Sarah couldn’t stand still, pacing back and forth in the small bathroom, feeling like a caged animal.

She was safe, for now, but until when? The crazy man standing watch outside the door could just as easily decide to leave her there or break down the door in order to get to her.

She looked around once more, searching for something that could be use as a weapon in the worst-case scenario, but unless she suddenly developed the superhuman strength necessary to rip the sink from the wall, all that was left was an old plastic shower curtain and an already used roll of toilet paper. There were no mirrors, no cabinets, and as to be expected from a place like that, not even soap or shower gel. Soap? Not even towels! And to her dismay the towel bars were firmly bolted to the walls.

This can’t be happening! And yet, how many times had she repeated those same words in the last few days?

The sound of voices interrupted her search leading her to carefully get closer to the door, trying to hear what was happening outside. For a moment she thought it was Havoc. Hopefully, she prayed that the large man had come to her rescue, that he had called the local authorities or that, at least, he’d come to try and put some sense in that crazy man’s head. It was clear that the two of them knew each other from before, and that Havoc, although evidently older, kept a certain fearfully and respectful distance from her captor. Still, even if that were true, she was sure he wouldn’t want to have his establishment stuck right in the middle of some police investigation, all because some crazy guy had decided to kidnap a woman.

Sarah recognized Alexis’ low and grave voice easily enough, and although she fought it, she couldn’t help admitting it was a great voice. However, listening more carefully, she wasn’t able to recognize the second person, and the words that reached her, as clearly as if they were all standing in the same room, quickly made her realize that it wasn’t Havoc in the room with him.

Her heart jumped and her stomach knotted, as she begun to understand that Alexis wasn’t all that crazy after all. They’d really been followed. Better yet! She’d been followed! And all because of him! Probably because she’d saved him from that place!

Sarah left the door and looked around with renewed urgency. I have to get out of here as soon as possible!

Her thoughts ran wildly.

For sure, Alexis was probably part of the mob, or was mixed in some similar organized crime venture. They were obviously dealing with illicit substances, of that she was certain. That warehouse had contained enough chemicals to blow up an entire neighborhood. And she’d got involved in all that mess the moment she’d saved him!

“This is none of my business! I have nothing to do with this!” she thought out loud, pulling the shower curtains back, and her gaze fell upon the small window right in front of her. It had been placed there with the sole purpose of allowing some daylight in, so much so that it didn’t even open. But, if she was right, it would lead to the back of the building, and maybe it was big enough for her to fit through.

The sounds of something being thrown against a wall and of wood cracking and breaking were all the incentive she needed.

With her mind set and her heart beating like crazy, Sarah climbed on the bathtub’s edge and pulled down the old plastic curtain, the rings hanging it from the bar easily giving in with one pull. She hurriedly covered her right hand with the stained, moldy plastic and placed a foot in each border of the bathtub for better balance.

The sounds of the fight and the almost inhuman roars coming from the bedroom next door clearly told her that Alexis was fighting more than one man. He’d probably end up getting himself killed, and once they’d broken down the frail door, she’d have no way to escape.

Taking a deep breath for courage, she closed her eyes and clenched her fist into a tight ball. She pulled her arm back and punched the glass with all her strength. Fortunately, the glass was cheap and thin, and the sound of it breaking was lost amongst the other sounds of destruction. A hot, sharp pain told her that a glass shard had pierced the plastic, cutting her hand, but Sarah didn’t lose time evaluating the seriousness of her injury. In quick movements she broke the remaining glass, cleaning the window frame of any sharp fragments, and used the plastic curtain to cover the parapet.

She had to jump in order to see outside. It was dark, which didn’t allow her to see much, but the silence sounded inviting, in comparison with the groans and other frightening sounds coming from behind her. All she had to do was to get out of that place and run to her car. The key was still in the ignition and her cell phone awaited her on the backseat. She’d leave that place as soon as possible, and once she reached a safe distance she’d call the police. Who knew? Maybe they’d be in time to find Alexis alive and take him to a hospital. Criminal or not, the truth was that he’d really tried to help her, even if he was the one to blame for all that mess to begin with. Besides, she couldn’t help feeling guilty for having judged him so wrongly, even though the fact that she now knew he’d been right wasn’t enough to make her think he was any less crazy.

She was only able to jump high enough to lean outside by the fourth attempt, and she had to make use of all her strength to hoist herself up, fighting to fit her right leg through the small space left by the rest of her body. After almost falling head on twice, Sarah took a deep breath as she found herself more twisted and bent than she’d ever thought humanely possible. Bracing for impact, she just allowed herself to fall outside, the pain quickly spreading from her butt to her back. She sat there for a few seconds, making sure that, besides some bruises, she hadn’t broken any bones. And then she was on her feet again, hiding against the large trunk of a tree. She waited for a moment, making sure no one had noticed her escape. The sounds from the fight that threatened to completely destroy the room echoed in the night.

Sarah looked around and took a deep breath, as she concluded that, contrary to her fears, there was no one watching the back of the building.

The light from the Reception had been turned off, but thanks to the bright sign announcing the motel’s name she could easily see her lonely car, parked a few feet from where she stood. All she had to do was reach it and she’d be safe, or so she thought.

The hand that grabbed and pulled her arm squeezed it so strongly that she couldn’t even breathe. The hand that crushed her lips stopped her from screaming and the terror that took over her broke her mental defenses. Death, blood and a world of horrors the likes she’d never even imagined assaulted her mind, leaving her on the brink of total mental breakdown. And so she couldn’t help feeling thankful for the sharp pain that silenced all those voices, delivering into the arms of blessed, unfeeling darkness.

* If you want to know more about this book or simply access earlier updates, please visit the official site at http://carpersanti.net/gaea/