ALMOST FREE

Freda’s POV
My scream echoed through the room proving to me that I was in a very big empty building. It felt pointless. I was already losing the little strength I have. Shouting for help didn't bring any help. I rested my back on the wall, my heart breathing so fast as I was trying to catch my breath. No one was coming. No one would hear me in this godforsaken place.

I have to escape. I couldn’t give up now, not when my mother’s life was hanging on a thread. Williams had made that clear enough. The thought of him, with that sick, twisted smile, made my blood boil. I can’t lose my mom, not now that I just had her back.

No. I couldn’t let that happen.

*Focus, Freda. You’ve survived worse.*

I had to force my mind to steady itself. I bit my lips really hard, the metallic taste of blood in my mouth. They have to be a way out of these ropes. Something, anything that could give me an edge to cut the rope off.

I shifted, moving my hands behind me to feel the rough texture of the rope. It was tight, painful also but if I didn’t stop, maybe I could loosen it, even just a little. I twisted my wrists, the coarse fibers rubbing against my raw skin. The sting brought tears to my eyes, but I blinked them away. I can’t afford to cry and put in no effort, crying never solved anything for me. My heart raced as I looked around the room, looking for something that could help me.

Close to the door I could see a small stone coming out from the wall. Slowly, I began moving my body toward the door, dragging my legs across the rough floor. It was painful since the floor was rough, but I ignored the pain. The stone wasn’t far. I just needed to reach it. My breath came in rough as I moved.

Finally I reached the stone and tried to turn to rest my back on the wall. I twisted my wrists, scraping them against the rough wall. It hurt. It hurt *so much*, but I kept going, grinding the rope against the stone with every bit of strength I had left.

Minutes dragged into what felt like hours. My heart, pounding loudly in my ears.
The side of the rope I tried to cut was becoming weak. I bit my lip harder to stifle a sob of relief. It was working.

*Just a little more. Come on...*

As I heard the sound of footsteps, my heart stopped.

The footsteps became louder, my heart beating really fast. Whoever it was, they were coming here. I quickened my pace, furiously sawing at the ropes, but they still clung stubbornly to my wrists. My fingers trembled as I tried harder to remove the rope.

The door swung open making a very disturbing sound, the light from the hallway flooding the room, blinding me for a moment. I froze, turning my head just enough to see a tall man standing in the doorway. It wasn’t Williams.

It was the guard.

He stepped inside, his boots clicking against the floor. His eyes narrowed when he saw me lying by the corner, hands still bound behind my back. His lips curled into a sneer as he closed the door behind him.

"Trying to escape, are we?" His voice was filled with amusement, but there was nothing funny about the way he looked at me, like I was some animal caught in a trap.

I gritted my teeth, forcing my expression to stay blank, though my heart hammered in my chest. He couldn’t know how close I was.

He knelt down, grabbing the ropes around my wrists and yanking them, tightening the already frayed fibers. I gasped as the pain shot through me, fresh blood welling up from where the ropes cut deeper into my skin.

"You really thought you could get away?" he growled, tightening them even more. "Pathetic."

I wanted to spit in his face, to scream at him, but I held back. Anger wasn’t going to get me out of this. I had to stay smart, had to wait for the right moment.

The guard stood up, towering over me. His presence was intimidating. "Williams won’t be happy to hear about your little escape attempt. He likes his prisoners to be obedient." He said as he held my chin, pushing my head as he finished talking.

But I wouldn’t give up. Not now. Not ever.

As the guard turned to leave, I made a decision. I had to act. I didn’t have time to wait anymore. I have to save my mom and leave this place.

My eyes darted to the door, and just as he reached for the handle, I forced myself onto my knees and lunged at him, my bound hands swinging wildly, the rope dropping to the floor. My body slammed into his legs, knocking him off balance. He cursed, stumbling backward as I grabbed onto his leg, pulling with every ounce of strength I had left.

He yelled in frustration, kicking me off, but I didn’t care. The moment his foot connected with my side, I used the moment to twist, angling my body closer to the door. Pain shot through me, but I ignored it, dragging myself toward the door.


Before I could make it out of the room, his hand clamped around my arm, yanking me back. I hit the floor hard, the air rushing out of my lungs. The guard’s grip tightened as he lifted me roughly by the shoulders, his face inches from mine. I could see that he isn’t a vampire or a wolf but he is stronger than I imagined.

"You’re going to regret that," he hissed.

I struggled, kicking my legs to the air as he dragged me back to the center of the room, but it was no use. He was too strong, and I was too exhausted. He threw me down, my body hitting the cold stone floor with a thud.

He leaned down, tightening the ropes around my legs now. "I’ll make sure you don’t get any more bright ideas."

My body screamed in pain as the ropes cut into me, but I didn’t make a sound. I wouldn’t give him the satisfaction.

When he was done, he stood up, towering over me one last time. "Williams will deal with you soon enough," he said, before turning and storming out of the room, slamming the door behind him.

I lay there in the darkness, for the first time since I opened my eyes and saw myself in this room I let the tears fall out. NYU was meant to be a new beginning not a sad ending for me. I knew for a fact that no one would be able to save me so I had to save myself.

I would find another way.

I had to.

For my mother.

For myself.