Hey everyone! Hope you liked chapter 1 enough for me to continue this story. Sorry it took me so long to update. I recently got back from the Provincial swim championships in Kamloops, BC. Anyway, yea sorry for the long wait. Thanks so much for waiting patiently. You guys are the best!:)

~Wallflower95

2

A Way Out

She shot him. She shot him. He's dead. He's gone. Dead. Dead. Gone.

I had run so far. I stopped and put my hands on my knees, gasping for breath. Dead. Shot. Dead. All these words were bouncing around in my head giving me a migraine. I just ran. I ran away. I couldn't believe it. I ran and I kept running. I didn't know where I was going all I knew was that I had to get away. I kept moving until my legs collapsed beneath and I just laid there on the ground breathing hard. My chest rising and falling with every painful breath. I stared at the vast, dark sky. Stars twinkling in the distance. It was so quiet. So peaceful. You wouldn't think anything bad had happened this night.

I was drained of all energy. I couldn't even move my arms. I just stayed there. I remembered a time, a time before my father's worst deeds. He had me on his lap on our front doorstep in the middle of the night. I had been eight years old. He pointed to the sky.

"You see those Nat?" I had nodded.

"Those are called stars. If you are ever get lost those stars will take you where you want to go."

"Anywhere I want?" I had asked. He nodded.

"Anywhere."

But my father was no more. No more. I closed my eyes. A lone tear trickled down the side of my face. And I just laid there. In the middle of nowhere under a sky full of stars.

I could feel the sun glaring down on me. I could also feel the presence of another person. I heard the person stumble and kneel down towards me. I sat up fast and knocked whatever they were trying to give me out of their hand. I tried to bolt but the person had a strong grip on my arm.

"Not going anywhere girl." The person grumbled. I looked at the person. It was a man who looked to be in his 50's or so. He wore dirty brown clothes and he wore a hat that covered his almost grey hair. He was surprisingly strong. I tried to wrench my arm out of his grip but he did not budge. He held a flask in his hand.

"Well? Do you want the water or not?" I stared at him hard.

"Or I can let you die of dehydration." He said. I grabbed the flask and chugged the water. He let go of my arm. I handed him the flask without saying a word. He took it and placed it back in his bag.

"What the hell happened to you kid?" I didn't answer.

"Not the talking type huh?" No answer. He shrugged his shoulders. He took my wrists in his strong grip and tied them up with some rope. I didn't even struggle. I was done fighting. He grabbed my chin and turned my face side to side.

"They might pay handsomely for you." He mumbled. He stood up and yanked on the rope. I stood up and followed the man without a fight.

The man led me to town that looked almost like Milwaukee. Impoverished, derelict, broken. All these thoughts ran inside my head.

"Welcome to the Fringe." The man said. I just stared at everything and everyone. Dirty children running around stealing things. A man arguing with another man. A body lying in an alley way. I realize now that I never left home. I never ran away. All the misery would follow me wherever I went. The man yanked on the rope again and I almost fell forwards. He pulled me into a grey and old looking building. Inside the room was a desk with a fat, awful looking man sitting behind it. I did not like the way he stared at me. As if he was hungry.

"Got something for you Ian." He pulled me forwards. Ian stood up. He looked worse up close. And the smell was indescribable. His belly poured over his waist. I was surprised he could stand. His breathed smelled of rotting fish. His teeth were yellow and dead looking and he wore clothes with stains that looked an awful lot like blood. He was almost bald with grey fleck in what remained of his hair. He looked me up and down.

"My my my Jedd. You've caught a fine looking prize." Ian circled around me. I tried hard not to shake. My heart was pounding in my chest. Ian's disgusting hand traced down the side of my neck. I flinched. He smiled. He stood in front of me and placed his filthy hands on my hips. My reflexes kicked in and then next thing I knew he was clutching his knee, swearing.

"You bitch." He hissed. Ian stood up and slapped me hard across the cheek. Stars appeared in my vision, my ears ringing. Jedd laughed under his breath.

"Seems like this one can handle herself." My cheek stung. Ian snorted.

"She won't be able to do that when I'm done with her." He growled. I stared down at my shoes in horror. What have I gotten myself into?

"How much for her?" Ian grumbled. Jedd thought about it.

"Eight hundred." Ian took the payment out of his pocket and slapped it into Jedd's hand.

"Pleasure doing business." Jedd said with a tip of his hat. Ian steered me towards the back room. Before he took me away I saw Jedd stop in his tracks on his way out. He looked back at me. His eyes had regret in them.

I never escaped. I managed to find a place worse than home. Hell. It was hell. Ian had locked me in a dark and cold room for then night. I had been chained to the wall. I was trapped. Locked away from the world. I had spent the night alone in that room. I had been sold and I had a pretty good idea as to Ian had planned. Sometime in the morning, I heard the door creek open. My eyes snapped open.

Ian stood before me wearing nothing but his underclothes. I swallowed down the scream I felt rising in my throat. He didn't say anything. He grabbed my hands and forced them above my head. I couldn't struggle. I wanted to scream but no sound came from me. He sat on top of me making the bed creak under our weight. He ripped off my shirt and felt my chest. I couldn't scream. All I could do was cry. Cry for girls like me who had to suffer like this. He ripped off his pants. I tried struggling but it was no use. Without a word, he slowly took off my pants. Tears ran down my face.

It lasted for hours. I fell in and out of consciousness. When I woke again, he was gone. My clothes were ripped. My chest exposed. I tried to cover up but I felt used. I felt broken. There was no escape. I was trapped.

It was only a few weeks later that I got my chance. By then I had given up. I was property of someone. I was used every day by a sadistic man. I was owned by him and the worst part was there was absolutely nothing I could do about it. All hope was lost. There was no escape. I was chained to this life. But on that very day, hope decided to return. I heard a sound come from the grate high above my head. The only opening to the outside world. There was nothing and no one. I looked at the ground and saw it. A sharp object next to my foot.

A way out. Could it be? I picked up the object. Perfect for picking a lock. I looked at the lock attached to the chains that bound me. A way out. It took me a few minutes before I finally picked the lock. I rubbed my bruised wrists. Free. There was a new feeling at the pit of my stomach. Not the broken feeling. A feeling of hope and freedom. I heard the lock being undone on the other side of the door. I took a deep breath, hid the object in my sleeve and hid my hands along with the chain behind my back.

Be brave Natalie.

Ian stepped inside, glaring at me. His look sent shivers down my spine but I remained calm. He walked forwards and shoved me down onto the bed. Before he set himself on top of me I kicked upwards. I moved fast. Faster than I thought I could. I kicked him in the face. I heard him cry out. I tried running forwards but Ian had gotten a hold of my hair and started pulling me back.

"No!" I screamed. I pulled the sharp object out from my sleeve and I stabbed his hand. He released his grip on my hair and started screaming in pain. And I ran. I ran out the door. I ran outside. I ran away from his screams. I reached the street and I looked side to side. I had no idea where I was.

"There you are." A voice came from the shadows. A man stepped into the light. It was Jedd.

"Didn't think you'd make it out alive." I just stared at him. I could still hear Ian's screams coming from the building. It sounded like he was coming up from my cell.

"Well we better get a move on unless you want to be back with Ian." I didn't reply. Jedd turned and walked down an alley way and I followed him.

That's all for now. Please comment and let me know what you think. Stayed tuned for chapter 3!

~Wallflower95