13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

-Alison-

Julia showed me one of her hiding spots. I knew she would have one. All kids did. She had a wooden board in one of her closets that could be removed to create more space. I hid there, leaving one of the doors slightly cracked, while I kept my breathing low and steady. Julia did, in fact, have something sharp hidden—a small knife typically used for cutting vegetables. I was unsure how she had managed to conceal it, but it was evident that the little girl kept many aspects of herself hidden.

Now, all I could do was wait patiently for the caretaker to arrive. Julia sat on the bed, acting as if everything were normal. I was surprised by how well she played the part, but it was clear that this wasn't her first time hiding something.

I remained silent as we listened and waited. Finally, as the sun was almost down and the room plunged into darkness, the caretaker arrived. We heard the door unlock, and I tightened my grip on the knife, ready to use it. The door closed again and was locked, followed by the voice of the woman filling the room.

"Time for dinner," she declared.

Julia merely nodded, following the woman as she placed the tray on the desk. The whole scene felt controlled and artificial. I hated that this was the only life Julia knew, but I was determined to change it. As I tightened my grip on the knife, I slowly slipped out, the door swinging open on its own. I saw the woman standing over Julia, almost directing her on how to eat, as if Julia didn't have a mind or desires of her own. It was obvious that Julia hated the vegetables, and the caretaker kept trying to urge her to eat them first, so she wouldn't spoil her appetite. Julia just poked at the food as I approached quietly.

In one swift movement, I moved up behind the caretaker, pressing the knife to her neck and hearing her gasp softly.

"Key," I ordered firmly.

"W-What are you doing?" she stammered, her voice trembling with fear.

"I think that's obvious."

"H-How did you get that knife?" she inquired, her words rushed and anxious.

Julia then suddenly dropped something, and we watched as the little girl pretended to pick it up from the floor, only to return empty-handed. Yet the movement itself seemed fluid and adept at deception. When she turned to us, there was no smile on her lips, just an air of superiority. She had conveyed her message without uttering a word, and I couldn't help but smile.

"You can lock up the body, but not the mind," I declared.

"Julia, get help," the caretaker urged, her voice tinged with panic. "This woman is dangerous!"

"The only ones dangerous for her are you," I retorted sharply. "Locking up a little girl is utterly despicable."

"Julia, do as I say and get help," she insisted, her tone becoming more forceful. "Your dad will be very angry if this woman escapes. Do you really think she cares about you?"

"Shut up!" I hissed. "Key. Now!"

"Julia, she's dangerous. She'll hurt you. You know what your father says about the people out there," the caretaker continued, attempting to sway Julia's decision.

Julia glanced around, clearly torn about what to do.

"Julia, don't listen to her. She's trying to manipulate you, just as she has done since your mother passed away," I interjected.

"Passed away?" Julia echoed, her voice trembling, and I realized what I had inadvertently revealed.

The caretaker glanced back at me, but the truth was evident in her eyes, though she seemed slightly taken aback by my knowledge. However, when I looked at Julia, I saw the shattered expression on her face, a silent plea for me to retract my words. I groaned inwardly, regretting letting it slip.

"H-How do you know she's dead?" Julia asked, her lower lip quivering.

"I..." I faltered, unsure of how to respond.

"Don't listen to her, Julia," her caretaker urged. "She abandoned you. We've told you that."

"Stop filling her head with lies. We both know what happened to her, or I wouldn't be wearing her clothes. He's sick!" I snapped, my frustration boiling over.

"You're the sick one here," the woman shot back.

"We're leaving. Give me the damn key!" I demanded, my patience wearing thin.

"Julia, get help!"

"How do you know?" Julia shouted at me, her voice rising with panic and tears welling up in her eyes. "H-How do you know?"

"Because you said it yourself. She would never leave you," I replied, trying to reassure her.

"B-But that doesn't mean..."

"Julia, I think you were right when you said your dad didn't care... about either of you," I explained gently, feeling a pang of sorrow as I witnessed the devastation in the little girl's eyes, which only worsened with each passing moment.

"N-No," she stammered, realizing the implications of my words.

"Julia, I need you to focus," I implored.

She shook her head, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"Julia!"

"She isn't dead!" she exclaimed.

"I'm sorry, but she is," I replied gently.

Julia persisted in her denial, refusing to accept the truth. Despite my attempts to reason with her, she leaped from her seat, rushing toward the door, pounding her fists against it, and calling out for her father, desperate for answers.

