[9] Escape

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I kept my knees tightly pressed against my face. I didn't want to look at anyone or anyone to look at me. Jason held me by my arm and took me back to his car. Thankfully, he didn't harm my parents any further but I remained uncertain about my future. Where were we driving now?

I hated Jason with every single cell of my body, he was the incarnation of evil yet I hated myself more than I hated him. If I thought about it he was just taking revenge on me for something that I was involved in, the homicide of his girlfriend.

She was the one who kept him sane as Jazmyn said and I could corroborate that after watching the CD video of them together in several occasions.
His genetic syndrome and the death of Emily sunk him into the sea of hate and pain he was swimming on.

I never saw him break before, he would always radiate anger or hate through his pores but when he started crying before in the uncared house I could sense and almost taste the bitter and sour feeling of his sadness and endless pain. How could a thirteen year old girl know that her excitement about a trophy would cost a life, in fact two.

My parents never told me the girl in the car crash died. They simply told me she broke her arm but that she was completely safe and sound, but what could you expect. It was pretty obvious they weren't going to traumatise me by telling me the hard truth. I simply found out as I grew up.

Buildings rose over my sight at the distance. We were entering a city, a big one to be exact. The concrete and metal structures welcomed us as I had a glimpse of the people passing by the sidewalks. Families with their children, couples holding hands, friends laughing as they told funny stories. I envied each of them, I envied their freedom and their innocent and sane minds.

I switched my gaze to Jason's position, he kept his eyes locked on the road firmly but I knew his attention was on the happiness of everyone surrounding us. The unbearable feeling of guilt kept twisting my stomach unmercifully. Everyone seemed extremely happy but us.

Jason parked inside the car park of a coffee painted building and kept his gun hid behind his jacket intimidating me like he would always do. We entered the lift as the metals door opened and Jason pressed the '5' floor. The doors closed with a nice sound and the elevator travelled up to the desired floor.

When the doors opened I saw a corridor with a red carpet which led to a couple of wooden doors with metallic plates on each. Jason pushed me from behind indicating me to walk forward. I obeyed him with no hesitation until he indicated me to stop on the door with the plate '29' on it.

He brought a handle of keys from outside his leather jacket pocket and inserted the right one inside the lock. He opened the door and pushed me in with tired moves. It was an apartment, it looked quite modern and comfortable, the main entrance leaded to the open living room with a massive window and a balcony, the kitchen was connected to it and just two other rooms by the side of the living room. but just before I could analyse it any further Jason handcuffed me against a metal bar by the fridge.

He took a cigarette from outside his pocket and lighted it up before breathing in the toxic fumes. He avoided making eye contact with me and simply left the apartment to god-knows-where.

Hours passed by and the only entertainment I had was the fridge next to me which thankfully had several resources for my hungry and needy stomach. Suddenly the metallic sound of keys sliding inside the lock made me flinch and stand up fearing an angry Jason with torturous desires.

The door opened letting the beam of light from the corridor of the apartment illuminate the room. Suddenly a click sound filled my ears and the whole kitchen and living room lights switched on. A figure walked in but it was not Jason, it was a black man around his late thirties, he was wearing a grey suit adorned with a sea blue tie. His eyes travelled across the room until he finally spotted my presence.

He frowned in confusion as he remained still, neither of us said a word. We kept our confused eyes linked on each other. -"Who are you?"- He finally spoke confused letting his briefcase fall on the closest chair.

-"My name is Gabriella I have been kidnapped by a guy named Jason and he is keeping me locked against my will"- I replied rapidly lifting my handcuffed hand to corroborate my point.

The guy looked at the metal handcuffs and then back at me with a surprised look spreading over his face. -"Jesus... Jason what have you done"- He spoke mutedly as he approached my position.

I hesitated for a fraction of second but decided to provide some trust on the man as he didn't seem to know about Jason's plans. He kneeled down by me and inspected my hands and the metallic object with care before standing back up.

-"You look exhausted, how long has Jason kept you under his demands?"- The man asked resting his hands on his hips.

I took a second to think of the exact time but I couldn't remember the last time I saw a calendar. -"Around one month and a half"- I answered yet questioned myself since I had no exact idea.

He sighed tiredly dragging his hand down his face. -"Ok, wait a second I'll get my toolbox maybe I can break the handcuffs"- He replied his eyes still nailed on the metallic locks.

A wave of excitement with hints of happiness wandered up my body as this could be my only chance to escape from Jason's angry claws.
The man entered the kitchen carrying a rectangular red toolbox on his right hand. He rested it on the tiles of the kitchen and opened it in the search of pliers. He extended a blue couple of pliers in front of his face. He gestured me not to move and I nodded vividly like a little child.

He applied some oil to my hand to provide some slippery motion and after a couple of trials adding force to the tool he managed to break the circular metal around my hand. I brought my hand up to my face in amusement, I was finally free.

-"Gosh, I'm sorry that Jason did that to you it must be horrible... I knew he was involved in dirty stuff but I never imagined him doing this, losing Emily did so much pain to him"- The man apologised even though he was quite my sweet saviour.

I couldn't prevent myself from hugging him tightly, I was starting to lose hope on ever escaping from Jason. He hugged me back feeling my pain rip through my body to release relief.

-"Jason... Blames me for Emily's death, I was in the car when the accident happened"- I whispered lowering my gaze in shame. He seemed to know a lot about Jason but I didn't consider him danger as he just released me from his hands.

-"Oh God, it was a horrible accident but it was an accident, I was the psychologist in the institution he studied, I saw how that girl made him bloom to a better person, I always knew he deserved so much better"- The man spoke with sadness yet smiled when talking about Jason. -"He was doing so good, but then... The accident happened and it was like he sank back to the bottom of the dark sea, the Pandora's Box opened again"- The man continued in a pity tone.

