Chapter Twelve:

I was awoken by freezing cold water dripping off my hair and down my back. I gasped in shock as the water-soaked my shirt and pooled on the floor. The room was spinning around me and I felt the wreckage of my sanity holding by a thread.

"Good, you are awake now." Jacob the detective who had been interrogating me smiled. He sat back down on the chair across from me and pushed the picture closer to me. "Tell me who the people in the picture are."

I stayed quiet as I pushed my wet hair back. I knew he already knew who they were.

"Ana, you are one difficult woman." he stood up and went to the door. He opened the door and Joe walked in like he was ready to show me who was the boss. "I'm going to ask you one more time. Who are the people in the picture Ana?"

I gazed at the picture and felt the tears leaving my eyes, "They are my parents." I whispered feeling the ground moving underneath me. Why were they doing this to me?

"Good, we are finally making progress. Now, do you know who killed your parents?" he sounded confident as if he indeed knew who had done this to them.

"They died in an accident."

He laughed, not a normal laugh, but a full pitty deep laugh, "You are so naive. Damn, I don't even want to break your bubble, but I'm afraid I have to." he took the picture back and in its place, he placed another.

I took the picture and gasped as I saw what was in front of me, "No, I don't believe it." I said never looking away from the picture.

"Isn't that Christian placing a box into the airplane?" he asked like the picture wasn't self-explaining.

"It can't be... he... he didn't kill my parents." I muttered feeling the air leave my lungs. The man I fell in love with could never do this. He was kind and sweet, not the monster they were trying to portray him as.

"Well it is, we have more pictures of him getting out of the plane without the box." he told me irritated, "Now, you are going to help me find the man who killed your parents."

I couldn't breathe, I needed to get out of here. I knew if I didn't try to get out of here that I would never leave, "I'll tell you whatever you want, but first I need to use the bathroom."

Detective Jacob stared at me, "How about you tell me what you know and if I like it, then I'll let you go to the bathroom?"

I shook my head, "Do you want me to pee on the floor?" I raised my voice.

He rolled his eyes annoyed as if my needs were an inconvenience to him. "Fine, take her to the bathroom," he told Joe.

Joe growled irritated. However, he did as he was told. I stood up and he guided me towards the bathroom. I gaze around my surroundings hoping to find a clue as to where we were, but there was no name or anything. Then we walked down a dark hallway and through an empty office before we were in the bathroom.

Joe opened the door and my eyes hurt the moment they welcomed the light coming from the window in the bathroom. It was medium size and narrow. Yet, the view of the trees gave me a calmness I hadn't had in days. All I could picture was my favorite cherry blossom tree back home. The one I loved so much and would never get to see again.

I began to close the door behind me, that's until Joe put his foot on the threshold and stopped it from closing. "I don't think so sweetheart, the door stays open."

"No way!" I told him. I was not about to pee in front of a man.

"You have no choice. Either this way or we go back to the room?" He pushed the door open wide and stared at me.

I wanted to scream. To tell him off. I felt so humiliated, and weak.

"Joe let her use the bathroom alone." Elisa's voice came from the corner of the room. She was sitting at a desk. I hadn't realized she had been there the whole time, but I was thankful now.

"But-"

"But nothing, she has nowhere to go." She added.

"There is a window in the bathroom." He told her irritated.

"Do you really think she is smart enough to even know how to jump?" She laughed, and that irritated me. She wasn't trying to be nice to me, she thought I was too dumb to escape. "She would have a panic attack by just looking out the window." She laughed harder.

I wanted to tell her off, but I couldn't or she would hurt me again. My stitches were still healing from getting stabbed by her.

"Fine, make it quick bitch." Joe looked at me and I knew I would be paying for this later. He let go of the door and I closed it behind me. My eyes wander to the window once more and without a doubt, I knew this was my chance to escape. I would prove Elisa wrong. I grabbed the garbage can and tipping it over I climbed on it so I could see out of the window.

I cried when I saw the ground was too far down. I couldn't stay here any longer. I needed to escape now. I was afraid,but I knew with the pain that filled my heart that I could push myself to escape. I pushed the fear down and opened the window, taking the screen off I held on the edge which helped me have a better view of where I needed to land. There was a garbage bin a few feet away and I knew that was the best place for me to land.

Without another thought, I squeezed out of the window and pushed off the edge. I felt onto the garbage bin hitting my back on a hard surface. I rubbed the spot feeling overwhelmed by the pain and checked my stitches hadn't opened again. A small cry left my mouth not knowing where to go from here.

That's until I saw Joe's head poking out of the window and I knew I didn't have much time to figure out my next move. I quickly climbed out of the bin and began to run. I ran and ran with no destination until it started to get dark and I was exhausted. I knew I needed a place to sleep, but I didn't know what city or where I was.

I wrapped my arms around me as the night began to turn cold. I was starting to feel anxious as the streets began to get darker and secluded.

I came to a stop in front of a church and tried to come up with a plan, that's until I was startled.

"Are you alright?" A woman touched my shoulder and it made me jump with fear. She was very pretty with long brown wavy hair and blue eyes. She seemed friendly.

However, I had learned not to trust anyone after what had happened to me.

I backed away from her and hoped she was not working for the people who had taken me hostage.

"Miss?" she asked again.

"I'm fine," I told her pulling on the sleeves of my sweater. I began to walk away, but she stopped me.

"If you are here for help, then you are in the right place. My name is Catalina Black. I'm the co-founder of the Tramell House, it is a few blocks from here." she told me coming closer to me. "Are you homeless?"

I was surprised at how straightforward she was. Was I homeless? Yes. I didn't know where I was and had no money to get home. Would it even be safe for me to go back to Athens?

"Can you tell me what city this is?" I asked her wanting to know.

She looked at me strangely, "We are in New York."

I felt shocked, how did I make it this far? It must have happened when I was out of it after the stabbing.

"It is getting cold, trust me when I tell you that you won't make it through the night out here," Catalina told me and I knew she was right. I also thought about the people looking for me. I knew Joe could be close right now. Yet, he would never think of looking at a homeless home. Yes, that was my best choice.

"Fine, can you show me the way to the Tramell House?" I told her, and she smiled at me.

"You won't regret it. Everyone is very welcoming there. Come on, my driver is parked right over there," she pointed at the SUV across the street. I wasn't sure if this was the right decision, but I had no other choice. I walked slowly behind her and got into the car hoping I wouldn't regret it.

A/n: please comment :)