Claimed by The Rogue Alpha
Claimed By The Rogue Alpha Chapter 48

=Olivia==

I'd made it into a room. Couldn't tell if it was large or small, as a thick fog of darkness wrapped up the place. I literally had been going around in circles, having lost my way to the backdoor. I'd tried several corners, but wasn't fortunate at all. This had to be the seventh I'd gotten into, no kidding.

I prayed this one was it. I prayed this got me outside. I groped around, my hands on the wall, my eyes were wide as ever. This went on for a while until I struck something. A metal rim of some sort. It was way above me. I inched upwards, trying to get a solid grip on it -until I was practically standing on my toes. F**k. This was when I rued not to continue using my ballet lessons. The skills would really have come in handy.

But I persevered, not dwelling much on the past. I stretched as hard as I could until my fingers came upon a slit. An outlet. It was square. Realizing this, my heart leapt. Please, let it be what I'm thinking. I felt the silt using my fingers, in an attempt to replace a bolt. I couldn't replace any. As I was about to cuss, a thought came to me. It was possible that further above was the lock. F**k. I couldn't stretch further. In fact, my sides were already aching.

I set my feet on the ground, hunched down and began crawling. I sourced for something...anything that would be a prop. And just when I almost gave up, telling myself that there wasn't any such luck, I felt it. A stack of buckets. Joy took hold of me and I reached for the buckets. Pulling them out one by one, I noticed one of them contained ropes. Not thinking much of it, I tossed the rope away and grabbed the bucker. Setting it just below the slit. I mounted it and stretched. I was lucky this time. My hand was able to reach the uppermost end of the slit. I pulled my hand across, instantly picking up a prominent region, just at the right corner. It was a bolt!

I almost screeched in delight, astonished at how lucky I was. It appeared that fate wanted to be merciful. She had realised how damaged I'd become. The hell I'd endured here. I pulled on the bolt, but then it was stiff. I tried again, gritting my teeth as I did. A squeaky sound ensued, but it didn't appear that the bolt had made the slightest movement. Shit.

I took my hands off the bolt and stood still. My mind roamed, thinking up a way out. I couldn't come up with better solution than to go the f**k ahead and continue pushing the bolt. I slowly let out a stream of air and got back to business. This time, I put my all. With eyes shut tightly, and teeth clenched, I pushed. I pushed with my body inclined at an angle to the wall. As a result, the bucket underneath began to slide. I ignored this, going on to plead with the damn bolt to slip open. From nowhere, I lost my balance and plunged to the ground. My side took the most hit. I winced.

But, then, I wasted no time in picking myself up. Holding on to my sore side, I reclaimed my position on the bucket. A mixture of disbelief and excitement crowded my face as soon as I touched the bolt. It had opened!

I stretched a bit to push the slit and was met with a sting from my side. I winced again, retracting my hand. Okay, okay. I breathed, took my eyes back to where I believed the slit was and stretched. I clenched my teeth, not wanting to acknowledge the burning shooting up and pushed the slit. I stretched and just then, a pain shot from my side. It yielded without much protest and rays of moonlight flooded in.

I squinted my eyes briefly before taking cognisance of my environment. I was in a room no doubt. A room that had got tools just like the one that at the backdoor. I hadn't been here before.

Standing on my toes, I shoot my head out of the outlet. Craning my neck downwards, I gasped. I was at the fourth floor. I was at the fourth floor. How on Earth was I going leap out? I slapped my forehead. Shit. There was no way I could jump without getting injured. I sighed. If I could just do as they did in movies. If I could just replace a rope and...

I gasped as realisation came my way. Oh yes, a rope. I hopped from the bucket and rushed to the stack I had left behind. I soon found the bucket had the ropes and I dug my hand in, taking out the desired item. It stretched up to a metre. Yes! Getting up, I glanced around in search of some kind of anchor. Something I could attach the rope to. I spotted a table and I ran to it.

It was far away from where the slit was. Surely, there was no way I could move it across without making a lot of noise. I, however, decided to do it. Damn the consequences.

First things first, though. I had to clear out the table. It got a lot of cabs. Paint cans. One by one, I set the items down. Now, I was left with one thing. Getting the table to the spot. Know what.? I could just turn it over and drag it down. It wouldn't make as much nose, as it would with its legs on the ground. Right? I hoped. As my hands got to the table, I realised just how foolish the idea was. The table was fairly large, so, it was sort of impossible for me to turn it over. Let alone do so without disturbing the silence here. Left with no other option, I shrugged it off. I didn't care anymore.

So I pushed the table and a loud screech forced itself into my ears. I shut my eyes, praying that the noise would miraculously fail to rouse attention. When I had gotten it close enough to slit, I stopped-expecting the guards to break the door open and grab me. But then, nobody came. Also, everywhere was as silent as ever.

I got down to work. I tied the rope around one of the table legs. The one that was closest to the wall. I then grabbed the free end of the rope and climbed on the bucket.

I placed my both hands on the lower rim of the slit, letting my weight hang there. My legs dangled; my heart rate quadrupled. My fingers began to hurt-both moist with sweat. I knew I hadn't much time left. Any second wasted could be damaging. And so, with all my might, I pulled myself. When I'd gotten close enough that my chest was almost at the same level with the rim of the slit, I hitched my foot. I stretched, causing my side to weep again. Despite myself, I forced my foot out. With one down, I went for the other. And just like that, I was out. The chilly night breeze swept across, causing me to shiver.

I didn't look down-instead, kept my gaze fixed upwards. With the rope wound around my hand, I started to pull down. As I did, my body brushed the wall. I pinned my lips together, taking in the pain.

Gradually I reached my limit. I couldn't make it down any further. Shoving my fear aside, I glanced down. I now was at the third floor, just a little close to the second. This is it, Olivia. You gotta jump.

I shook my head. No, there was no way I could jump this height. It still was high. Far off. Well, you got a better idea? My subconscious sneered.

I sighed. Looking back up at the slit. I'd come along way. A long way I couldn't just give up last minute. I licked my lips and was prepared to make the jump. I clung to the rope tightly, shutting my eyes and hoping that my stars would guide me.

I let go and pummelled down, the icy breeze biting at me. I hit the ground, landing on my feet. At that instant, my ankle region burned. I wailed. Realising myself, I clasped my lips with my hands, shutting up myself. I sobbed silently as I gripped my ankle. But I knew I had to get the f**k up. And so, I pulled myself from the floor. The pain hit again, knocking me to the ground. F**k, it hurt. Oh Lord, it hurt.

I tried getting up again. Being gentler this time around. I used the wall as a prop. A cry almost left my lips as I stood on my feet. I made a step forward, gritting my teeth as the pain seared. Do I have to do this? I leaned back to the wall, my eyes up to the sky. Is it worth it? I couldn't help but balk. Of course I couldn't help it. With the pain in my ankle, I was handicapped. Completely helpless. Not only was my ankle was screaming, my side...it was bruised. All these injuries for what?

For your own good. There went my subconscious again.

For my own good... I'd had a life before I came here, hadn't I? One that was filled with happy-sad memories, but nonetheless was close to my heart. I was sure as hell that Leah had gone to the cops. They must have drawn blanks, but I knew Leah. She would have been frequenting the sheriff's office. She should be worried sick and here I'd been, all these while. Not making an attempt to escape. Rather, I'd sat back, having these insane fantasies for my captor. I shut my eyes. I'd lost faith in myself. Mum should be disappointed at me.

I remained on the ground, my eyes staring at the moon.