A/N: As usual, I would recommend putting the video on loop.

Droplets of water never sounded so booming. Each one hit the tiled floor and seemed to bounce off the walls like it was a ball from racquetball traveling at high speed. Her heartbeat increased, and she felt that the organ would tear itself out of her chest. She parted her lips, and a droplet fell upon her bottom one. It trailed down slowly before it joined the other ones on the tile.

Hands held onto the towel tighter, and she felt each droplet run down her skin at a sickeningly slow pace. The water didn't feel like water anymore. Rather, her mind almost thought that thick crimson was painting her skin. (F/n) had to glance down momentarily, and she calmed down only a little bit when she noted that water was on her, not blood. Steadily, she shifted her attention towards the window where she swore that she had seen movement. Her feet moved her closer to the glass, and she peered out and down towards the street. A few streetlights illuminated the small paved road as well as the sidewalk. No one was outside, except one figure.

That figure wore a black hoodie, pants and sunglasses. The individual's feet were bare and a deathly pale color. She heard herself gulp. Both of the person's hands were in the hoodie's pockets. Gradually, she took steps back from the window as the person glanced around the area. Currently, the individual's attention was on the other side of the street ... where Nick's house was. (E/c) optics noted the navy blue duffel bag on the figure's left shoulder.

There was no way that wasn't him. He had found her ... She gulped again. When she noticed him begin to look her way, she backed up quickly; however, she slipped in the process. Before she could catch herself, she hit the tile on her bottom, and a light groan escaped her. Instantly, though, she covered her mouth as though the creature already was at her apartment door. At least, though, he couldn't see her anymore from the street. Still, she had no time to sit around and wait. If he was here, then he knew that she was somewhere in the town; she had to get going.

Crawling over to her pale yellow backpack, she undid the zipper and grabbed her wig and contacts, but her hands soon stopped. They held the items over the bag before she glanced back towards the window momentarily. If she left and the creature didn't know, she would put Nick, his team and Ms. Zacerson all into harm's way more. She didn't know if the creature already knew about Nick and his team or even Ms. Zacerson, but he would find out eventually if he searched every spot in the town for her.

Part of her still told her to throw on the wig and contacts and bolt out of there, but after what Nick, Ren, Chris, Deidre and Ms. Zacerson had done for her, she felt sick thinking about that. Nick told her to call if the creature ever came into Faller's Grove, and she wanted to since she was terrified of what would happen if and when the creature saw her; however, another part of her was forming another plan. It concerned an idea that didn't involve any of them, that kept them out of harm's way.

After everything, she owed them that. She almost vomited when her mind pictured all of them either tortured or killed in some gruesome manner before the creature ate them in front of her for revenge for her escaping with someone else. (F/n) breathed in and out steadily to calm herself to a degree. If that happened, she only could imagine the illusions that would haunt her, and she didn't think that she ever could forgive herself if any of them died. Ultimately, she brought all of them into this mess, and there was only one way to get them out of it; she couldn't disguise herself, at least not for the entire time she made her escape. Rather, she had to draw the creature's attention away from her and from the area she currently was in.

Once she was a safe distance away from the apartment complex and Nick's home, she would remove her disguise secretly before showing herself to the creature. It also had to be in a public place so that no unsuspecting homeowner would find the creature at their doorstep later on. Currently, the main grocery store in the town still was open since it wasn't midnight yet. She'd go there.

Another problem existed, however. What about after she left? She didn't worry too much about Nick and his team since they would figure out what would've happened, but what about Ms. Zacerson? Right now, the older woman was hiding her, but the older woman might grow suspicious and worried if she up and disappeared. The older woman might contact someone and create a bigger mess unknowingly.

With that in mind, she'd have to write a letter that would cause the older woman not to grow curious and concerned. She had to make up some story about her sudden absence, and she had to cut herself off from Ms. Zacerson. Maybe, she would upset the landlady, but that would keep her safe.

Still, to think of all of this was one thing, but to do it was another matter entirely. Her urge to survive and not to have a child with the creature pressed her to stick with the original plan and forget about everyone else, but she already was associated with deaths because of the game. Who knew how many others there had been during her separation from the creature. She doubted that he was happy and skipping around the forest singing love songs. No, he had to be beyond pissed off at her, and she didn't want to imagine what he would do when he caught her.