I started to feel my eyes getting watery thinking of a good Jason which lost everything because of me. Shame and guilt were the new chains around my hands.

-"Are you from here?"- The man asked with hints of curiosity.

I shook my head slowly. I had no idea where we even were. The man searched inside his pockets until he found his wallet, he opened it and took a reasonable amount of money out of it. I watched him with a confused look.

-"Here, take them, there should be around 800$, I know its not a lot but it should be enough to get you new clothes and a good taxi drive to somewhere safe, but please don't report Jason, he is a good person under the shield he puts in front of people"- He explained as he held the money close to my hands.

I took it hesitatingly, he was surely so kind even though he practically knew nothing about me despite of being Jason's personal punching-sack. I decided to promise to the man I wouldn't report Jason or mention about what happened since I felt like I owned it to him and Jason.

I thanked him for the millionth time before he walked me to the stairs, he affirmed me they were more secure in order to avoid Jason. I nodded and ran downstairs feeling my breath heavier as I took a step closer to the ground-floor. I reached the main hall and for my good luck there was no one by the reception. I took the opportunity to run towards the exit pushing the doors open.

The light of the sun blurred my vision for a couple of seconds before my eyes adjusted to the light intensity. I found myself by a side walk, people were passing by me from either sides of the pavement, I almost forgot how this felt and my gratitude to the man was limitless.

I started to walk and switched it to tired jogs in order to be the furthest away from that apartment before Jason could notice my absence. I could feel the eyes of the people of the streets on me, the poorly handle 'uniform', my messy hair and my uncared figure gave me the look of a bold character from a Tim Burton movie. They captured the attention of the crowd and I hated the attention I was receiving but I managed to shrug it off my shoulders.

I heard a woman call the name Jason to his son and like a reflect effect my heartbeat accelerated rapidly and I started running pushing gently the people out of my way. I was about to cross the street when I felt a strong grip on my wrist. I started screaming and moving like a maniac to release my wrist from the grip.

-"Hey, calm down!"- I heard an unfamiliar voice say. I opened my eyes facing whoever was holding my wrist and a handsome guy around my age with dark chocolate hair combed perfectly stood in front of my eyes.

I relaxed when the thought of Jason dissipated off my mind. The guy seemed quite concern about me and I noticed one of his eyes was slightly vague than the other but that gave him an attractive look. I could tell he was well-built even if he was completely covered by a clothing suit.

-"Sorry I thought you were someone else"- I spoke tucking a strand of hair behind my ear.

-"It's fine, you seem lost do you need a ride?"- The guy asked as he released me from his grip.

It was extremely dangerous to start trusting strangers again but the chances of this guy being a kidnapper were one in a billion, plus I had the disadvantage of not knowing where I was located or where to find a taxi.

-"Sure... But I don't know where we are"- I replied slowly rubbing my legs together in embarrassment, I probably sounded like a mental disabled person that just escaped an asylum.

-"It's fine, my car is right there, I will drive you wherever you want"- The guy spoke innocently as he pointed towards a black car parked a couple of meters away from us.

I gently smiled to him and nodded as we both approached his vehicle. I didn't know much about cars but his car looked pretty expensive and luxurious. He opened the passenger's door and indicated me to enter the car. I did so and waited for him to sit on the driver's side.

-"So do you have a house here?"- He asked holding on the steering wheel before starting the engine.

-"No, I live with my grandmother, but not in this city"- I informed him as I played with the ends of my uniform skirt avoiding the eye contact.

-"Well, it's fine if you don't want to tell me what happened, I'll take you to the best hotel and get you some clothes"- He cheerfully said resting his hand on my knee.

Flashbacks of the pasts days in Jason's basement threatened my head. I was used to only receive pain when touched instead of comfort so his touch felt bittersweet.

-"Im Shawn, by the way. Whats your name? How old are you?"-

-"My name is Gabriella and I'm eighteen"- I said as I stared out of the window to the web of roads, people and shops surrounding us.

-"I'm twenty, you are gorgeous if you don't mind me saying so"- He said chuckling.

The situation was like the opposite extreme, I jumped from being kidnapped, afflicted torture and pain, a drainage of life to a nice handsome guy complimenting me and showing me support.

Shawn paid the receptionist beforehand as he handed him the keys of the hotel room. I insistently told him I had money to pay but he wouldn't let me pay, he said he was doing it for me and that it would be rude if I opposed it.

-"I will come and visit you tomorrow morning, you should rest you seem exhausted"- Shawn said and I nodded affirmatively.

His footsteps disappeared as he left the room. It was such a lovely and warming suit, he must have paid a lot for it. I was immensely grateful.

I walked over the bathroom and took off the horrible uniform dress that Jason got me. I threw it into the bin as soon as it left my skin, then I stepped inside the shower and opened the warm tap. The rain of water rinsed off my pain for a fraction of seconds and I was happy I could regain my good state of hygiene.

I closed the water tap and embraced my body with a white rob that hanged next to the shower. I purred in relief approaching the bed of the room, queen size. I started to analyse the past two months and the drastic and dramatic change of my life. I wondered if Jason noticed my absence and what his reaction could be, I hoped he didn't hurt the man. I sent my energies to Jazmyn, assuring myself she was alright and that Jason would soon find her.

Despite my boost of confidence provided by my freedom there were still a couple of facts which constantly knocked on my mind. I still wanted to find Jazmyn, I wanted to go back and call my grandmother, I wanted to see my parents and ask for an explanation, and lastly I wanted to somehow say sorry to Jason and all the pain I caused him. There were still pieces of the puzzle that had to be solved and fixed.

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