*For those who reviewed and followed, my heartfelt thanks. Nice to know my writing is appreciated and really inspires me to continue. Sorry I've not updated but been going through some terrible issues at work. *By the way, the usual – nothing except for Feruza, marta, shara and Furat belong to me. Also, I apologise in advance for my errors on the "outdoorsy' part. Honestly I'm experimenting as this is the first time I'm trying to throw in some action scenes. I may have to revise or revamp later on. Fair warning, so enjoy ya!
She had hardly slept a wink, tossing and turning as she contemplated her plan of escape. Marta hardly showed her face until at least 11.00 in the morning which gave Feruza ample time to escape. As luck would have it, she had found a window in the basement. Hardly a window though, but with some squeezing she could get out. Marta didn't know that she had wandered off so far or perhaps she couldn't care less; Marta had mumbled about being a glorified babysitter. She got the impression that Marta wasn't exactly thrilled at the prospect of being stuck with Feruza. Trouble was, you didn't argue with an Original unless you had a death wish.
Feruza was not particularly the outdoorsy type, cracking her head on how to arm herself; she had taken a knife and actually found some matches but the last thing she needed was to be encumbered with too many items. It would weigh her down if she needed to run. At the first sign of dawn, Feruza crept down to the basement; hoping that wherever Marta was, she couldn't hear the loud beating of her heart. Pushing open the window, she threw her backpack out first, carefully she climbed out squeezing herself through the narrow opening, thank heavens she had removed her jacket earlier tossing it out with her backpack.
Freedom! Insanity, foolishness, stupidity or just plain and simple recklessness, most people would say for running into an unknown territory without any clue of where she was. For Feruza; escape as far as possible from Elijah, Marta and the threat of Klaus was enough to drive anyone to do the unthinkable. She kept her eyes and ears peeled for sounds of water, hoping to find a drainage, stream downhill or downstream to follow. She estimated that she had probably covered at least a few miles and really it wasn't so scary in the daytime. Her only fear was that Marta might catch up with her once she realized that Feruza was gone.
They had more dense and daunting forests in Bulgaria, she was homesick and even a glimpse of those cockroaches Shara and Furat would be welcoming. As she walked, she thought of Elijah. Were all Vampire men and women so extraordinarily good-looking? Underneath all that facade of sophistication, was danger. She sensed, felt it even though Elijah had been somewhat cordial and warmer in dealing with her. What must he have thought of her, she blushed as she remembered her scanty nightie. Well it was his fault, he should have allowed her to change at least. He was dreamy though if you could get past the killer, predator, unhinged, millennium old vampire part.
Maybe he had a fondness for dopplegangers, considering how he spoke about Elena and his love for Tatia.. Handsome prince-like Vampires, witches, dopplegangers, fairy-tales and it certainly couldn't be happening to Feruza Petrova, supermarket cashier and not so successful belly-dancer! She wondered what it must have been like for Tatia being loved by 2 such powerful men. So far she had only seen Elijah, if the rest of his siblings looked like him; one was spoilt for choice.
Her mood picked up as she heard the faint sounds of moving vehicles, maybe a mile or 2 away? She soon found herself on the side of a road, not a major highway for sure but bound to be 1 or 2 vehicles passing by she reassured herself. She walked gingerly making sure she kept to the side of the road looking out for a passing vehicle.
Hours passed as she continued walking, not a single car had gone by. It was beginning to look like she would have to spend the night outdoors, Elijah had not lied thought Feruza woefully. Well at least Marta hadn't turned up.
The sun had finally died down an hour ago, gathering whatever courage she still had; Feruza decided to hold on for a bit before heading back into the woods for the rest of the night.
She had all but given up when she heard the distant sounds of an approaching vehicle. She took off her jacket waving frantically at the car. She had almost given up hope as the car whizzed past her only to come to a screeching halt a few yards away.
Whoever it was had seen her and was backing up the flashy T-bird. Imploring upon every saint she knew to keep her safe, Feruza ran over to the vehicle. Feruza was never in the habit of hitchhiking even in her hometown and she assured herself that it was a matter of life and death in this case.
In a flash Feruza was thrown into the backseat of the vehicle, hitting her head against the rear window. Although her mind registered the fact that it was pointless to scream since they were out in the middle of nowhere; her body reacted instinctively as she trashed about trying to get away.
2 young males, early 20s judging by their swagger and attire, Feruza literally trembled, tears rolling down her cheeks wondering what the hell she had got herself into. They had masked her mouth with tape and tied up her hands. From their conversations, she gathered that they had been looking for her obviously at the behest of Marta.
Conversation between Marta's minions (Bulgarian)
Jorge : "A whole day searching for 'her'! I've seen prettier dames than this, what's so special about her?
Pietr: "Jorge, lets just get her back; I don't want her ladyship breathing down my neck, and if that Original is back, Marta would be the least our problems".
Jorge: "My friend, you were supposed to secure the perimeter; wasn't my fault that the bird found the window."
Pietr: "Whatever, we need to get her back". Marta's been calling us every hour.
Jorge: "Pietr, we're in the great US of A now and where are we? Stuck in some hole, miles away from civilization with a she-devil squeezing our damn *### every second of the day! Besides the bird was her responsibility not ours."
"I say we have some fun with the bird, after all its' her fault right? We'll get Yahn to brainwash or whatever it is those fu%$## vampires do to make her forget. No rough stuff , just some fun. Come on how long has it been?
Pietr: "Jorge, Marta's instructions were clear. Any harm comes to her and we will never see the light of day again!"
Jorge: "Brother, you owe me. You wouldn't be here with me if Marta knew it was your stupidity that let the cat out of the bag". You don't have to do anything Pietr if you're not man enough. Just give me a few minutes with the bird."
Pietr: "Look Jorge, I know you covered my a *# with Marta and I'm grateful but the girl is valuable, I don't why and I don't care. I don't want to lose my life over a girl. I'll let you have a few minutes with her but you have to promise me; I don't want a rape victim on my hands and you get Yahn to wipe it from her mind."
Jorge: "You worry too much Pietr, relax. We're in Timbuktu, nobody passes here at this hour. Stop by the road".
Car grinds to a halt by the side of the road, nothing but the dense darkness of the woods on both sides of the road.
