Sleep didn't come easily to me that night. I laid in bed, tossing and turning. Insomnia was one of the few things I'd never suffered from in my life. Given my busy and chaotic life and adding in the fact that I rarely slept more than a few hours at a time, by the time I did get to collapse into my bed I passed out within seconds.938Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfapdWQQGsD
But tonight, rather from being in an unfamiliar place, worry about my mother, the stress of the day, or, most likely, a combination thereof, sleep would not come. I stared at the ceiling, trying to avoid glancing at the clock was slowly ticking down the time, when I finally decided it was useless to even try to sleep. I sat up and flicked up the light in my room, squinting at the sudden brightness that surrounded me.938Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3cCK14lmhv
My chambers weren't large— they were much smaller than the apartment I lived in on the surface actually. It was just a single room with a hard bed, a clock, a dresser, and a light. I imagine the families that I'd seen earlier had larger chambers, but for a young, healthy, single woman, I received spartan living quarters. Though, I didn't mind. I was used to the bare essentials and wasn't about to complain about what someone gave me out of the kindness of their heart with no charge at all.938Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhQYM0FAdOL
I glanced over to my phone sitting on the floor next to my bed, plugged in a charging. 'Surely one call to mother wouldn't hurt...' I thought, biting my lip. It was late enough that everyone should be asleep and calling would only serve to wake and worry Rachele, but I couldn't stop worrying about rather or not my mother was okay. Had she taken her medicine? Was she scared? Was she giving Rachele too much trouble? My stomach churned so much I was sure I was going be sick. My fingers and toes were starting to tingle and go almost numb and my heart felt like it was ready to beat out of my chest. Everything just hurt and I knew for a fact that it was just pure anxiety, something I suffered from often, but rarely this severely.938Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZaMtofIY7h
'I can't stand this any longer,' I thought, picking up my phone and flipping it open, before dialing Rachele's number.938Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtCPsMFblsX
It rang for so long I was positive it was about to go to voicemail when I finally heard Rachele's sleepy voice on the other side of the line:938Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf1kxIeJtB4
"Hello?"938Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNB0zmqFh0W
"Hey, uh, you up?" I asked, feeling awkward for having called Rachele mid sleep.938Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCcNL2vvcFL
"No. I'm still sleeping," Rachele deadpanned, sounding unamused. "Yes, of course I'm up."938Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXoUQZ6GvJ0
"I meant did I wake you?"938Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYcKK0zdJVS
"Sammy, it's three o'clock. What do you think?"938Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF14Xx0phdy
"Oh, uh, sorry. I just, well, was worried."938Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZwNmPHoEm6
"That's understandable. Everything's under control here, we're just worried about 'you.' What's going on Sammy?"938Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuueH5xRN58
"I can't tell you..."938Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGqMkYuXnCq
"Come on, Samantha! We've known each other for how long now? Two years? I'm babysitting your mother for Christ's sake. Just tell me what's happening. I'm worried about you."938Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRMmmycfRi2
"I... I can't, Rache. It's dangerous." It killed me having to keep secrets from Rachele. I hated secrets. I wasn't good at keeping them and they ate away at me. But it was necessary. I couldn't tell Rache anything because it was dangerous.938Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡekuSeBetbL
"When are you coming home then? Your mom misses you."938Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUqpYweEI4b
That felt like a knife to a stomach. It really did. "Soon," I whispered, feeling a lump form in my throat and tears prick at the back of my eyes. I wiped them away way the back of my hand and blinked rapidly as I rolled my eyes to stare up at the white ceiling. I couldn't afford tears right now. I needed to be the strong one.938Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnW5Z6H38GN
"When? Where are you?"938Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡueMtrN2I12
"I'm, uh, with family. Up north. Just needed to get settled in and make sure it was okay before I dragged mother on a long trip," I lied. "I'll be there tomorrow. Just to get mom and come back. Make sure her stuff is packed and she's up. It'll probably be around this time."938Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRVs2hBDULo
I couldn't stand the thought of spending another night without my mother. As much as I may have hated taking care of her at times, I couldn't stand being away from her. I loved her. She was my mom and my responsibility and living without her was a physical impossibility as I'd learned.938Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHpqq2sC8zn
The anxiety I'd been feeling earlier about leaving mother alone was melting away as soon as I committed to sneaking her in. If Elvira was going to make me wait before giving me an answer about mother, well, she'd just have to deal with the fact that I wasn't willing to wait. And if it got me kicked out of the haven, well, that was fine, too. I didn't want to be here if mother wasn't aloud, too.938Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsXW1tLAQZy
