Easy peasy.
By wriggling back and forth, I inched my way across the roof until all that lay over the opening were my ankles and feet. I shut my eyes, lying flat, catching my breath, trying to regain some strength. Once I slid down the outer glass, I’d need to get past the dragons above.
Hopefully without a fight.
After a while, I carefully turned around so that when I slid down the glass, I’d land on my feet, not my face. I movedbackwards on my belly, striking the curved dome of the cell. Unable to stop gravity from taking me, I slid down the outer cell.
I struck the floor on my feet, then bounced onto my ass. It jolted my teeth shut, but I didn’t care. I’d escaped. A fierce, hot, and savage joy burst through me.I did it. I’m free. No torture chamber for this kid, I’m so outta here.
Standing, I brushed my jeans off while gazing up at the basement’s ceiling. Two guards up there. Hmm. Sure, I could put plan A into action, break the beams, let the floor cave in. Something told me not to do that. Why my gut said no to that plan after we’d gone to all the trouble to make it, I had no clue.
Still, I listened to my gut. In all our years together, she hadn’t let me down yet.
Creeping up the wooden staircase, listening for guards, I climbed higher, then higher. At the top, there was no door as such, only a wide opening. Keeping my back to what wall there was, I peered into the room.
A vast expanse, it had the cement floor, broken machinery, dry boards, plaster, and no guards. After taking a long look around, observing windows – holy shit!They’re at ground level. This was the basement. Where I’d been kept must be the subbasement. Many of these ancient buildings had them.
Appreciating my gut’s intelligence, I located the next set of stairs. But first, maybe I could weasel out a window. Don’t bother engaging the guards at all. Stepping carefully, not wanting to draw the guards’ attention by making a clatter, I edged my way to the nearest window.
My luck finally joined me.
The glass had long since been broken out. Standing on an old crate, I hopped onto the ledge, then wriggled through the window. No glass remained in the crusted molding to cut me. On the ground outside the warehouse, free at last, I took a look around.
I faced an alley. Broken glass, old soda and beer cans littered the graveled lane. A few stinking dumpsters pockmarked the narrow way between the warehouse and the one behind it. A few stray cats eyed me with suspicion before vanishing into cracks and broken windows. I glanced back.
Neither guard stared at me from the windows. Yet, I now stood on the same level as them. A single look through the busted panes and they’d be after me. I hit a jog trot, headed for the closest street, and turned the corner.
Only after a few blocks did I begin to believe I’d truly escaped. They’d dare not pursue me in the dragon forms in broad daylight. They probably didn’t know I’d even left my cell. When either Arnaud or Magnus returned, the hunt would begin.
The streets were nearly empty of traffic in this neighborhood. A few gangstas lingered on street corners, derelict cars lined the roadway. I had no police baton, no way of defending myself except by shifting. Not even I dared that.
I had no money, no credit card, no cell phone. What I did have was the determination to not be caught by Arnaud ever again. I walked quickly, staying warm by moving, checking behind me for any pursuers. Including gangstas who might think attacking me was an easy thing. I walked west, toward the downtown area where more people, more traffic, more action would hold off any pursuers.
The afternoon passed. Block after block I walked, hungry, thirsty, my body aching, blisters rising on my feet. I didn’t stop. I dared not stop to ask someone for help. In this neighborhood, no one trusted anyone. Maybe if I reached a better part of town, I might ask to borrow a phone, call my father.
An hour or so later, I finally reached a prosperous area with open stores, banks, restaurants, strip malls. I noticed a smoke shop just ahead. If anyone didn’t mind a bedraggledlooking redhead in their store, that would be one. I opened the door, a bell jangling over my head, and walked inside.
The long haired, bearded dude behind the counter looked up as I entered. “Help you?”
“Yeah. Do you have a phone I can use?”
“Sure, I guess. You okay?”
I half-laughed, half-sobbed as he brought a land line phone from behind the counter. “No. I was kidnapped. I escaped just a few hours ago.”
“Sum bitch. Girl, you want to call the cops?”
“I will. I have to call my dad first. I need him to come get me.”
My fingers shaking, I dialed my father’s cell number, crossing my fingers he wasn’t in some blasted meeting and had his phone on silent. Or ignored the call as he didn’t recognize the number. I heard a click.
“Kinnard.”
“Dad.” I tried not to cry, to show weakness, to shame myself. Yet, I choked on that single word. The long-haired guy held my free hand in his, and maybe that’s what got me through the call.
“Jade?”
“Yeah. It’s me. Um, your pal Arnaud, he – he –”
