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/,0 123423
(An LxcerpL)



lgnorlng Lhe paln, l conLlnued Lo klck, hoplng Lo geL hlm off me. l conLlnued Lo reach Lo geL a beLLer hold
on Lhe ladder. WlLh my nexL klck, l felL one of my legs sprlng free from hls grasp. l glanced back, colled
my leg back as far as lL would go, hoplng Lo galn as much force as posslble, and Lhen leL lL go, hlLLlng hlm
dlrecLly ln Lhe face. Pe sLumbled back agalnsL Lhe wall, yelllng and screamlng for !ason and Lrlc. lL was
now or never. l had Lo geL away. 8eachlng agaln, l grabbed Lhe bar wlLh boLh hands and pulled myself
Lhrough Lhe small openlng. Cur eyes meL for [usL a momenL before l Look off down Lhe flre escape.
1he nexL few seconds were a blur as Lhe blood coursed Lhrough my velns. l flew down Lhe ladder and
[umped off Lhe ralllng before lL even reached Lhe boLLom. l knew every second counLed. AL any momenL,
!ake and hls men would be comlng around Lhe corner and l wouldn'L be able Lo flghL Lhem all off. l hlL
Lhe ground wlLh a Lhud and felL Lhe [arrlng lmpacL move up my legs and spread lnLo my back. l sLumbled
forward and ran as fasL as l could.
1he sLreeLs were empLy, dark. 8unnlng as fasL as l could, l scanned for anyone Lo help me, for a cab. l
would've seLLled for any slgn of human llfe aL LhaL polnL. ?eL Lhere was no one.
Lvery few seconds, l looked over my shoulder, expecLlng Lo see Lhe Lhree of Lhem chaslng afLer me.
ueep down, l was Lhankful LhaL Lhey weren'L back Lhere, buL l couldn'L help wonderlng where Lhey were.
1here was no way he would glve up LhaL easlly.