(Or, at least, that's what I told myself.)938Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp3J01fcuKn
"Uh, Rache, tell Lucian I won't be coming in for awhile."938Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv2KL6lUziP
"How long, Sam?"938Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy3PpNiNV7z
"I— I don't know. I just can't be home right now, Rache. Something's happening. Something bad. I honestly don't even know what it is or why I'm so scared. I just can feel something bad coming on. Something sinister. From the man grabbing me at the club to the people breaking in, yet taking nothing but some clothes. Why would they do that? Everywhere I've gone lately I can feel someone trailing me. The police won't help and I can't do anything. I don't know when I'll be back. I don't know if I'll be back. I just need to be gone. You can understand that, can't you?"938Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhXG7fWZVDU
"Yeah, I get it. You're safety is what's important."938Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx9cIsnRPgk
"Thanks."938Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcFunzmSYUX
"I love you, Sam."938Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbVNm81iRib
"Love you, too, Rache."938Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa690mqlRJn
"See you tomorrow?"938Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfSc60bQhGR
"Yeah. Tomorrow."938Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNGycLI7FGY
The phone clicked and beeped as the call ended and I flopped back on the bed, pressing the heels of my palms against my eyes and groaning. All of the anxiety that had faded about my mother was suddenly back full-force. But this time not about mom. About how to get in and out of Elvira's insanely secure house.938Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8tR7tbGFLU
I wasn't much of a planner.938Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKkxFtujSkL
It always left me at a severe disadvantage anytime someone asked me to play chess or Risk or anything that involved the slightest amount of strategy. The only way I could get things done was if I jumped in and just did them, no fore-planning, no worrying. I was too easily distracted by things around me, too frustrated the second I hit a challenge, too prone to thinking myself into a panic. So, as much as I always respected and envied strategists, I knew I'd never be one.938Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsVrUb6HSSq
Which is why the plan I came up with to sneak back into Elvira's home was to 'hope she had a window I could shimmy through.' But no matter how hard I thought, no matter how hard I shut my eyes and tried and tried to come up with a better plan, the only conclusions I was able to come to were "be patient until she tells you you can bring your mother in" which wasn't going to happen as I'd already figured out I couldn't spend another day without mother. Or "sneak into her house through a window, then wing it." While the former may have been the more prudent plan, the latter was what I knew I needed to do, for my sanity if for nothing else.938Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnGiN8G317d
Even after my conversation with Rachele and my 'planning' I wasn't able to sleep. All I was able to do was stare at my ceiling more and stress.938Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQAg0HIGVof
Once it seemed to be a reasonable time to be up and moving I got up and decided I might as well get dressed for the day. I was quite excited to put on the clothes Elvira had purchased for me, but couldn't help but feel guilty as I pulled on a pair of jeans and white shirt that had been bought as I remembered Elvira's words about how she didn't allow people that left back in as she viewed it as unappreciative and dangerous. I understood perfectly well why and it made sense on a logical; if someone left who's to say they're not going to lead someone back to the haven? Or if they were followed. So, when she told me I very much agreed on the policy despite how nervous the idea made me. But, now that I was here and wanting to leave and get back in, I hated the policy. I hated it in the most irrational, totally fear based way.938Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmN47YNPYzM
Once I was finally in a presentable state, with my hair laying flat against my head, clothes all in line, and teeth brushed, I exited my little room and went out into the streets.938Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡORVLARcPR1
The sun lights were on bright and hot and I couldn't help but look up and grin, basking in the light and warmth despite all my stress. I knew it wasn't the real sun, but it was rare that I ever got to feel the heat that came only with midday summer sun light. It was wonderful.938Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡey2kSWO37P
"Hey there!" I heard someone cry out. I turned to see a woman, my neighbor, standing at her door.938Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiFF1LuFQhs
"Hi," I replied with a wave, making my way over to where they were standing.938Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqEWf9HsGh9
"I'm Marsha," the woman introduced, extending her hand once I was at her door938Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV8ljNyF9ic
"I'm Sammy." I took her hand, shaking it.938Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNK09F11hVi
"You're new here, right?"938Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZgwRW2N1ci
"Yup. Just arrived yesterday. How about you? How long have you been here."938Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfHcvOzdSWw
