Chapter 17: SILLA

I stood in the middle of the yard, looking back and forth between the two men. One had disappeared behind the closed door, and the other was heading to the gate to open it up. This has to be a trick. If he planned on selling me, he wouldn’t just let me leave like this, surely. Maybe he’s calling my bluff?

Mom was no help; she still believed that I was wrong. How had we been found out anyway? I’d made sure to look normal as we made our way down the stairs. If anyone had seen us, then I would’ve said we were heading to the kitchen and once there made a run for it. I’d noticed all the exits when we went down for dinner, so I know there’s a back door and a side door as well as the front.

No-one stopped us, and once we cleared the door, I breathed a sigh of relief. I found our bags beneath the window I’d thrown them out of and was making our way towards freedom when someone came out of the darkness. His movements were so silent I didn’t even hear or see him until he was right up on us.