Barrel

7

The sudden commotion behind her told her she didn't have time to think. She needed to move, and grabbing a boat wasn't the answer right now. She needed to get away and fast. She didn't know what would happen if they found her free, and she didn't want to find out.

She could come back later when no one was hot on her trail. She could slip into the night and make this all feel like a bad dream.

"Hey!" a man yelled, and she looked over her shoulder, seeing three large men standing holding the door open. The man that she'd hit before was still lying on the ground behind them. Her stomach dropped.

She had run out of time.

"Get back here!" another yelled, and they all took off toward her. She ran for it.

The outcome was worse than the pain she was about to endure. She ran around the corner, taking off down the back alley of the brothel. The men weren't far behind, screaming at her.

"Stop!"

"Get back here!"

Her legs trembled, but she forced them to move as quickly as she could get them to go. Her lungs burned, and her feet ached, but she refused to stop. Her life depended on her hauling her ass.

Her heart thundered in her ears, and her mind was on full alert. She was f****d if they captured her again.

She caught sight of an open door, and her eyes froze on it. It was an oversized garage. Inside was a bundle of boxes and a truck. She slipped into the door, having seconds to figure out her next move.

She couldn't fight. Three against one were terrible odds. There was no way she would win. Running was just giving her a little extra time. But her time would run out when she couldn't go any farther, and she was already growing weak.

She needed to hide. It was the only way she could possibly get out of this alive.

She looked over the space, rushing to the truck. She pulled on the handle, but it didn't give. Locked. She spun around, looking for anything that could save her.

There were cabinets and tables. Shelves were packed with junk. Her eyes landed on a latch of a trap door on the ground. She quickly grabbed it, pulling it up to find a cellar.

She rushed down, taking in the stale smell of liquor and mold. She wanted to gag but held it in as she heard them enter the garage. She locked eyes on an old barrel and took the opportunity.

She flipped the lid up and climbed in. She shut it just as she heard them enter the cellar.

"She has to be down here," one grumbled, and she cursed herself for not shutting the door. She held her breath, wondering what the hell had been in these wooden containers.

"Who's the dumb bastard on duty to watch the girls tonight?" one of them said, angry. " I'm gonna kill them. Making me run around after a woman. Only an i***t lets this happen."

"Shut up," another barked. "You have nowhere to run, girl." She knew he was calling for her, and she pulled her legs closer together. She clamped a hand over her mouth, hoping to stifle her breath.

"We are blocking the entrance, and you can't stay hidden forever."

Eva chewed on her lip, wondering if maybe she'd made a mistake. Once they found her, she was screwed.

She frowned, knowing she just needed to be quiet. They would grow tired eventually, right? There were many other girls, and they wouldn't care about one, would they?

"Maybe she kept going," one of them said. "Just stopped to look through this place."

"Where would she have gone?" another snapped. "Are you stupid?"

They fell silent, and she heard them walking closer to the barrel. She heard them moving some, opening doors and slamming them shut. She squeezed her eyes closed, praying they didn't find her.

"Hey," one of them yelled. "The back door’s open."

"f**k!" another cursed. "Go. She's gonna get away."

Eva swallowed, carefully listening as they rushed away. She crossed her fingers, hoping they all left. She didn't know who had opened the back door, but she thanked them in her mind.

She sat in the barrel, her legs curled into her chest, and her arms tucked tightly against her body. She didn't know how much time had passed. She could only sit and wait.

As she sat, her mind wandered. She wanted something different from her everyday life. She always wanted to experience more in the world, but this wasn't what she’d meant. She meant taking a trip to Paris or learning how to scuba dive.

Being kidnapped and dragged to some foreign country was not on that bucket list. She rubbed her eyes, tired. Her legs were starting to hurt, and her back ached.

Eva wanted to cry. She was terrified but also proud of herself. She had gotten herself free, and if she waited and thought everything through, she could get herself out of here. This would be a crazy story to tell people later on in life.

She lifted the top slightly, peering out. The space was empty and quiet. She swallowed, hoping she could take the chance.

Her legs shook as she pushed herself up, taking in a deep breath for the first time in a while. She looked around the space, pulling herself out of the barrel.

"Eva!" a sharp voice called out, making her freeze. No one had called her by her name yet. How did someone know her? She froze in fear. Someone had found her.