Probably, that's why her survival instincts were kicked into such high gear. She knew that if she carried out the new plan and it turned into an absolute sh*t hole, she would pay a heavy price. Her stomach clenched at the thought, and her thighs pressed together more. Regardless, she wanted to at least save Nick, his team and Ms. Zacerson. Even if it meant a horrible end, she felt that was obligated to do that, to repay them back for their kindness and for risking their livelihoods for her.

Maybe, she would regret such a decision later, but she felt that was the right thing to do. And for once during this game, she wanted to feel that; she desired to feel that the creature hadn't turned her whole life and all of her decisions into some sick survival story. A bitter laugh escaped her. It probably would remain that, but at least this plan gave her the option to control the game some. She wouldn't let the creature torment them and carry out some awful plot on how to kill them and extract the utmost suffering from them and her. No, she was going to direct his complete attention onto her, like it had been before she had escaped. But this time, no one would die in the process.

Taking another deep breath in before she exhaled, she picked herself up from the floor, though; she crouched to a degree so that the creature wouldn't see her if he still was out by the street. (F/n) slid her clothes off of the counter and dressed herself. Her outer clothes were comfortable for travel: black jeans, a grey long-sleeve shirt, navy blue jacket, thick grey socks, black gloves and black snow boots. She put her hair up in the (different h/c) wig and didn't bother to blow dry her hair under the wig since she didn't have time. Wet hair wasn't desirable in the cold weather, but she had dealt with worse before. Next, she placed in the (different e/c) contacts.

Leaving her bathroom and turning out the light, she slipped her backpack onto her shoulders and headed for the kitchen as she made sure that everything else was turned off. Once there, she took a notepad out of one of the drawers as well as a pen before she hurriedly wrote a message down upon it and signed it. Satisfied with it after a quick read over, she left it on the counter and grabbed a few more food items for travel as well as some water bottles. (F/n) stuffed them into her backpack before she turned off the remaining lights in the apartment.

Before she left the apartment, however, her right hand hovered over the doorknob. Making it to the grocery store would be a struggle in its own right. It would be like sneaking around the tunnels again, though; this time, the creature wouldn't just let her go. Or, she doubted that to be the case anyway. She would stay off of the main streets as soon as she left the complex even with her disguise to be extra careful since the creature might question anyone he saw out and about. There was also the issue that he might recognize her scent if she got too close to him. Hopefully, though, he had moved past the complex, and she didn't want to peek out of the bathroom window again in case he was looking in that direction. As soon as he saw her, she suspected that he would act.

Gulping, she unlocked and opened her apartment door before she locked and closed it behind her. Closely, she listened to any sounds around the apartment. She didn't hear any soft footfalls or any movement for that matter. It was unnervingly quiet, and she hoped that he hadn't decided to jump onto one of the roofs in the area to get a better vantage point. After a few more minutes of waiting and as silently as she could, she headed down the steps to the first level.

(F/n) glanced out towards the street when she reached the entrance, and she didn't see him. So, she hurried to the other side before she stopped in front of Ms. Zacerson's apartment. She left her key under her doormat, and a soft, brief smile greeted her lips. "Stay safe," she whispered so quietly that even the creature wouldn't be able to hear her. With that delivery made, she headed back to the entrance. Her hands gripped the wall, and she stared out towards the street once more. It was empty.

Hesitantly, she walked out from the complex, staying close to the right wall and the shadows even though the shadows wouldn't do her too much good given the creature's eyesight. Still, she felt safer doing that. Once out of the complex, she hurried over to the nearby bushes and trees and hid herself within them. She stayed close to the ground in a crouching position so that she wouldn't get the rest of her clothes wet. Annoyingly, her wet hair wasn't helping in the slightest, but she tried to ignore it. (F/n) stopped completely, though, when soft crunches in the snow caught her attention. Quietly, she hid herself behind a nearby tree and peeked around the trunk. In the near distance, she spotted him, and she cursed mentally. Swiftly, she hid herself behind the tree and tried to hide her breathing as she waited for him to pass by.