Sleep didn't come easily to me that night. I laid in bed, tossing and turning. Insomnia was one of the few things I'd never suffered from in my life. Given my busy and chaotic life and adding in the fact that I rarely slept more than a few hours at a time, by the time I did get to collapse into my bed I passed out within seconds.694Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb3NmI9Pzgz
But tonight, rather from being in an unfamiliar place, worry about my mother, the stress of the day, or, most likely, a combination thereof, sleep would not come. I stared at the ceiling, trying to avoid glancing at the clock was slowly ticking down the time, when I finally decided it was useless to even try to sleep. I sat up and flicked up the light in my room, squinting at the sudden brightness that surrounded me.694Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKYGzvyySqr
My chambers weren't large— they were much smaller than the apartment I lived in on the surface actually. It was just a single room with a hard bed, a clock, a dresser, and a light. I imagine the families that I'd seen earlier had larger chambers, but for a young, healthy, single woman, I received spartan living quarters. Though, I didn't mind. I was used to the bare essentials and wasn't about to complain about what someone gave me out of the kindness of their heart with no charge at all.694Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7VZ99uegXc
I glanced over to my phone sitting on the floor next to my bed, plugged in a charging. 'Surely one call to mother wouldn't hurt...' I thought, biting my lip. It was late enough that everyone should be asleep and calling would only serve to wake and worry Rachele, but I couldn't stop worrying about rather or not my mother was okay. Had she taken her medicine? Was she scared? Was she giving Rachele too much trouble? My stomach churned so much I was sure I was going be sick. My fingers and toes were starting to tingle and go almost numb and my heart felt like it was ready to beat out of my chest. Everything just hurt and I knew for a fact that it was just pure anxiety, something I suffered from often, but rarely this severely.694Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAPPSbpJHTC
'I can't stand this any longer,' I thought, picking up my phone and flipping it open, before dialing Rachele's number.694Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbKU6ephBpo
It rang for so long I was positive it was about to go to voicemail when I finally heard Rachele's sleepy voice on the other side of the line:694Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW418OlsC7n
"Hello?"694Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ9tenunbDd
"Hey, uh, you up?" I asked, feeling awkward for having called Rachele mid sleep.694Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡalayIxBGrr
"No. I'm still sleeping," Rachele deadpanned, sounding unamused. "Yes, of course I'm up."694Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNPcnVlO3vX
"I meant did I wake you?"694Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhxRvfkLSrt
"Sammy, it's three o'clock. What do you think?"694Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYShQpdbqNy
"Oh, uh, sorry. I just, well, was worried."694Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs3ofSQWsPQ
"That's understandable. Everything's under control here, we're just worried about 'you.' What's going on Sammy?"694Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQI0qwsYRPC
"I can't tell you..."694Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrXQNTHlyD2
"Come on, Samantha! We've known each other for how long now? Two years? I'm babysitting your mother for Christ's sake. Just tell me what's happening. I'm worried about you."694Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCPIjqYOgFu
"I... I can't, Rache. It's dangerous." It killed me having to keep secrets from Rachele. I hated secrets. I wasn't good at keeping them and they ate away at me. But it was necessary. I couldn't tell Rache anything because it was dangerous.694Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsR4gh5zNM3
"When are you coming home then? Your mom misses you."694Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjdZVihLCkI
That felt like a knife to a stomach. It really did. "Soon," I whispered, feeling a lump form in my throat and tears prick at the back of my eyes. I wiped them away way the back of my hand and blinked rapidly as I rolled my eyes to stare up at the white ceiling. I couldn't afford tears right now. I needed to be the strong one.694Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLH4DnkwkdV
"When? Where are you?"694Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡitT2Jqf27n
"I'm, uh, with family. Up north. Just needed to get settled in and make sure it was okay before I dragged mother on a long trip," I lied. "I'll be there tomorrow. Just to get mom and come back. Make sure her stuff is packed and she's up. It'll probably be around this time."694Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaNzmooyqd9
I couldn't stand the thought of spending another night without my mother. As much as I may have hated taking care of her at times, I couldn't stand being away from her. I loved her. She was my mom and my responsibility and living without her was a physical impossibility as I'd learned.694Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN6glNEghrJ
The anxiety I'd been feeling earlier about leaving mother alone was melting away as soon as I committed to sneaking her in. If Elvira was going to make me wait before giving me an answer about mother, well, she'd just have to deal with the fact that I wasn't willing to wait. And if it got me kicked out of the haven, well, that was fine, too. I didn't want to be here if mother wasn't aloud, too.694Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8EoyGRCGp3
