Page 27 of Screwed

Hopefully, Olivia would be awake and studying. Then I could bug her about all of my emotions from the day, and she would tell me how insane I was being.

Verbal sparring was our schtick, and it worked well for us. But just as I rounded the last corner to our apartment, I heard a commotion up ahead. I froze, instinct taking over, and pushed my back against the brick of the building behind me. Being out on the street after dark wasn’t safe, but I needed to make sure there was a clear path to get into my apartment first. I slid along the wall, peeking around the corner to see what was happening.

I wasn’t ready for what I saw. In front of our apartment, Olivia kicked and screamed as she was dragged into a parked car. Despite the obvious struggle, nobody stepped up to help her. How could they, without getting killed themselves?

I jumped around the corner, hiding behind our neighbor’s garbage cans to try and figure out my next move.

One man held her back by her arms, keeping his distance. Likely, Olivia had already landed a solid blow or two on him. She had convinced me to take the self-defense classes with her, and hopefully they’d come in handy now. Another man was holding the door to the car open, and another sat in the driver’s seat. Three men total. Not great odds.

But odds I needed to take. I shifted behind the garbage can, trying to get a better angle, and my foot kicked the metal with a hollow thunk. I couldn’t breathe, wondering if they were going to catch me. None of the men looked my way, too caught up in Olivia’s screams. But Olivia looked around, finally realizing who was hiding behind the cans.

Her eyes widened. She tossed a look behind her, at her captor dragging her into a silver minivan. There was absolutely no way for me to get to her without getting us both killed. We both knew it.

Fuck this world. Fuck what it had made me become.

First the old couple in the park, and now my best friend?

Fuck the Collapse.

“Run,” she silently mouthed.

I shook my head, hair whipping into my eyes.No. I couldn’t leave her. Not like this. I wasn’t sure how to save her, but I had to try. I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if I left her. Hot tears streamed uncontrollably down my face.

“Run,” she mouthed again, eyes wild. “Mila,run!” This time she screamed loud, stopping the man holding her arms back in his tracks. I had never heard her sound this way before. Commanding. Frantic.Scared. “Run goddammit!”

For a split second I considered seeking refuge in our apartment. But if they had broken in to get Olivia, they would surely be back for me. The city wasn’t safe.

So I ran in the opposite direction, as fast as my feet would carry me. I ran until the footfalls behind me turned into silence. I ran until the city turned into the suburbs, and the suburbs into farmland. I ran until my heartbeat stopped chanting Ray’s and Olivia’s names. I ran until the tears streaming down my face had dried, until I realized I was out in the middle of nowhere with no supplies, no support, and no hope. I ran, and I didn’t look back, because I knew. Nobody could save me now.

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