Page 10 of Jack

I walk to the truck and turn to face her. “Will I see you again?”

Nina shrugs. “I don’t know. You being safe and alive is more important to me.”

“Thank you,” I whisper and climb into the passenger seat before I change my mind.

I have no idea where I’m going or what’s going to happen to me. I stare out the tinted window for hours. Andrew leaves me in my thoughts, only speaking when we stop for gas, restroom breaks, and food. Tomorrow, I’ll meet a new helper and keep moving. Are these people risking their lives to save women? I don’t know, but I’m glad they exist. Hope is a crazy, elusive thing. For the first time in my life, I allow it to bloom.

Chapter 5

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Lily

What am I doing? I’ve totally and completely lost my mind. This cannot be my life right now. Leaving was a mistake. I’m going to be in so much trouble. I drop my face into my hands and struggle not to fall apart. Well, any more than I already have. I’m a mental and emotional mess. I can’t believe Nina did this to me.

“Breathe, girl. It’s going to be okay.” Gwen pats my back as she walks over to the window.

For her, everything is okay. For me, it’s all kinds of ways wrong. Since Sunday night, I’ve been riding and sleeping in hotels. Not the big fancy kind either. We’ve been stuck here in Texas for two days. If I ever see Nina again, I’m giving her a piece of my mind.

“It’s not okay,” I cry. “Take me back.”

Gwen lightly laughs. “No. No. No, girl. It doesn’t work that way.”

I slide off the bed and begin pacing. “If I go back now, I could apologize. Maybe I could come up with some story about rushing out of town for a family member.” I nod several times. “It might work.”

Gwen drops the edge of the curtain and plants herself in front of me. She roughly grabs my upper arms and gives me a little shake, snapping me out of yet another crazy moment.

“It won’t work. Do you hear me?” She leans right in my face. “If youevergo back, you’ll be dead within an hour.”

“Dead?” My breath comes in quick gasps.

“Dead,” she repeats firmly.

“I don’t want to die.”

“You won’t.” Gwen slowly shakes her head. “You’re not going back. You’re just scared. It’s the fear talking. Your mind wants to go back to what’s familiar. Fear has you trapped. We’re setting you free.”

Free. I latch onto the word. Oh, what I’d give to be free. Free from the pain, the fear, and free of Joel. Freedom is like hope. Both are fleeting and unreachable for me.

Gwen keeps her hands on my arms as I slowly lower myself to sit on the edge of the bed closest to the bathroom. Who knows. Maybe she guided me.

Sunday night, Nina started me on this insane journey. Tuesday afternoon, Andrew handed me over to Gwen. I have no idea where we were when I switched vehicles. All I remember is it was at a truck stop along the interstate. I’m not even sure which interstate.

A new helper was supposed to meet us late Wednesday night. They had a family emergency, causing my journey to halt longer than Gwen said should happen. My first thought flew to Joel. Had he somehow tracked me down and hurt the helper? Gwen didn’t mention the helper’s name. She assures me they had a genuine emergency and a replacement is on the way. I’m not sosure I trust this system. All I know is that every minute we spend in this motel in the middle of Nowhere, Texas, causes me to go a little crazier.

For the next half an hour, I sit quietly on the edge of the bed and either pick or bite my fingernails. Gwen peeps around the curtain into the parking lot every few minutes. She’s watchful yet calm. It’s good that she is. I’m freaking out enough for both of us. She quickly checks her phone when it dings with a text.

She smiles at me. “Time to go.”

Sensing I still need help, Gwen picks up the black backpack Nina gave me with one hand and takes my arm in her other. She leads me out the door to a dark blue pickup truck. I’m going to miss her minivan and calm voice.

The huge mountain of a man holding the passenger door open freezes me in my tracks. Andrew was a big man. This man is about the same height, maybe an inch or so taller. His muscles, however, make Andrew look like a child. Joel would be a ragdoll next to this man.

“Gwen?” I pull back slightly.

“It’s okay,” she assures me as she hands my backpack to the mountain. He puts it in the backseat. “This is Shepherd. He’s taking you the rest of the way.”

“The rest of the way?” I blink and stare at her like she’s the crazy one.

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