He walked over to me and undid the ropes around my feet, my hands next.
This was the part where even if I knew some kind of self-defense I’d try to escape.
This guy would have me on the floor in seconds though if I tried anything like that. he was a military looking type that would have been fitting to Pa’s knights. The kind of man who didn’t fuck around and was not to be fucked with.
I stood when he grabbed my arm and started hustling me toward the door.
My legs wobbled from the non-activity for the last few hours and having to keep still.
We got to the little toilet cubicle and he allowed me to go inside. He’d only allowed me in by myself because it was so small and the toilet was right there.
The minute I got in and closed the door I knew I only had seconds. Seconds before he realized I’d gone. That meant that once I got inside the vent I had to power through and hope like hell it got me somewhere I could get out properly. I’d seen most vents like this lead outside. That was my hope. These were built to regulate the air flow in buildings so there had to be a path of sorts that led outside.
I turned on the tap and let it trickle so it would sound like I was peeing. Then I made a move. I stood on the toilet seat and moved to the sink. The vent was above. I pushed it in and thanked my lucky stars it was one of those flap style ones like what Pa had installed back in the hotel rooms at The Marchesi.
I didn’t waste any time I hoisted myself up and pushed in with my head, sliding in and clawing my way up the slippery shaft.
Oh God… I was in.
I actually did it and it was small. Just small enough for me to make my way through. A big guy like the guard wouldn’t have been able to fit. It wouldn’t stop him though. It wouldn’t fucking stop him if he decided to shoot me and then scoop me out after.
The freedom and adrenaline that rushed through me propelled me forward , scuttling down the path as fast as I could, and fucking faster when I heard the faint sounds of commotion from where I’d come from.
God all I’d had was about two minutes before he must have gone into the toilet and realized what I’d done.
I didn’t allow it to faze me or throw me.
Keep going Jia. Keep going girl. You got this.
Christ… the echoes of voices outside the vent sent shivers down my spine. I couldn’t do this. I couldn’t. The best I could hope for was that the path truly led outside and in some miracle spot that would give me an opening to run.
I approached a section ahead where it split off into five different pathways. I followed my instinct for survival and went toward the one that had the most light.
More light may mean daylight. It might have helped if I knew what time of day it was. For all I knew that could have just been a very bright light.
It got brighter and looked like daylight.
I prayed it was.
Please God let it be daylight.
I pounded forward propelling my body to move. When I got to the end of the path and gazed out desperate to see some kind of greenery I frowned when I realized I’d just gone toward a room.
This had to be the way though. I’d have to take the route. I couldn’t go backwards.
I pushed the vent panel open and pulled myself out.
There was about a ten foot drop to the floor. falling would be just like when I fell out of that tree at Great Auntie Layla’s house when I was twelve.
That was an accident. This was survival but I fell the same way. With a loud thump, smacking into the floor.
That was one of the differences between then and now. The ground was a lot softer than a tiled floor.
The pain was the same.
The room was some kind of hall. A meeting room. There was a long table ahead of me that looked like it was used for a buffet and there were a few chairs dotted here and there.
All the while I looked around I still couldn’t quite work out what sort of building this was.A house? An office?
