a place, the old lady returned back breathing heavily, "There you go." She handed her her mobile looking at Jennie who looked like a drenched cat. She asked to confirm, "It's yours, right?"

Jennie found it hard to nod but she still did. She bowed her head to express her gratitude before she looked at the jacket, "I-I d-don't have my wallet."

Jennie knew how hard it would be for a lower-class family to make the ends meet. So she wanted to give the old lady some money for the jacket but the old lady misunderstood her.

The old lady took some cash from her pant pockets and stuffed it into Jennie's hand. She looked outside where a drinking water mini truck was leaving. "Come fast." She dragged Jennie to the vehicle.

Even though the lady seemed to be old, she was walking briskly but Jennie, who was hurt in the knee, wasn't able to keep up with her speed or shrug her handoff.

Jennie didn't get to return the money or speak a word, the old lady forced her to climb the vehicle from behind. Force? It was actually the biggest help Jennie could get from a stranger.

"When the car stops at the traffic signal, get off from this. Don't trust anybody easily. Use this money and reach home safely."

'Home.' Unfortunately, when Jennie was thinking about who could help her to escape from the ordeal, she didn't remember the home even once.

Homeless, that's what she always feels despite having a family house where none behaved like her family.

Jennie wanted to speak but she fell back on the drinking water bottles and groaned in pain when the car moved. She didn't get to thank the old lady and her tears rolled down when she looked at her hand.

A few hundred dollars was in her hand and she knew it was possibly the whole month income of that old lady. The little faith in humanity again sprouted in Jennie which probably shouldn't have.

Jennie quickly lowered down in the open truck when the car was passing by the gate. Enduring the pain, she was in that position till the car stopped at a traffic signal. She got out of the car holding a water bottle and ran up to the footpath before her legs gave away and she collapsed on the bench.

She knew she had to leave quickly but she felt her legs weak and extremely dizzy. Even if she tries to leave, she was sure she would faint somewhere.

She looked around, she was sitting opposite the museum, behind her was a huge park which was also called a morning park, a jogging park.  Because it was late in the night, there were none around. Jennie who used to dislike the darkness and staying alone was glad nobody was around her.