Chapter 5 -The Escape
1128 Words
The morning air was different. It felt choking.
It was my final day.
I had thought about a lot of things during the night. Too many things. I barely slept. I drifted off at some point and woke up feeling exactly the same.
Still no word from Dante. No calls, nothing. It felt disturbing more than anything else. I tried the mystery man's number again. It wasn't connecting.
I sat on the edge of the bed and stared at my feet for a while.
Then I went to my mother's room.
I hadn't been there since I got home. If this was my last time in this house, I want to spend some of it there. I found her photo album right where she always kept it. She had always cherished that book. I sat down and went through it, page by page.
My mother always took pictures. She cherished every moment spent together, every ordinary one.
I burst into tears.
"Mom, I wish you were here. I miss you so much."
I cried until my heart felt empty. Then I put the book back, locked her room, and walked back to mine.
It was already noon. Still nothing. No Dante, no black cars, no men in suits, no lawyer. Everything looked almost normal. But off. I stared at my phone hoping for a miracle.
Nothing.
I walked through the house, fixing and arranging things for no real reason. My stomach rumbled. I hadn't had breakfast. I microwaved some leftovers and ate without tasting any of it.
One pm. The house creaked. I nearly jumped.
Just the walls settling. Just the house being a house.
I exhaled and put the plate down.
Two pm. I sat by the window and watched the street. Every car that turned the corner made my pulse spike for half a second. Every black car made it spike longer. None of them stopped. None of them were his.
I told myself that was a good thing.
Three pm. Still nothing. What was he trying to prove? Why wasn't he here, rubbing his victory in my face? That wasn't like him.
Then my phone buzzed.
“Finally,” i sighed.
But it wasn't Dante. It was a message from the mystery man. It was a ticket number and a phone number with a text attached: “We don't have much time."
My mind jolted. A ticket. He actually came through.
It was almost evening. I could leave.
I rushed upstairs. Thankfully, my bag was already packed. I checked my wallet twice just to be sure. I needed to hurry, but carefully.
I paused briefly at my father's photograph on the dresser.
"You left me with this," I whispered.
Then I walked out.
A gust of wind hit my face the moment I stepped through the front door.
Was that the wind of freedom? I asked myself.
I flagged down a taxi.
"Train station," I said, keeping my voice steady.
The driver nodded. I settled in and immediately a thought crossed my mind. What if it was a trap? Dante didn't seem like someone who gave up easily. What if he was watching me right now?
My mind was restless. But the moving city outside pulled me back.
I paid and dropped off a block away, walked the corner on foot.
I scanned the train station slowly. Nothing felt suspicious. I dialed the number.
My mind was racing. I could feel blood pumping through my veins. But I was willing to take this chance. I had no other options if i wanted to go back to my life.
The call finally picked up.
"Meet me at the terminal." The line went dead before I could ask anything.
I walked to the terminal, sat down quietly, and looked around.
Noise wrapped around from every direction.
Announcements were made, people were boarding and dragging their luggage.
The constant movement of people trying to go somewhere else.
I adjusted myself on the bench i was sitting. An old man walked up to me and handed me a small envelope and walked away without a word.
I was a little tense, so I tried not to show it. I opened it, and it was a printed ticket with the same number from the text
I looked at the ticket carefully, almost like it might disappear.
It was paper, not just ordinary paper, my freedom printed out.
I stood and walked away from the terminal and looked around.I was invisible again. I didn't matter to anyone here.
I walked towards the train's stop. Each step I took felt lighter than the last.
The weight I had been carrying since then slowly began to loosen.
By the time I reached the waiting area, I almost smiled.
The train arrived with a soft mechanical sound.
Doors opened, passengers stepped out, new passengers entered. I joined them naturally.
I found my seat close to the window without a rush. Excellent space. I set my bag beside me as I sat down.
I leaned back, resting my head on the window glass.
For the first time in what felt like forever, I felt peace. This past week seemed like years, but here i was going back to my life,
The doors closed with a soft chime, and the train began to move.
Slowly at first, then faster.
The city outside the window began to blur into motion.
I watched as buildings passed in streaks, and people became shapes. For every move the train makes a part of the city disappear.
Watching everything I had been trapped inside drift further away.
My breathing is steadied completely now.
In, Out. I breathed out heavily.
There was no pressure, no urgency, no fear. I closed my eyes briefly and I needed a moment.
Just enough to feel it and take it all in. Was this really my freedom?
And for the first time since returning home—
I allowed myself to believe I had escaped it all.
The city shrank in the distance. I smiled, just faintly, my forehead still resting against the cool glass.
Then I heard my name.
"Elara….."
Soft. Almost swallowed by the noise of the train.
I didn't move. Probably nothing. A coincidence. Someone else's name was carried along the carriage.
"Elara….."
Louder this time. And unmistakable.
That voice. That particular quality of calm that had nothing peaceful in it. The kind of calm that watched you and waited.
My stomach dropped before I even turned around.
Dante was sitting directly behind me. Arms relaxed, posture easy — like a man who had been there the whole time and had simply been waiting for me to notice. A slow smirk crossed his face the moment my eyes met his.
"Going somewhere?" he said.
- Writer
