A Way Out

"Yes," Zria confessed. She didn't want Celeste to suffer for this. She getting shot was enough already. "I di-" Before she could finish her false confession the cop was shot from behind. His body hit the ground and the blood of the wound wasn't far from behind.

"You okay?" Zria looked up to see who was the person who saved her from some jail time, or a death penalty. It was Zay. She looked at him with a confused look. Didn't he graduate early? Why was he here? "Never mind, just get into my car." Zria nodded as she helped Celeste into his teal Honda Element 2009.

"Why did you save us?" Celeste managed to cough out. Her frail voice caused Zria's concern to rise. "We killed your bro-"

"You didn't" Both the girls look at him with a questionable look. Why was he so ready to say that? Did he know something?

"What makes you think that?"

"Cause I saw his death with my own eyes."

"What do you mean you saw it?" Zria exclaimed. "Why didn't you tell the cops?"

"They wouldn't believe me," He cranks the car up and begins to drive. "Especially about a hate crime." Zria nodded. She knew it.

"Then who did it?" Celeste began to sit up in the car. As time went on they found out that Zach and Zay were both at the house when their mom went shopping with their other siblings. While they were upstairs, they heard someone break down the door. Zay barely managed to hide in the closet, while Zach hid in the bathroom. Zay continued to speak about how the masked group beat and killed them and how when they finished the job they killed their dog just for fun. He felt bad about Zach, but he went to find help after the group left. As he left he saw Zria and Celeste heading that way.

"I knew they would try to pin you for the crime." Zay spoke about how his mom tried to convince the cops how he was a hate crimed, but she was constantly overlooked by the man's conversation with the neighbor. In which she saw two kids jumping from the fence that is. The old lady began to describe how she saw a small black and Asian girl, run away from the crime scene.

"So how do we get out of this," Celeste threw her arms in the air. "Now we're actual criminals for killing a cop." Zria nodded. Now they were on the run for real. If they would have just told the cop the truth about Zach, now they would go unavenged. Zria began to cry a little as she looked outside. Zay wanted to finish the story, but knew it was too tough for everyone right now. So he stayed quiet.

"I have an idea," Zay began to speak after a while of driving. Both girls looked at him as he spoke. "I have a college opportunity for a full ride."

"Where?"

"Sweden," Worry consumed the girl's face. How were they going from the United States to Sweden? "Don't worry I have the flight booked, but I only have one."

"How does it help us?" Zria looks at Celeste for her sudden outburst, but her question wasn't far off from hers.

"My plan for you two is to get close enough to close the gate after my car gets checked." Both the girls looked at each other."

"And we're supposed to survive for those two weeks, how?" The question caused Zay to freeze up.

"That is what I've been trying to figure out." The silence filled the car. Some were quiet because of dread, some because they were deep in thought. Even though the reason was different, the question that ran through their head was all the same. Two weeks? Fourteen days? 336 hours? How far will they get? It seemed like a high score on a Mario game.

"Okay," Zay's voice pierced through the silence. "I've found a place for you to hide."

"Where is it?" Both the girls answered in unison. Zria could tell that Celeste's mind was also clouded with fear.

"I found an abandoned house outside the skirts of the airport," Zay smiled, showing his phone toward the two. The house wasn't big. A one-story house with one bedroom. "It's not much, but it'll do its job." Zria felt a nudge against her arm. Celeste looked at her and mouthed the words, Should we go? Zria's mind began to panic at the thought. Should they go? Airport security was pretty tight. What if they get caught? Or even worse, killed? Despite her worry, she nodded at the other. They needed a way out, and she'd do anything to make sure that Celeste was okay. Wait! Anything? Zria are you? She ripped the thought from her mind as she looked out the window.

"So," Zria started. If she wanted to check the place out she would need to go there fast. "When do we leave?"

"Right now if you want," He said as he pointed to his left. Where he was pointed was nothing, but fields and fences. "That would be the safest way there." Zria nodded as she opened the door.

"Thank you Zay," She opens the door to help Celeste. "We'd be in jail, or dead if it wasn't for you."

"No problem," Zay got out of the car to help Zria and the other. "But don't thank me yet. I don't know if you'll even make it." Zria nodded. The thought of not making it is what bothered her. I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I got Celeste even more hurt. Zria held Celeste up and began to head up the steep hill. We're almost there. We just gotta stay there for a few weeks. This should be easy.

"Hey," Zria' s mind was cut off by Celeste's voice. "Don't get all up in your head okay. You have to carry both me and you." Zria nodded. She didn't want anyone to suffer anymore for her actions.

"Got it. You don't have to worry about me," The sound of silence seemed to consume them as they made their way past the fields. Zria noticed Celeste beginning to mumble, but couldn't make out what was being said. "What are you thinking about?"

"About how we'll leave Zach behind." Zria stopped walking. She had never thought of it like that. She looked over the crowd of Catmint flowers.

"We're not leaving Zach behind," Zria stated as she continued walking. "We're just going to a safer place. That's something they would want for us." The sentence seemed to give a relaxed look on the other's face.

"Yeah," Celeste answered back weakly. Her voice was dry and needed water, and so far there was nothing in sight. "I guess you're right." Zria began to laugh at Celeste's uncertainty. She wanted nothing more than to be safe, from everything, but the truth was. It doesn't end. Once they get to a safe place. They have to survive for two weeks, then they have to sneak on a plane! Zria's mind began to wander again with thoughts of them not succeeding. What if her decision to do this gets everyone killed? Zria shook off the non-sense. No, it's going to work! I know it will.

"Celeste, I have a question for you," Celeste only nodded at Zria's voice. "Why did you come along?" You could have said I've done it and gotten away."

"Good idea," Celeste began to level herself out to start hobbling on her own. "So why didn't you do it?"

"Because I wouldn't be able to tell on you like that," Zria looked down. The thought of betraying her friends was something she would never be able to stomach. She had already lost the friend that meant the most to her. Who knows how her mother felt. And most likely they already found the cop outside the school. "It wouldn't be right."

"Well that's true," Celeste started, but then trailed off. There was something that she wanted to say, Zria knew that. What was it?

"What's on your mind," Zria felt a little weird. She didn't want Celeste to not feel like she couldn't come to her, especially since they would be living together for a while. "You know you can tell me anything." Celeste only shook her head in response. Maybe right now isn't the time. Zria thought as she continued on.