To Be Free

I avoided the men who were running after me by mingling with the crowd going out the train station. I realized it was a big mistake because, by the time I got out of the terminal, it became easier for my enemies to navigate the open area, while I was having a hard time since I was new and had no idea where I was going.

I was out of breath as I ran and entered a narrow alleyway, and I was catching my breath while my hands were curling on the straps of my backpack. My legs started to give up, but I couldn't stop running since I could still hear the men following behind me.

I couldn't believe my plans had failed before I could even walk around and enjoy my freedom in the city of Yerton. I am not sure if it was my stepfather's men or Eli's men who were already there waiting for at the station, and I wished things were different; they should be there to welcome her and not to come after her for other reasons.

It was a pretty welcome for a nineteen-year-old girl, and I suddenly felt like someone who had committed a big sin. I felt like a fugitive as she tried to mislead my pursuers. I was unfamiliar with the faces of the men who chased after me, and it dawned on me that they were not my stepdad's men but Elijah.

"Let me go!" I shouted when I was trapped between the men and the dead-end wall. I tried to climb the wall, and hadn't moved away far enough when I felt someone dragging me down by pulling my backpack.

I could hear the scratching of my fingernails as I tried to hold on, but my captor was strong, and I was back on the ground in seconds.

I couldn't let go of my bag since it contained my essential documents, and I went down to the ground feeling so angry with myself that I didn't choose to run to the opposite side, and it was late for me to realize the alley I chose led me into a dead end.

"Wow, I am impressed with your determination to escape from us, Ms. Lizondra, but you are a girl, and you don't know this place." The man who was towering over me with a booming and scary voice said.

"Most of us came from Yerton city, and we could run around this big city with our eyes close; if I were you, you better stop fighting us before I got lose control of myself." The man added.

He was wearing a black shirt and grey trousers, he had a beard with a bodybuilder physique, and he was looking at me with annoyance all over his face.

"I don't care if you are the future wife of our boss; if you do not stop hitting me, I will teach you a lesson you can't forget, Meliza." He added, and my body turned cold as I stopped kicking him on his leg.

The rest of his team arrived, and I accepted defeat, but I was still holding on to the saying that while there is life, there is still hope. I needed to believe I could escape, or I would lose herself to these men and their older boss.

My celebration of my freedom was cut short as I realized I could no longer run away from Elijah's men. The man who got me pushed me hard into the wall, and I could feel my wrists hurt as he tightened his hold on me.

"It is game over, bitch!" He yelled at my face, and then he dragged me with him, and the rest of Elijah's men laughed while I felt so furious with them as I tried to bury my fears.

The man finally released me when they reached the parking space where they parked their car.

"Get in!" The same man shouted at me, and I hastily got inside without showing reluctance. But it doesn't mean I will accept defeat immediately.

"How could you run away from our boss?" The man with the beard asked as he pushed me to sit inside the back of the SUV.

I didn't answer him, and I was quiet while praying and looking for an opportunity to escape.

"I think this woman is a feisty one," his companion said, making the man with the beard, whom I thought was their leader, reply with anger in his tone.

"Yeah, she was tight-lipped, but I know she is strong-willed, and I could tell she was planning how to escape from us." The man answered.

"I couldn't wait to tell our boss that we have his wife-to-be. I am asking all of you never to let your guard down; our boss will be coming on the weekend. We need to show this woman to him presentably." He added.

"We need to buy her expensive apparel and jewelry since the way she dressed didn't fit his taste." The leader continued.

I didn't want to care how I looked; what mattered was that I felt comfortable with my chosen clothes. I was happy that I still had enough time to plan my escape. And I have to play my part right.

"You don't need to put handcuffs on me; I didn't run away because I don't want to marry your boss. I hated my stepfather. I thought. First, you were his men. He wanted me for himself, and I am sure he told your boss a different story." I said.

