Chapter 32
Sansa's Pov
Like my grip on the bedsheet, I was losing hope of escaping. My mouth was shut as I swung while losing my balance, hiding the storm within me.
For most of my life, I had faced many situations like that; hanging by a thread was nothing new to me, but the tension between my mission's success and failure was.
My life was a roller coaster ride. I knew I didn't deserve happiness, and I had no hope of ever finding it because I was constantly losing.
I fixed my gaze on him. I was about to land on Ray, who was standing outside the mansion, directly beneath me, deep in thought. wiping his hands with a handkerchief to remove the blood. After removing the blood from his hands, he reinserted the handkerchief into his pocket.
I couldn't look down at him with my neck stretched for long because I was losing my balance at the same time.
I held my breath and closed my eyes because I had no other choice and knew that if I fell on him, he would alert them all about my escape, effectively blocking my path to flee forever.
I tried to hold on tight, but I let go at the last second. As I fell, the grass roughly hugged me. My body collapsed in pain, my hand twisted slightly, and my legs didn't work properly.
As I hit my head on the ground, I saw black dots in front of my eyes. Previously, my blurry vision could cause my eyes to blank out. To get rid of my unconsciousness, I shook my head. I would not give up at that point.
The first thing I noticed was that Ray had gone inside the mansion just a few minutes before, so I ignored my helplessness and forced my legs to move forward before anyone noticed me.
I was walking faster to the right side of the mansion in the jungle, not knowing where I was going, but determined to find a way out of that place.
On my way through, I kept remembering a conversation I had with my father when I was eight years old. The scene was engulfing me.
"1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10... I am coming, Daddy." I moved away from the tree and opened my eyes.
I was 8 years old and looking around in the jungle when my father made a sound to get my attention. He was cunning; he made a noise by throwing stones to the other side to distract my attention and keep me away from him.
After many unsuccessful attempts to locate him, I cried while standing alone in the middle of the jungle. When he didn't show up, I felt alone, lost, and helpless.
He was near me, watching me from behind the tree, and when I was looking around for him, he appeared in front of me from behind the tree.
"What are you crying about?" Father asked, crouching on his knees to face me.
"I will not play the game again because I don't like it," I said, my eyes welling up.
"You gave up just because you couldn't find me?." He was wiping away my tears with his blue shirt sleeves while smiling. "Some things you can only get after you've lost"
My inexperienced mind could not comprehend the beauty and profundity of his words. He gave me a friendly smile.
"You are eager to learn more than you think; you will understand by discovering; don't be afraid to explore; staying still is not beneficial," Father stated calmly while holding my hand in his.
The grip was unbreakable, warm, and sheltered me. When his big, soft hands held my small hands. His words were complicated for my small brain, but he gave me a sense of security.
I couldn't understand his deep conversations, but after he died, I remembered all the lessons he taught me.
I returned at that precise moment because stepping on a stone caused me to fall to the ground on my left knee. The pain was meaningless compared to the escape plan I devised.
I stood up and resumed my race against the clock. I walked out into the jungle without looking back.
The filthy, muddy floor was not enough to keep me from crossing the complicated way. The strange vibe I carried, the nighttime scenery, and the strange voices that I couldn't predict sent shivers down my spine.
My only motivation was the desire to survive in the jungle. I came to a halt as I noticed a red gown on the ground ahead of me.
Was that a dress? Or was someone lying there? My vision was hazy from a distance, my mind was jumping to many conclusions, and assumptions were formed with every second of curiosity.
I slowed my pace as I approached the object of my interest. As I got closer, the whisper became louder. Why would someone be lying in the middle of the jungle, beneath the dark sky?
When I approached, I noticed the girl shivering; her face hidden by her light grey curly, shiny hair when she whispered.
"Hey! Are you alright?" I huddled.
She didn't respond as if I didn't exist. I extended my hand for her to turn around and face me. My single touch on her arm made me perspire; she was hot as hell.
"Can you hear me? Hey? What's the problem?" I inquired three times, but she did not respond.
I pushed her hair away from her face, and as she sat close to my face, holding my hand tightly, my heart raced faster. Goosebumps I was experiencing sensations all over my body. That was not something I expected to see.
I was struggling to break free from her grip; her nails were digging into my skin, causing excruciating pain.
Her terrifying eyes were completely white, her neck was swollen with blood, her body was as hot as lava, her lips were purple, and the skin on her face was cracked.
She was shivering all the time. Her tongue was not ready to move, but she was repeating the same word in a foreign language.
"Nota bene, novelo de" Her voice was shaking, and she was exhaling heavily.
Her red gown was soaked in blood, and she was a 9-year-old girl. Her hands had a small cut on them. Her grip on my wrist was tightening.
I couldn't let the words escape my mouth, screaming for help, because I didn't want to alert anyone.
As I used all of my strength to push myself away from her. I was panting heavily. My instincts told me to flee for another second. I took a few steps away.
"Help!" she sobbed.
Her grey shiny eyes turned normal and were examining my presence when I returned my gaze to her. As the cracked skin faded, her face returned to normal.
"Please!" her tearful eyes begged.
Helping her means I'll be apprehended by all of them. Abandoning her was the only option I had.
I resolved to fight anyone who attempted to prevent me from leaving. That girl was the one I had to fight to regain my freedom. I fled and resolved not to look back at any cost.