The young woman was wandering through Philadelphia's streets. Blond, brow-eyed, she was only wearing a simple flaming red nightgown which contrasted with her pale skin. Her swollen face and the numerous scratches she had all over her body made her violently suffered but she had to hold on. The issue was too important; at least, for the kid she was holding close to her. She took Hillside Terrace, walked cross River Road and ran to a squat to take refuge in it. It was nearby the railway line. The place wasn't welcoming at all but here, she would be safe for the moment, a moment to get her breath back. She moved through the corridor, the empty looks of the drug addicts were following her movements, and then, she found an empty room in which she found a blanket. She let herself slide along the wall and closed her eyes for a moment, staying attentive to the smallest suspect noise. He was close. Very close. And he wasn't the kind of person who will let her alone, especially after what she had just discovered.
"My God...please, let me reach my destination..." she thought while the baby began wriggling and crying.
The mother opened her eyes and looked anxiously at the baby and rocked him, hoping she will manage to calm her down. But it didn't work, and it made the tension she had accumulated these last hours grew up.
"Please, please, stop crying.....it's not the good time..."she begged her.
She was about to burst into tears. She was at the other side of the town, she couldn't go where she wanted to and she hadn't got a phone. She sighed heavily, stood up and undertook to leave this slum. He wouldn't be long before he found her. Besides, footsteps were echoing in her direction, making her heart beat very quickly. She suddenly felt nauseous. This smell, she recognized it. He was here. How could he find her so rapidly? She was next to the exit when she heard a cry. She gathered all her remaining strength to start running again.
For about fifteen days, Lilly Rush's apartment was upside down. In fact, she was repainting fully her apartment, which was considered too simple by her psychiatrist who came to visit her few weeks ago.
"I don't understand how you can live in this apartment, detective Rush. It is...so gloomy! You clear up squalid cases all days. When you come back home after your day at the police station, you find yourself in a place as sad as your closed cases. Use colors, for God's sake!" She told her.
"I don't know why the colors of my apartment will have an effect on my behavior, doctor." Lilly retorted, staring coldly at the doctor. "Secondly, I thought you were put in charge of signing this piece of paper so that I could go back to work!" she added.
"You are not ready Lilly" doctor Samantha Weiss answered in a quiet voice. "Contrary to what you think, this advice is a part of your therapy. If you want to go back to work as you say so often, I want you to make more attractive your house"
That's why she was in this situation. All of this because of a nasty piece of paper! Although she was unhappy with her psychiatrist's decision at first (the doctor had wanted to see the samples to make sure her patient had chosen vivid colours), Lilly was now delighted with this idea she had firstly estimated ridiculous. Furthermore, the young woman was very proud because she realized the housework by herself. Obviously, her team mates offered to help her, but she refused. The idea of being alone with Scotty scared her. Since the hostage-taking in which she had been hurt, she couldn't find the friend she has known. Scotty has really changed, he took care of her much more than usual. And she refused this possibility.
On this Monday, November the 22nd , 2007, Lilly was finishing to put the coating on her walls in order to protect the ochre yellow paint that now decorated her living room's walls. Her hair was tight in a very flowing bun and she was wearing overalls. The young woman was barely listening to the midday news. Still bad news. Starvation,terrorism...She was wondering what the society looked like in 50 years. Especially if the situation was getting worse. A feline presence rubbed her right leg and got her out of her reverie.
"Hey! You were supposed to stay in the bedroom, weren't you?"
The only answer she received was an affectionate,small kick from the one-eyed cat, what made her laugh while a little cat was appearing.
"I've understood, pigs! It's lunchtime!"
She walked toward the kitchen, opened a cupboard in which there was cat food. While she put the plate with food on the floor, she heard someone drumming against her door violently. She frowned, went toward the door and opened it. She remained silent because of her surprise. Right in front of her, Christina was standing. She seemed extremely weak and held a baby in her arms.
"Lilly, help me" she begged.
Lilly Rush didn't have time to answer. Christina gave her the child before she felt on the ground, she was unconscious.
