Posted Sept. 5th, 2020

I initially just wanted to ask Calumn about the woman in no uniform who was talking about Autumn Air when we were going outside.

I didn't mean for it to escalate to something more, or to lead to me going outside.

This time, when I asked him, we weren't tucked in bed. We were in front of the window in our room, watching the calm and sleepy world. It was about almost midnight. Lucy had been tucked in bed a while before.

"a woman was talking about me." I whispered in the window. "who was she?"

I couldn't stop myself from thinking fi we didn't look suspicious. Wasn't The Man Behind The Cameras smart? Wouldn't he know if that we're suspicious when we go there ? something had to give us away? Maybe just the fact that he can barely hear us.... ?

Either way, I wasn't complaining. But my gut instincts were telling me its strange. Something wasn't sitting with me.

"your stepmother."

I frowned, feeling my heart drop to the floor. A stepmom? When had that happened? I never got any flashback of her.

But when she met my eyes, I did. A couple of memories passed in front of my eyes. One where she was in the kitchen, one where she brought me dinner, one where I helped her cook. And a few more where I yelled at her, and she cried. Was my bad behavior justified?

I watched something pass in front of her eyes too. She smiled, and her eyes straight lit up and became very happy. That gave her away as not one of Blake's minions. the second thing was her attire. She wasn't in white like his fake nurses, or Calumn's deep blue's uniform. She was in green cargo pants, black boots, and a tucked in shirt.

The view unsettled me. And a few seconds later, o realized why. I had only ever seen her in dresses. The woman could fight?

"stepmother?" I breathed. I tried to not let my voice give away my heartbreak and pain. but even as I spoke, I heard it. raw and clear as the light of day.

Calumn looked at me. "she might not stay forever?" he said, with hopeful emerald green eyes. His eyes were shining in the moonlight. Not only it made his eyes even more beautiful. But it also displayed well his care, and affection. I could tell he really cared about my wellbeing. And it was deeper than a need to keep me safe.

"Depends if your real mom comes back. I think you knew that." I snapped back to earth just in time to hear his words.

"who is she exactly, though?"

Calunm turned his face away. But I didn't miss the air of longing in his face. "A good person. Like a mother to a lot of people. She cares a lot, and she fights for those she loves."

Then he put an arm around my shoulder, and I knew the conversation was done. We had talked too much, already. The man must have been watching us the whole time. And the fact that he couldn't hear must have made his veins pop out.

The man had severe anger issues.

"if it goes well, we're fighting our way out tomorrow."

My eyes widened, and I gripped the bottom pf the window harder. Getting out ? performing my surgery to be sensitive?

yes! I thought, looking at couple walking outside, the misery was almost over.

I didn't know at the time that my curiosity would ruin it. when I felt Calumn fall asleep, I carefully got out of bed, put some shoes on, a jacket to cover my bare arms- it was chilly- and opened the front door.

It was open. And I knew it was, because I had tried it earlier. At first, I only went to see if the woman was there still. I wanted to talk to her. when I peered over the rail, I didn't see anyone. But I knew she had wanted to talk to me earlier. She had reached out her hand, and opened her mouth.

Calumn was leading me away, and I thought it was another minion.

I walked further, and took the stairs down. A few minutes after, I was in the common area at the bottom. The brown bench was empty. And all the other ones beside the water fountain. Where had she gone?

When I approached the exit in a nonchalant manner, is when I was tempted. The exit, right on the other side of the glass door. If I opened it, I would be able to touch the freedom.

Maybe I would make it easier to them by leaving now.

When I heard the footsteps coming down, is when I sped in the hallways, following the exit signs. I ran as fast as I could to another exit. The hallways were huge, but barely lit. speeding while being careful was draining task. My lack of food didn't help. I felt a sting behind my eyes, and my knees going slower by the second.

I didn't eat much of it, per Calumn's recommendations.

When I saw the big metal doors with windows showing the careful and weary night, I gave my knees a harder push to take me there. I felt more energized,.... and a lot lighter. I felt the tears come up to my eyes.

My family.... my home

My body slammed on the door with my speed, and I tried to push it open. I pushed on the metal "ramp". I tried the other one. I even checked the bottom and the sides of the door, to make sure it wasn't only something making it stuck.

I could hear somebody's arrogant footsteps getting closer.

When I heard his evil and bone wrenching voice, I jumped backwards. Always keep you enemies in your sight.

"is this not the innocent Autumn, trying to escape." He laughed evily, his voice loud in my ears because of the echo. "I knew you weren't innocent." He said though gritted teeth, pointing an angry finger at me.

He was taking steps closer. While he had space to do, I didn't. my back was against the door. I heard someone footsteps running in a few hallways over. "Calumn. At the exit." My voice broke at the end because of the effort in put in.

My enemy, with an effortless grin, walked even closer to me. "what a fool. You think the traitor will help you."

"yes." I said, and took a few steps from the back of the door. If I had to fight, I needed space. I also realized that talking made him forget to approach me. "good to know you weren't a fool to think he was on your side."

At first, he stared at me like he couldn't believe what I had said. His pupils were dilated, and his mouth oh so slightly open. Then, he closed it and regained his composure. His eyes, though, started shining with a glint of slyness, foreshadowing a very long, and ugly night.

"who do you think I am?" he said, this time walking confidently towards me. When he was about two metres from me, and my mind was racing to find a weapon to protect myself with, calumn appeaed at the corner, followed by a group of bodgyguards- the ennemy's one.

"you know what to do!" he yelled, making a broom stick slide to me.

What to do? but when my hand grasped it, I did. Know what to do. I did. i didn't know what moves I pulled- something between Kungfu and karate- but I defended myself.

I was doing a good job at defending myself. I got him wincing a few times because of my hits, and he did too. But what made him give me a good hit in the stomach, and collapse on the ground was hearing voices my mind recognized.

I saw familiar faces, faces I had only seen in my memories.

A tall man with the same icy blue eyes.

My stepmother.

My two friends.

My brother.

The one who wanted to prove to me he was my brother.

When I fell down, and passed out because of a substance he injected in my thigh, I heard other people's screams way louder than my own.

"Autumn, dear, hold on!" One said.

"my daughter."

"autumn, you and I are warrior. Please fight through the memory wipers."

"ori! No!"

"the one who said we aren't friends is leaving me again!"

Sobs too. Different dialogues were being said. But all had one thing in common. They were spoken from a place of pain, and agony. If you listened closely enough, you could hear the misery that was taking over their body in their voices.

It hurt them to see me hurt.

I never felt more loved in my life. Maybe before he kidnapped me, I was blind to the blessing I had. Or I wasn't ready to see it- it wasn't the right time.

But I knew. As I was fighting though the brain fog that was dragging me away forcefully by the arms, I hoped that when I would open my eyes again – still had hope I would- I would remember how it feels to be fought for once, with all the breath you have in your body.

And yes, I noticed that my birth mother wasn't there. She gave up on me. It's fine.

"I will get thought this." I said.

I didn't know if I yelled it or only whispered. But I knew it was true.

I always get through.