Pain explodes in my chest and I'm knocked to the ground by the pure force of it.

I don't know what happened after that but the pain is all I can really remember from the moments after.

I wake up 24 hours after the surgery.

"He'll be fine, don't worry. Despite the area of the wound it actually wasn't deep and there probably won't even be a scar. He's very lucky." The doctor tells us before leaving.

I look around and that's when Natalie runs in here and practically jumps on me. "You're awake! You're awake! You're awake!" She squeals.

Theo comes up and smiles at me, patting my shoulder. "You're still here, huh?" We laugh at his bad joke.

Revel pats my back before sitting back down. "I'm glad you're okay, dude. You freaked me out." He tries to laugh.

I survey the room and notice she's not here. "Where's Eliza?" Their faces fall and I sit up straighter.

"She-" Theo starts bur pauses so Revel finishes for him. "She escaped. She was cleaning up the car but we forgot to takes the keys and she drove away."

I don't really know what I'm feeling right now. Anger? Yes. Hurt? Yes. Surprise? No.

I sigh and point to the tablet on the table across from me. Revel grabs it and hands it to me. I open it up and go to the tracker on the car.

I can't help but smirk. "She's smart." I say and they look at the screen.

Tracker 1 is at a random gas station. Tracker 2 is moving on a highway.

"But We're smarter." Revel adds.

I turn onto a back road, unsure of where I'm going.

That's when the car stops working and it won't turn on.

Shit.

A car pulls up behind me, maybe they'll help me out.

I roll down the window but when I turn I quickly try to roll it back up.

Revel reaches his hand in through the window and pulls the keys from the ignition.

He opens the door and grabs my wrist, pulling me out of the car and dragging me over to his car.

He lets go of me and glares at me. "I trusted you." He points out, making me feel guilty.

"I was vulnerable and you decided to use that to your advantage. I trusted you, Eliza. You're my friend. Why?" He seems sad now.

"I'm sorry, Revel. I am." I look down at my hands and he sighs.

"Why?" He asks again, but this time in a normal tone. Not harsh but not soft. Just normal.

"My sisters. I need to get back to them. Revel, I'm sorry. I know you don't believe me, though."

He sighs and shakes his head. "I do believe you, Eliza. Okay? I believe you. I know you and you're a good person. I can understand you wanting to get back to your sisters. Just get in the car, okay?" He tries.

I shake my head. "Revel, tomorrow is Dizzy's 8th birthday." My tone of voice is unrecognizable and he looks sad for me.

"She'll be okay, Liza." He reassures me.

"But what about me? I don't know if I'll be okay." He wraps his arms around me comfortingly.

Something sharp digs into my neck and I feel a familiar burning feeling.

I turn around and see Collin, holding a syringe in his hand, the remnants of the blue liquid from the day they forced me to leave my town.

Just like before, I no longer have any feeling and Collin has to pick me up.

We sit in the back of the car and, just like before, he grips my wrist in a comforting way, letting me know that I'm not falling despite what I feel.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

When I wake up I try to move from the hotel bed but like before, my ankle is cuffed to the bed.

I look around, searching for someone, for anyone, but I'm alone in the familiar hotel room.

Collin walks in the room and sees I'm awake. He closes the door behind him and walking towards me.

I start trying to move away from him but my ankle doesn't move. 

"Eliza, relax." He tells me but I can't relax. I ran away. He's definitely going to hurt me.

My stupid ankle won't freaking move!

"Eliza-" he's right in front of me and I can barely see him through my tears.

"I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry." I start repeating over and over again. Please don't hurt me.

"Calm down, you're fine." He tells me but I don't really believe him.

I try to calm myself and I sit normally on the bed, my ankle no longer hurting from pulling against the cuff.

"Please don't hurt me." I whisper and he blows out a breath and sits down across from me.

"I'm not going too. I would never. Am I pissed you did that? Yes. But still, won't do that." He sighs.

"Can you remove the cuff from my ankle?" I ask and he laughs not exactly humorously.

"No. Liza, you left. You ran away. All that progress you made of getting our trust is gone. That doesn't mean we're not your friends anymore. We are. But it does mean we don't trust you not to try to run anymore."

Why do I feel guilty? I shouldn't be feeling guilty for trying to get my freedom.

My mind keeps going back to when my dad tied me into the dark closet.

How he left me there for hours just crying. How I couldn't move.

How terrified I was.

Suddenly the room is shrinking and I start pulling against the cuff. It's not working, obviously, but I can't stop because the walls are caving in.

While I still have some semblance I look to Collin.

"C-Collin please. I know what I did was stupid but please. I can't-" he stops me.

"Liza, if you were anyone else you would be dead. Hell, if you were anyone else you'd already be dead, or tortured. Do you realize how lucky you are? I kill people without blinking and I don't have remorse for it. Most of the time." He adds the last part under his breath.

"Look, I'll take it off after 24 hours. Okay? Next time you try to escape, it'll be 48 hours. Got it?" He tells me.

The walls are really starting to close in and suddenly everything is dark and I'm 6 years old again.

I didn't even realize how panicked I was until Collin sits next to me and takes my hand in a comforting way.

"Liza, hey. Liza. I need you to try and calm down, okay? You're okay. You're fine." He tries to comfort me.

"I need this off of me! Please. Please." I'm desperate for air but I can't seem to get any.

He holds me, attempting to calm me down but I just can't.

Everything is going on at once and it's like a whirlpool that I'm trapped in and can't swim out.

And I'm drowning.

"I'm gonna go get you some water." He says before leaving and then I really am alone.

I know you probably think it's dramatic, and it probably is, but I'm still trying to yank off the cuff with my ankle and I'm crying.

When Collin comes back he sets down the water next to the nightstand and goes to leave before I stop him.

"Collin." I'm able to get out and he turns to look at me.

"Yeah?" He asks softly.

"Please don't leave me alone." I sob out and he comes and wraps his arms around me in a hug.

"Okay, I won't leave you, Liza. I promise." I lay my head on his chest and he lays his head atop mine.

"Please, Collin, take it off. I can't- I can't-"

he interrupts me in a soft voice. "No. I'm sorry, Eliza."

I manage out a strangled noise and start pulling the cuff against my ankle even further.

"Eliza, you're going to hurt yourself." He's trying to get me to stop from accidentally hurting myself.

Even with my head on his chest I still manage to wrap my arms around him and just hold him.

You're not alone. You're not in the dark. You're not in a small space. You're okay.

Collin kisses the top of my head before laying his head on top of mine.

"Im sorry." He whispers.