(Or, at least, that's what I told myself.)694Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpSoBng9ibi
"Uh, Rache, tell Lucian I won't be coming in for awhile."694Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlLg5MOfA2F
"How long, Sam?"694Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7R9LadBQus
"I— I don't know. I just can't be home right now, Rache. Something's happening. Something bad. I honestly don't even know what it is or why I'm so scared. I just can feel something bad coming on. Something sinister. From the man grabbing me at the club to the people breaking in, yet taking nothing but some clothes. Why would they do that? Everywhere I've gone lately I can feel someone trailing me. The police won't help and I can't do anything. I don't know when I'll be back. I don't know if I'll be back. I just need to be gone. You can understand that, can't you?"694Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYJefRjmkLi
"Yeah, I get it. You're safety is what's important."694Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgngyfHxN8Y
"Thanks."694Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIBNr3B8k99
"I love you, Sam."694Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjQFo7oCV6v
"Love you, too, Rache."694Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdHinI8qpQp
"See you tomorrow?"694Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXZRByaTdxv
"Yeah. Tomorrow."694Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFbxO2LZoLR
The phone clicked and beeped as the call ended and I flopped back on the bed, pressing the heels of my palms against my eyes and groaning. All of the anxiety that had faded about my mother was suddenly back full-force. But this time not about mom. About how to get in and out of Elvira's insanely secure house.694Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6cp9RkBycr
I wasn't much of a planner.694Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxOljW3VBI1
It always left me at a severe disadvantage anytime someone asked me to play chess or Risk or anything that involved the slightest amount of strategy. The only way I could get things done was if I jumped in and just did them, no fore-planning, no worrying. I was too easily distracted by things around me, too frustrated the second I hit a challenge, too prone to thinking myself into a panic. So, as much as I always respected and envied strategists, I knew I'd never be one.694Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmxgqIlfbN0
Which is why the plan I came up with to sneak back into Elvira's home was to 'hope she had a window I could shimmy through.' But no matter how hard I thought, no matter how hard I shut my eyes and tried and tried to come up with a better plan, the only conclusions I was able to come to were "be patient until she tells you you can bring your mother in" which wasn't going to happen as I'd already figured out I couldn't spend another day without mother. Or "sneak into her house through a window, then wing it." While the former may have been the more prudent plan, the latter was what I knew I needed to do, for my sanity if for nothing else.694Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzeU1XJlzt9
Even after my conversation with Rachele and my 'planning' I wasn't able to sleep. All I was able to do was stare at my ceiling more and stress.694Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2TVTTSuUFA
Once it seemed to be a reasonable time to be up and moving I got up and decided I might as well get dressed for the day. I was quite excited to put on the clothes Elvira had purchased for me, but couldn't help but feel guilty as I pulled on a pair of jeans and white shirt that had been bought as I remembered Elvira's words about how she didn't allow people that left back in as she viewed it as unappreciative and dangerous. I understood perfectly well why and it made sense on a logical; if someone left who's to say they're not going to lead someone back to the haven? Or if they were followed. So, when she told me I very much agreed on the policy despite how nervous the idea made me. But, now that I was here and wanting to leave and get back in, I hated the policy. I hated it in the most irrational, totally fear based way.694Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxGjjcGBatv
Once I was finally in a presentable state, with my hair laying flat against my head, clothes all in line, and teeth brushed, I exited my little room and went out into the streets.694Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVRrJS1s1Su
The sun lights were on bright and hot and I couldn't help but look up and grin, basking in the light and warmth despite all my stress. I knew it wasn't the real sun, but it was rare that I ever got to feel the heat that came only with midday summer sun light. It was wonderful.694Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVLcsG2Qy1y
"Hey there!" I heard someone cry out. I turned to see a woman, my neighbor, standing at her door.694Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVvzfIANFed
"Hi," I replied with a wave, making my way over to where they were standing.694Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlrShRFM6as
"I'm Marsha," the woman introduced, extending her hand once I was at her door694Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtDgzwOypxw
"I'm Sammy." I took her hand, shaking it.694Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVI7N6MvIjf
"You're new here, right?"694Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ5MGej1XKh
"Yup. Just arrived yesterday. How about you? How long have you been here."694Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnixtwSYEGs
