The Grim Attraction

Chapter Five

Chapter Five

Mia ran down the alley in a panic, with only one goal in mind: she needed to get away from him. She turned the corner of a building and continued to run. She felt her legs ache and her lungs ready to burst, but she pumped her arms at her sides and forced herself to run as fast as she could. She glanced over her shoulder but did not see anyone following her.

Turning her head forward, she yelped and skidded to a stop. She would have crashed face first into the brick wall that blocked her exit had she not extended her arms and allowed her palms to hit the wall first. She had reached a dead end, much to her dismay. She turned and looked everywhere, all the while heaving loudly for air as her heart drummed in her ears. If she got out of this mess, she was hitting the gym or joining a fitness group because she was panting like an old dog.

She caught sight of a large dumpster that was right under a fire escape ladder. Wasting little time, she ran and jumped over the edge of the dumpster, kicking herself up until she managed to lift herself over it and stand. She lifted her arms for balance and took a deep breath before making a jump for the ladder. She brushed the metal with her finger tips, and renewed panic bubbled in her chest when she tried to reach again for the ladder and failed.

With a frustrated cry, she squatted as low as her tired legs allowed her, and sprinted upward until one of her hands connected firmly with metal. She gripped it, pulled and shook it with her weight until the ladder gave and groaned downward. She winced at the loud noise, knowing she was giving away her location. But she didn't let this stop her to continue her trek upwards as she pulled her weight up and began to climb the ladder all the way to the top until she reached the building's ledge that the ladder was connected to. She swung her legs over and landed in a huff onto the roof. Her body screamed for her to stop, but she couldn't. She had no idea where she was going and how she was getting to safety, but she understood that she needed to keep moving.

Forcing her arms and legs to function, she pushed herself up and made to run to the other end of the roof. She was determined to jump to the neighboring building, which she could see was lower than the one she was on. Pumping her arms at her sides she ran as hard and fast to gain momentum and leaped in the air, her arms swinging and her legs spreading forward to break her fall. She shut her eyes instinctively, fear and adrenaline coursing through her veins. Her stomach dropped and her breath caught in her throat at the sudden sense of falling.

Arms of steel encircled her in the middle of the air and ceased her fall, and her eyes snapped open as she realized that she had been found. "No!" she screamed and she began to struggle, wriggling and squirming in those arms.

Dark tendrils of fog encircled and caressed their figures as they landed softly on the roof of a building. Mia moved her head forward and quickly snapped it back, head butting his face. Pain exploded on the back of her head as black spots dotted her eye sight. She could vaguely hear him speak in the background, but she could not register his words.

"... hurt yourself." his voice finally seeped through her clouded thoughts and registered.

She blinked several times and made one more attempt to push away with the back of her elbows despite the nausea that was suddenly assaulting her. He released her immediately, and she fell to her knees and threw up viciously as her body shook uncontrollably.

"Mia, you must calm yourself." he advised. His voice had no hint of concern or care. It was a monotone voice that she was beginning to hate. She continued to retch violently until she was dry heaving and gasping for air. She moaned and pushed herself away from the mess, her steps completely off balance. Her sides ached, the back of her head pulsed in pain, and she couldn't catch her breath or focus.