"Julia, stop!" I demanded. "You're drawing attention to us!"

But the distraught girl was too overwhelmed to heed my warning, and in my momentary distraction, her caretaker made a sudden move. She attempted to wrestle the knife from my grasp, but I swiftly evaded her, preventing her from seizing it. As she turned, I saw her retrieve a gun from her attire. Reacting instinctively, I pushed her hand upward, a shot ringing out.

Julia shrieked, huddling on the floor, her hands covering her ears. With my free hand, I deftly maneuvered the knife through the air, slicing it across the caretaker's throat. Blood sprayed forth, staining my clothes, and I turned away to shield my face from the gruesome sight. The caretaker collapsed, clutching her neck, her life ebbing away slowly in a pool of crimson. Seizing the gun, I rifled through the pockets of her dress, retrieving the key. Aware that our actions may have attracted unwanted attention, I knew we had to act swiftly.

Hurrying to Julia, I attempted to lift her from the floor, but she resisted.

"Come on, Julia, we must leave," I urged, reaching for her arm once more.

"No!" she protested vehemently as I tried to coax her.

"Julia, there's no time to waste. If we want to escape, we have to leave now!"

She remained deaf to my pleas, consumed by distress. With no alternative, I scooped her up, despite her resistance. Her diminutive frame made it effortless to carry her. After unlocking the door, I paused, primed to neutralize my assailant. As I swung the door open, I took aim and fired swiftly, striking him in the chest before he could react.

Clutching his wound, he collapsed to the ground, his desperate struggle futile. Casting a disdainful glance at him, I left the room. But as I made for the stairs, chaos erupted. Gunfire echoed, mingling with Julia's screams.

Panicked, I scanned the place, torn between hoping for Jared's arrival and recognizing the likelihood of encountering more of Louis's adversaries. Trusting no one, I knew I had to secure our escape alone. Approaching the stairs, I glimpsed a group of men bolting for the exit, one of them spotting us.

"Hey!" he bellowed, prompting me to retreat to the room. Aware of my limited ammunition, I couldn't afford a firefight. I barricaded the door, halting the hunt for us.

"Open up!" he persisted.

"Crap," I muttered, improvising a plan. Dragging the lifeless woman to the floor, I hastily fashioned a makeshift rope from the sheets. Securing one end to the bed, I threw the other out of the window. Returning to Julia, I found her standing motionless in the center of the room, her expression vacant.

"Hey," I called softly, and her gaze shifted to me. "I understand you're feeling bewildered and frightened right now. That's okay. The world can be intimidating, but it's also full of beauty. I promise you that. However, if we stay here, you'll never have the chance to experience it. Your mother wouldn't have wanted that. She would have wanted you to embrace life and not confine yourself within these four walls. I know it's difficult to hear, Julia, but I need you to focus now. Can you do that?"

Her blinking slowed, signaling that my words were reaching her. With a slight nod, she agreed, and I guided her toward the window.

"Ever climbed out of one before?" I asked, the intensifying banging indicating more men had arrived.

"Yes," she replied.

I smiled, then assisted her over the edge.

"It might not support both of us, so you go first," I instructed.

She nodded and began descending slowly. The banging grew louder, wood splintering, and I feared I might not make it down. Julia's progress was agonizingly slow, her feeble arms struggling to hold her weight. I felt a sense of urgency, but I couldn't risk her safety. I had to wait.

"Hurry," I urged gently.

Julia picked up the pace, inching closer to the ground. As she neared safety, I swung my leg over the window just as the door was breached. Reacting swiftly, I fired and hurled the knife, catching the first two men off guard. One fell, while the other dodged the blade. I continued firing, attempting to fend them off, but I couldn't descend and shoot simultaneously. I had to pause, stowing the gun before inching downward. Yet as I descended, someone grabbed my long hair.

"Alison!" Julia's panicked voice pierced through the chaos.

I struggled against my captor, shouting in frustration.

"Julia! Run!" I yelled.

As I was dragged back inside, more hands reached for me.

"Run, Julia! Run!" I repeated desperately.

Glancing down, I spotted someone sprinting toward Julia in the distance.

"Julia!" I called, pointing behind her.

She glanced back, catching sight of the approaching figure. With a scream, she bolted, vanishing from view. I knew my own fate was sealed, but at least Julia was free.