Hot Summer Night

6 - Seraphine

Since my conversation with Marla three days ago, I answered every one of Chadwick's phone calls and talked to him how I always did whenever he called—trying my best not to give him any clue by my nervousness that I would soon be out of his home and life forever. On the fourth day, Marla entered my room while I was disconnecting my call with Chadwick.

My belly fluttered nervously. The look on her face says it's time.

"Are you ready to get out of here?"

Yes. I. Am. But also, no, I'm not. I'm scared for my life. Actually, I fear for both our lives.

I have to do this. I have to get out of here. And if Marla and her friend claim he can keep me safe, then I have to push my fears aside and trust Marla will get me out of here safely.

I nodded and quickly rose to my feet. "I sure hope you getting me out of here won't get you killed or anything," I said, my heart bruising my chest with how hard it was thumping against it.

She waved her hand across her face like it was no big deal and that she had nothing to worry about. "They'll never know it was me. All the cameras and listening devices have been temporarily disabled. But we only have ten minutes before everything is reactivated, and Chadwick's hired help regains consciousness. So we need to hurry, or we will be busted."

Regain consciousness? Did she poison them?

My eyes sprung open wide. "What did you do?"

Her eyes were proud, and her lips curled into a joyous smile, creating deep dimples in her cheeks. "After I've gotten you out of here and you're safe, we'll talk."

Marla grabbed the small black bag filled with clothes I packed by the door. I only packed a little since I didn't want anything Chadwick had bought me. I'd instead start my life fresh with new things. All I wanted was my camera, personal items, and the clothes I had before I met Chadwick—clothes he thought I had thrown away.

I lifted my bag with my makeup and hair supplies, and then Marla reached for my hand and quickly pulled me into the hallway with her. She quietly shut the door and loudly whispered, "Let's get out of here!"

My heart felt like it was about to burst out of my chest as we hurried through the hallway and down the winding stairway. I kept looking behind me as we sprinted across the room, assuming we were being chased. While looking behind me, I tripped over something as Marla yelled for me to look out and tumbled to the ground, excruciating pain following after falling on my elbow and hitting my funny bone, which isn't so funny.

Looking to see what I tripped over while rubbing my elbow, my stomach twisted, and my eyes widened when I saw it was Clarence, the butler. What the fuck? Is he dead? Believing he was, I poked him to see if he'd move.

"Seraphine. Get up! We need to get out of here before the alarms reactivate!"

I heard Marla shouting, but I wasn't comprehending; I was too numb to move and too shocked at seeing Clarence lifeless on the floor. Especially after I looked around me and saw the maids, cooks, and the guy watching my every move also lying lifeless on the floor around us.

What in the world did she do to them?

"Sara! What are you doing? We have to get out of here!" Marla shouted much louder this time, trying to snap me out of my daze. "Everything will be reactivated soon! And they're seconds away from waking up! So get moving!"

Shit.

My head snapped around, and I looked at Marla, apologizing as I rose to my feet. She grabbed my hand. "Don't worry about what happened here. Just focus on that door in front of us," she ordered as she pulled me closer to the door.