ALANA'S MISTAKE ✔

Chapter 46

Alana and Snow sat in strained silence, looking at the spread of food in front of them. Elias sat at the head of the table, rolling the sleeves of his crisp white shirt up his arms. Alana hadn't seen him look so happy and so healthy in a long time. The white of the collar against the skin of his neck made him looked tanned and radiant. He has dressed up for this, she realised.

'I've been waiting for this moment for a long time,' he said, as if he had heard her thoughts. 'Here, have some food.'

There was cheese, grapes, fruit, biscuits, cold drinks, a small feast. Alana warily tried a slice of ham on a thin cheese cracker, knowing that she should try before Snow did, to see if was safe to eat. She wouldn't put poisoning them past him. How had he killed Riley? Her heart sank at the thought. She didn't taste the ham or the cracker but she also didn't begin to choke or shown any signs of having been poisoned.

Snow would have to eat something, she was beginning to look a little weak and paler than usual. She always had soft, creamy skin but there was also the dusty pink of her cheeks, which was fading fast.

Alana made up a small plate for her and as she did so she noticed three sharp knives just close to where Elias was eating, each different sizes and completely out of her reach. Snow began to nibble on a grape whilst Alana tried to subtly work out which window would be best for them to escape through.

When the meal was done there might be time. When his back was turned. They could push the window open and crawl through ... It was either that or wait in here to meet whatever fate he had planned for them. Elias lent towards her, his voice low so that Snow couldn't hear.

'I love you, you know that don't you, my angel?'

He placed his hand gently on her arm.

'What we have between us is special to me. And now there's Snow ... No guy was ever happier.'

She thought of Noah. He was happier, much happier - and in a sane way, not this mangled, warped view of how things could be. Elias was in a world of his own choosing and she was some big, fascinating toy in it. No less amusing than a toy but no more real than one either. She had got herself into this and it was time to get herself out of it.

'This is a lovely meal,' she forced herself to say.

Then she chatted about the blueberries and strawberries as though they were having lunch in some nice restaurant somewhere. Snow ate and drank carefully, keep her eye on Elias throughout. When they were done, he rose graciously from his chair and lifted all their plates. As he turned his back Alana checked around to confirm which window they would use. The one close to the door, just behind them.

She took hold of Snow's hand who was sitting next to her, holding on to it tightly under the table, and as her daughter looked up at her Alana put her finger to her lips as if to say 'shh'. Snow briefly put her own finger to her own lips then pulled it away and nodded vigorously. She understood.

Elias spun back around, gazing at them once again. Alana made the effort to turn her lips into a smile. She felt like she looked like some stupid doll in that moment but he was buying it. For reasons known only him, he was buying it. She kept hold of Snow's hand as he began to pick up more plates from the table ... She watched carefully until the second he turned his back and then at that moment she pulled on Snow's hand who stood up quietly and immediately. Together they sped over to the window, Alana leading the way.

As soon as she got there she elbowed the window and it flew open on its rusty hinges. She spun her head round to see that Elias was still turned away from them so she pushed Snow up to the window. The noise must have alerted him.

'No!' he cried out. 'No!'

Snow was climbing through the window frame.

'Run, Snow,' said Alana. 'You just run out of here as quick as you can. Get help for Mummy.'

Snow landed on the other side. Her eyes were wide with panic but she nodded vigorously.

'Go,' she said, turning back to see him headed towards her. 'Just go.'

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