In This Darkness

Escape

(Loris pov)

I ran down the street, ignoring the pain in my legs. I was far enough from Tom's house. I hitchhiked a car and soon a nice woman stopped for me. "Come in." said the woman.I looked around to make sure Tom wasn't around and got into the car. The woman was in her late 30s, she had blond hair and brown eyes, she looked beautiful. She looked like a business woman and drove a rather expensive car.I got into the car and I could hardly catch my breath from running fast. I didn't even look at this woman, but I noticed that she was watching me. "Honey, is everything okay?" she asked me politely. I looked at her, I was quite lost. I gave her a weak smile and replied "Yes, yes.""Okay..." she answered a bit suspiciously, she doubted my answer. She grabbed the handbrake and continued driving. I looked out the window and looked around. I heard a woman's voice and she asked me my name. "Lori." and she she smiled at me and answered "I'm Veronica." I nodded my head and smiled at her.I explained to Veronica where to drop me off, and she drove me to my building. I thanked her for the ride and quickly ran towards my building.I ran towards the entrance of the building. A smile spread across my face, and tears of joy dripped down my face. I was too excited to see my family again, and now I will be their greatest gift. I freed myself from the darkness and Tom. I entered the building,my childhood was spent there with my friends.

I climbed the stairs, even jumped some. I reached the fourth floor where my apartment was. I giggled and cried a little before I got to the door.I ran to the door, all happy, but soon the smile disappeared from my face. There was some paper with some inscription on the door. Reading the inscription, the tears of joy turned into the worst. I held my hand over my mouth, while I let out soft sobs, and tears were streaming down my face.The inscription read: "We have moved to France, if anyone knows anything about our Lori, please let us know."My father was originally from France, from Paris and they probably took refuge there, from this unfortunate city.I took the paper in my hands and closed my eyes saying to myself "No this is not true." I was late. Tears wetted the paper.The only thing I wanted was to see my family, they were my protection and now they are on another continent. Now I have nowhere to go, now Tom is probably asking me to kill me, and I should run away. It would be better if I didn't even run away, so that I don't find out that my family is gone, and Tom will kill me because I broke the rules.I heard the door next door open. An old woman lived there. I threw the paper out of my hands, put my hood on my head and ran back down the stairs. I heard an old woman's, witch's voice weakly calling "Who is that?"

I slowed down my running, but I walked quickly through the building, trying to stop the tears, but it was impossible. My heart was bleeding from the pain.I left the building, turned towards her and walked backwards, observing the room of my apartment. Tears started to flow, and I turned and continued to walk quickly.I was walking fast, not even knowing where I was going. I was walking on the sidewalk, the screeching car was constantly heard. You could hear people arguing and laughing everywhere. I had a hood stuffed on my head and I was just praying that I wouldn't run into Tom.Yes, I turned into the street where my luck ran out, where I was kidnapped. It was a wide street, with cafes and boutiques on each side. There was traffic, and I walked next to people like a homeless person.

At one point, I heard a woman's scream and the familiar screeching of a car. I turned automatically towards the sound. It was Bill's car speeding down the street. People all moved aside, recognizing the driver.My head hurt from that sound, my eyes blurred with tears. I turned and started running down the street as far as my legs could carry me. I turned behind me and looked at the light of Bill's car, which was getting closer to me.I looked to the left and saw a one-way street. It was a narrow street between buildings and I turned into it and ran. I heard the screeching of tires and the slamming of doors.I panicked, tears were flowing, I was afraid for my life. I was too tired to continue running, but I have to run, Tom was running towards me. I ran into an entrance of a brick building.I ran to the stairs of that building. It was a small building, there were not many floors. I reached the end of the floor, to a corridor.

I knew Tom was getting closer, but I had nowhere to go. I saw a gray door at the end of the hall. It said "exit" and I ran towards it. I opened it, and there was an exit to the roof. I didn't know what to do. Tom's footsteps were getting louder, and now the exit to the roof was the only place I could go.I went out onto the roof of the building. I was exposed to the cold air again, the January wind blowing my hair across my face.I walked on the roof looking for some stairs to go down, but there was nothing, except a view of the city.It was too cold outside, and the wind was blowing my tears from my face. "What am I going to do now?" I said to myself, putting my hands on my head and walking in place.Soon the roof door opened, Tom was now on the roof. Tom looked for me with his gaze, and soon his eyes swept over me, and I froze, unable to move.