"Oh, uh, awhile," Marsha said. "Actually, longer than anyone else here."694Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtGTeKL5V9a
"Really?" I asked, eyes wide. "How long is that? Do people usually end up staying here long?"694Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9SOaz1qNri
"Nah, not really," Marsha said. "I've only been here, what, maybe six months? People come and go pretty quickly. Though, when I arrived there was a person that had been here for over a year."694Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3NtOLxeAsC
"Oh, wow. So, do people's problems get taken care of quickly I guess?"694Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDzhRjFTkqX
Marsh shrugged. "Depends on the problem. Sometimes, yeah. Sometimes it takes longer. Usually when it's gonna take awhile, though, they just make it so the people are safe going back home, then worry about fixing the problem. Really try to keep Salus from getting too crowed."694Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy67MrdrqN8
"Salus?" I asked.694Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCq7xdhku8h
"Oh, that's what we call this place. It's Latin for salvation."694Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡug1h67c7O5
"Oh, okay. I like that," I replied with a smile, before asking, "So, what do you think of Elvira?"694Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ40rg6Y4Tb2
"She's great," Marsha said. "Saved my life. It would be difficult for me to not love her. She likes to keep her distance, though. She'll come down, say hi, even do favors. But God help you if you cross her or break any of her rules."694Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuaer7g4JvN
"What do you mean?"694Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLsZsHOSF8p
"She's... strict. She has a temper and can hold a grudge."694Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJqQvZ7AvH3
"Really? She doesn't seem the type."694Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYg4KcwDBbL
"Oh, you'd be surprised, Sammy. Just... don't break any rules and you'll be good with 'Vira. Do something she's asked you not to, though, and you'll be out of here faster than that!" Marsh snapped her fingers loudly to emphasize her point and I jumped back in surprise.694Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV3z6Kka43L
"Oh, um, okay. I'll definitely keep that in mind." I looked up and away from Marsha, trying to keep my nerves under control.694Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFjbdv0qUt2
'As long as Elvira doesn't find out about mother, there's nothing to worry about,' I told myself, trying to ignore the more prudent voice inside telling me that there was no way I keep someone hidden for long.694Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9xK329z56t
:: ::694Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3bPmC2Pr34
I kept myself busy that day by walking around, speaking to the people I saw, and worrying. And when I wasn't doing any of that I was sitting in my room, throwing up from nerves every now and again, and calling mom and Rachele repeatedly. They had to have been annoyed with me by the tenth time I called but I didn't particularly care.694Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVuMecLbQKh
Finally, daybreak came around. I should have been exhausted after going so long without sleep, but adrenaline was keeping me awake.694Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGE7hRTsjtY
Most people had retired to their rooms already. I tried to act as casual as I could, though I was pretty sure I wasn't pulling it off well. I'd never felt so awkward in my life. I couldn't remember how to even hold my arms or walk like a normal person.694Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDxLEm1HD64
I recalled what Elvira had told me about the emptier parts of town that had been shut down when they realize the expense and danger of running something so huge and I knew that all the windows up to the outside were actually hinges that would only locked from the inside. So, getting out really wasn't going to be difficult. The only thing I needed to do was make sure I wouldn't be seen by any of the other citizens leaving.694Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAO1oFp4EwL
I reached an area of town after maybe five minutes of walking that was clearly abandoned. None of the beauty of the city proper was here. All of the sun lights were out, the buildings weren't maintained, plants weren't kept trimmed— I knew I'd reached an area where it would be safe to escape.694Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzGCBi8Mprn
I looked around for one of the windows out, finding one very quickly. The natural light from the sun rising was just showing through and a patch of grass and weeds grew heavily below it. I looked up at the window, wondering where the hell the ladder was, when I noticed it was a rope ladder that was coiled up at the top of the thing.694Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd4GiyOg9no
'Goddammit. How do I get it down?' I thought in frustration. I ran a hand through my hair as I looked around in a panic, when I noticed a button that was underneath the layer of grass. Bending down, I pulled the weeds and grass up by the fist-full, staining hands green, and saw a small red button just sitting there. I closed my eyes, praying that the button controlled the ladder and not some alarm system. I pushed the button and flinched, waiting for some loud noise, but there was none. The rope ladder was released and fell straight down to me.694Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡghztXChHKX
I grabbed onto the rungs of the ladder and took a deep breath. 'Well, here it goes.' 694Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8pqdwEToPB
Penana
search
Loginarrow_drop_down
Registerarrow_drop_down
