Page 264 of Outlaws of Tulsa

Fear claws through me, weighing my feet in place.

Go, idiot.

I jerk out of my frozen stupor and shakily throw on the clothes. It’s chilly tonight, but this is better than nothing.

My bare feet are soundless as I creep to the edge of the shipping container and peer around the side. I’ve been dragged all over this warehouse and made to do things I cannot even begin to think about, so I at least am familiar with the layout. I know where Night Giant’s men hang out and where they fuck the captives. I’ll be avoiding both at all costs.

Since it’s dark, I’m able to shift from shadow to shadow without being seen. When I make it to the door that leads outside, my heart is hammering in my throat. I’ve never been outside this door, so I have no idea where it goes.

I pray to God it doesn’t sound an alarm if I open it.

Holding my breath, I push against the door. It opens with no resistance, but it makes a loud creaking sound that echoes through the whole warehouse. The voices I’d heard go silent.

Fuck.

I shove out the door and take off in a sprint, straight toward a fence. When I played basketball, I was the fastest on my team. But that was years ago.

Don’t think about it.

Don’t think about how long you’ve been here.

Two years, two years, two years.

Despite my best efforts to ignore it, I can’t. Not when Night Giant reminds me all the time. That no one is looking for me. That no one wants me but him. I’m his.

“Hey!” a voice bellows from behind me.

I recognize it as one of his asshole henchmen. I don’t even turn around to see who it is. Jumping as high as I can when I reach the fence, I climb over it like my ass is on fire. It will be if I get caught.

Chase got Caught.

Night Giant’s taunts in my head are maddening me.

Focus, man.

I fling myself over the fence and land on the gravel hard, nearly twisting my ankle in the process. The shouts get louder behind me, but I’m past the biggest hurdle. Now, I just have to put distance between me and them. Lots and lots of distance.

Running as fast as my legs will carry me, I dart down a narrow alleyway between two buildings. I cut right and run all the way to the end of the block. Quickly, I rush across the street and run until I come across another alley. In the distance, I can hear tires squealing, which means they’ll find me soon.

Hide.

I run down the alleyway and dive into the first shadowed area I find. There are boxes and other trash stacked up, so I drag them over my shaking body.

Fear swallows me whole and the tears begin. Once they start, it’s hard to get them to stop. I suck in air, trying to calm myself, but it’s too hard. I’ll die if they found me because I was crying too loudly.

A sound nearby has me choking down my sobs. Footsteps come closer and then the boxes move. A boy with a filthy face, close to my eighteen years of age and messy black hair peers down at me, a frown tugging at his lips.

“Are you okay?”

“Hide,” I hiss. “You have to hide.”

“Me?”

“Yes. T-They’re coming for me and they’ll t-take you t-too.”

Shouts can be heard nearby. He snaps his head toward the direction of the road and then glances down the alley. “They’ll find us here. Come on. I know a spot.”

He helps me to my feet and we run toward a giant dumpster. With quick, efficient movements, he helps me into the dumpster before also climbing inside. As quietly as we can, we bury ourselves under the trash.

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