"Oh, uh, awhile," Marsha said. "Actually, longer than anyone else here."938Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQvvedRO98F
"Really?" I asked, eyes wide. "How long is that? Do people usually end up staying here long?"938Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjGrrmNI7nI
"Nah, not really," Marsha said. "I've only been here, what, maybe six months? People come and go pretty quickly. Though, when I arrived there was a person that had been here for over a year."938Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmHzdlwxO7N
"Oh, wow. So, do people's problems get taken care of quickly I guess?"938Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoWAN9qOh5Y
Marsh shrugged. "Depends on the problem. Sometimes, yeah. Sometimes it takes longer. Usually when it's gonna take awhile, though, they just make it so the people are safe going back home, then worry about fixing the problem. Really try to keep Salus from getting too crowed."938Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlRTeGt0SjE
"Salus?" I asked.938Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTCqiQKxXcM
"Oh, that's what we call this place. It's Latin for salvation."938Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0Kp5DWrzwE
"Oh, okay. I like that," I replied with a smile, before asking, "So, what do you think of Elvira?"938Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwdrPsntHeV
"She's great," Marsha said. "Saved my life. It would be difficult for me to not love her. She likes to keep her distance, though. She'll come down, say hi, even do favors. But God help you if you cross her or break any of her rules."938Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkOH87610kL
"What do you mean?"938Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpdAryWXWsT
"She's... strict. She has a temper and can hold a grudge."938Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHiEzW94Hty
"Really? She doesn't seem the type."938Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHx5pA75c5d
"Oh, you'd be surprised, Sammy. Just... don't break any rules and you'll be good with 'Vira. Do something she's asked you not to, though, and you'll be out of here faster than that!" Marsh snapped her fingers loudly to emphasize her point and I jumped back in surprise.938Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbCy3iPAmKi
"Oh, um, okay. I'll definitely keep that in mind." I looked up and away from Marsha, trying to keep my nerves under control.938Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdPD3GGjrgE
'As long as Elvira doesn't find out about mother, there's nothing to worry about,' I told myself, trying to ignore the more prudent voice inside telling me that there was no way I keep someone hidden for long.938Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhsndc5Kvtz
:: ::938Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwCMzYj0Wot
I kept myself busy that day by walking around, speaking to the people I saw, and worrying. And when I wasn't doing any of that I was sitting in my room, throwing up from nerves every now and again, and calling mom and Rachele repeatedly. They had to have been annoyed with me by the tenth time I called but I didn't particularly care.938Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmVFHtQobCj
Finally, daybreak came around. I should have been exhausted after going so long without sleep, but adrenaline was keeping me awake.938Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXTIYcC1hmC
Most people had retired to their rooms already. I tried to act as casual as I could, though I was pretty sure I wasn't pulling it off well. I'd never felt so awkward in my life. I couldn't remember how to even hold my arms or walk like a normal person.938Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ16rFVhZimy
I recalled what Elvira had told me about the emptier parts of town that had been shut down when they realize the expense and danger of running something so huge and I knew that all the windows up to the outside were actually hinges that would only locked from the inside. So, getting out really wasn't going to be difficult. The only thing I needed to do was make sure I wouldn't be seen by any of the other citizens leaving.938Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsVqCeNvmww
I reached an area of town after maybe five minutes of walking that was clearly abandoned. None of the beauty of the city proper was here. All of the sun lights were out, the buildings weren't maintained, plants weren't kept trimmed— I knew I'd reached an area where it would be safe to escape.938Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbUZKnOkjcK
I looked around for one of the windows out, finding one very quickly. The natural light from the sun rising was just showing through and a patch of grass and weeds grew heavily below it. I looked up at the window, wondering where the hell the ladder was, when I noticed it was a rope ladder that was coiled up at the top of the thing.938Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaFqBN1wqtR
'Goddammit. How do I get it down?' I thought in frustration. I ran a hand through my hair as I looked around in a panic, when I noticed a button that was underneath the layer of grass. Bending down, I pulled the weeds and grass up by the fist-full, staining hands green, and saw a small red button just sitting there. I closed my eyes, praying that the button controlled the ladder and not some alarm system. I pushed the button and flinched, waiting for some loud noise, but there was none. The rope ladder was released and fell straight down to me.938Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYHTw77pty8
I grabbed onto the rungs of the ladder and took a deep breath. 'Well, here it goes.' 938Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgCNlpNzgIv
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