"There is nothing I want but to get married to Elijah because I know my life at the farm sucked. I am tired of inhaling the manure around the farm wherever I go. It would be great to live in a city as big as this, and I couldn't wait to see my future husband." I added with a beautiful smile my face, and I was trying my best to make my lies realistic.

"I didn't see him, and I don't have any idea what he looked like, but I knew he was hot, and I didn't care about our age difference; besides, in love, age doesn't matter, and I always wanted to marry an older man since I was looking for a father figure growing up." I declared, and the leader looked at my face for a long time.

"Do you think I will believe you, Meliza? We know you can outsmart anyone, but not us. We are prepared for this kind of drama. We know Fred, and we believed him, so you better shut your mouth up, or I will put duct tape on your mouth." He angrily said, and I didn't show any emotion; I couldn't let Elijah's men intimidate me.

"It is all up to you if you don't believe me, but I wanted to go shopping with you; I am so excited; that is one of the reasons I wanted to marry a big shot since he can afford to buy me anything I want from expensive dresses, shoes, bags, perfume and so many more." I responded.

"I bet you also know I am only Fred's stepdaughter, he only showered my mom with material things, but after he losses everything he had because of his gambling addiction, he could no longer afford to buy my mother even a simple dress," I added.

"My stepfather only wanted to give my mom everything; at first, I was only excess baggage to him; only recently did he realize I am useful to him. Fred was a wicked stepdad. I knew he wanted me to be with him since he was looking for another way to get money out of me." I continued, seeing the bearded man start to believe in my lies.

"I am not his daughter; do you think he will give his sympathy to me? Who will be in his right mind to make her daughter a debt payment?" I asked, and the man shook his head.

"He didn't mention you would be the payment, Meliza, Fred only asked our boss if he could take good care of you since your stepdad was broke, but when Fred showed him your pictures, Elijah couldn't stop thinking about you, since he wanted you to be his darling; this is the first time he was so desperate to have something in his life." The leader responded, and my entire body turned cold.

I could feel all the blood on my body drain as I realized I needed to convince this man I wanted to be with his boss.

"Oh, that would be lovely, Mr." I replied, trying to make my voice sweeter than it was, and I could hear the man chuckling.

"You are good with your convincing skills; I will give you a ten for your performance, but I am sorry to disappoint you, sweetheart; I don't buy anything you will say to me." The man replied, and I tried to hide my disappointment I smiled at him.

"My name is Donald." He added.

"Oh, what a handsome name for a gorgeous man. Do you have a wife and children, Donald?" I asked, and I could see Donald was blushing.

"I already told you to shut up, Ms. Lizondra, don't give me your compliments because it will never work on me," Donald responded, and before I could counter him, I saw one of his men hand Donald a duct tape, and scissors.

My body trembled, and I leaned back in my seat as I realized I needed to obey Donald for now, but I could see that this man had a soft heart even if he looked like the most vicious man on earth.

He was only trying to look tough in front of his men; I knew deep inside him; that he wanted to talk with me. Maybe later I can have my chance. All I needed to do was exercise a little patience, and I will be free again.

I raised my hands as a sign of obedience to him, but it didn't stop him from putting handcuffs on my wrists and duct tape on my mouth. I wanted to resist, but I had no other option but to satisfy Donald with what he wanted. I kept my tears at bay, for I needed to look stronger in their eyes.

I still had enough time to make the leader of Elijah help me since it was still Wednesday, and their boss would be coming to Yerton City on the weekend. I closed my eyes as I pretended to sleep, and they didn't need to know I was trying to formulate a plan in my head on how to deceive Donald and his men.

I am a strong young woman who will never surrender to life's challenges, no matter how tough, dangerous, and life-threatening they could be; all I care about is how to escape from my captors without a scratch.

My only dream was to be free and live my life as I want, but it seemed freedom was out of my grasp and I didn't even know what to do. I suddenly remembered Ethan, if he only showed up at the train station, and didn't betray me, I would never have suffered like this