Disclaimer: None of the characters or place names associated with the BSC belong to me. They all belong to ANM.
The day before:
Anna quickly gathered her things. He would be home soon. She began just stuffing a last few random things in a bag and, after grabbing her cello, which she had not been allowed to play for several months, headed for the door. It was late at night, and the street that she lived on was not very well lit, but that was something she felt she had to risk.
Anna was deeply frightened, but she knew that she had to leave or things might be worse. She just hoped it wasn't too late. She wasn't confident that her mom and Abby would forgive her for how badly she had treated them, but all she could do was hope for it was all she had left. She was exhausted, scarred and bruised. There was no evidence of the spark that used to glitter in her eyes. The fire that drove her to practice her music rigorously everyday, to get into and graduate from Julliard, and to land a job with the New York Philharmonic had been almost extinguished. Her escape was her last chance, and she knew it.
Anna closed the door to her tiny apartment and locked it, and then started down the hallway. As she turned the corner to get to the stairs, she stood face to face with Mark. Anna's horror and surprise could not be disguised.
"Going somewhere?" sneered Mark, his voice sinister.
Anna, frozen for a mere second, recovered and quickly went over her options. She dropped her bags and ran back for the apartment. She could get in, lock him out and call the police from there, at least she thought. She tried but failed to remain calm. She grabbed her doorknob and realized that it was locked as it didn't turn. She grabbed her keys from her pocket, and proceeded to drop them. Mark stood and watched her, and started to laugh as she struggled.
"You're never going to get away from me. I'll make sure of that." He grabbed her hand and took the keys from her. Anna then took another route and ran around him and down the hallway, towards the stairs. Mark ran after her, and as Anna approached the stairs he got angrier and angrier, looking for away to punish her for what he saw as disobedience. Anna was right at the top of the stairs when Mark reached his hand out and pushed hard.