Page 94 of Depraved
Every moment we’ve spent falling in love and finding our way. All of it would’ve been for nothing because in the end, we’ll have nothing left. Not the people we love, not the memories, and not our future because it will all be replaced with destruction.
But there can’t be a war if the terms are settled.
Turning around, I fake a smile and brush my hair over my shoulder. “Guys, I’m going to bed. I’m wiped.”
“All right, Sarah,” one of the other guys answers as I walk past and into my room.
The door closes softly behind me, and I lock the door as I try and steady my breathing. Fuck. This is the only way. I need to do this.
My eyes scan the room and lock in on the window, my feet already in motion. I reach for the lock on top, undoing it quietly and pushing the window up. It’s old and heavy and probably hasn’t been opened in months. Wincing, I freeze when it makes a squeaky sound, but push again, getting it opened wide.
The cold air billows in, and I shiver. I’m still wearing the outfit I had on at Church. Thankfully, my coat is here in the bedroom. I take quick steps to the bed and tug it on, buttoning it and hoping it’ll be enough.
Don’t think, just do.
I only make it halfway back to the window when the collar of my jacket snags on my choker. My feet still, and I bring my fingers to my neck. My chest rises and falls with the regret over what I have to do. I reach back behind my neck with both hands and struggle to undo it until I finally feel a pop and the clasp comes loose, falling open, and my eyes squeeze shut.
“It’s just jewelry. It’s just a necklace,” I whisper to myself, but the lie does nothing to stop the jagged breaths that slip between my lips because it’s not just a necklace—it’s Dante. And I just ripped my heart right from his chest.
I take the two steps to the nightstand and place it down, adding my bracelets.
“I’m sorry. I love you,” I whisper.
It’s crazy to talk to myself, but it’s the closest thing to him.
I hurry to the window and stop my mind from going backward. I fling my leg over the side, hoisting myself up and tipping myself over, landing on my bare feet. The sting from the cold and the rocks on the ground, stab at my feet sending pain shooting up my leg, but I try and block it out because my heels aren’t a viable alternative.
Turning, I close the window, so any outside noise or breeze doesn’t give me away because I’m going to need as much of a head start as possible.
My feet take a tentative first step on the cold ground, causing more of a chill to run through my body. I’ll be lucky not to freeze to death. Pulling the collar of my jacket tighter around my neck, I take a few more cautious steps, hearing the crackling of leaves and the stabs of hard stone, before I become bolder and move quickly into the cover of the trees.
I saw a road as we came in, so if I can find it in the darkness, I can hitchhike or follow it into a town. I don’t slow as I head in the direction I think I should go, praying that the guys in the front of the house don’t shoot if they hear a noise.
The house becomes dimmer as I retreat farther into trees, and then I run as fast as I can until I can’t make my lungs suck in the cold air anymore, but even then, I still don’t stop, opting to walk quickly. The burn on my feet from the frozen ground is becoming painful, but I know the road has to be here. It has to. Sweat drips down my brow; I’ve been moving so quickly for so long that I’ve managed to sweat in single-digit temperatures. But I know I’m close. I know it.
I squint, trying to make out a darker shadow, when my thigh runs smack into something hard. “Dammit,” I breathe out and rub my leg, realizing it’s a large broken tree that’s lying across the path. I jump up, putting my backside on it, and toss my legs over. As I land, a streak of light passes over me, illuminating my tattered dress.
Headlights.
I gather my dress in my hands quickly, breaking into a full sprint, hearing tires on the road as I get closer. My breath is ragged as the trees begin to thin, and moonlight filters in, helping me to make out more details. My hair blows across my face, and I shake my head to help it move, almost screaming when I see asphalt. I did it.
Throwing caution to the wind, I run faster as I see a car coming from down the road and run directly into the middle of the lane, waving my arms wildly.
Tires screech, and I close my eyes, frozen in place. Peeking one eye open, I see the car pulled to a hard stop about twenty feet away from me. I sprint toward it, breathless and grateful.
“I’m so sorry,” I say in my sweetest voice, trying hard to emote a damsel-in-distress feel. “Can you please take me to the nearest town? I need help. Please. It’s my boyfriend—he’s gone nuts. Please help me.”
“Yes, get in, dear!” the old woman rushes out, her husband unlocking the doors.
I climb inside, rattling off a hundred “thank yous” and pull my dress over my feet to warm them.
“Thank goodness we saw you. Are you okay?”
“Yes, thank you so much. You’re a lifesaver.”
Sinking back into the seat, I look over my shoulder for the last time to say goodbye.
LUCA WALKS BACK INSIDE THEoffice, having just hung up the phone with Gretchen, and rolls his neck. “They’re all going to bed. Things are quiet.”
