My ankles are in pain and I know that my legs are going to give up any moment now. It's raining slightly and the eerily calm, dark street of London is wet making it harder for me to run without slipping. I know I can't give up.

I didn't come all the way here so that I could give up. No.

I keep on running even though my knees are screaming in pain and I can imagine myself kissing the floor anytime soon. I can hear footsteps getting louder and force my legs to run faster.

C'mon Daphne you have to do it. Just escape them and you are free. Do it for your freedom Daphne!

Freedom. This word gives a wave of strength to my body and I run even faster. As fast as my legs could take me after running for so long. Ahead, I could finally see a construction site. I run towards it hoping that maybe I can hide there.

A cold wind passes by sending chills through my body and my wet clothes don't help either. Ignoring the fact that one could barely call them clothes.

They are extremely faded and have lost their original colour. My black jeans which is the only piece of clothing I own that wasn't torn is now ripped on my right knee and I can even see blood seeping through. I must have scraped my knee when I fell on the pavement earlier during my escape.

I got so engrossed in myself that I didn't notice the footsteps coming extremely close. I quickly search for a hiding place and find an empty barrel nearby. I struggle but then finally get inside it. The barrel is big enough to cover me entirely and I am extremely grateful for that.

A loud thunder echoes in the sky and it starts raining heavily. I cover my mouth with my left hand to muffle the sobs that are threatening to breakthrough. Thunder has always scared me, that is since I can remember. I wrap my right hand around my knees and sit waiting, waiting to be out of this misery.

I don't deserve this. Nobody deserves to go through all of this.

I know why they are searching for me. I know why they want me, why I am so important to them. I always wondered why but now that I finally know I wish I had known earlier.

Only if I had known earlier.

A few treacherous tears rolled down my cheek and I let the rain wash them away. It's not the time to be weak.

I can no longer hear the footsteps. Maybe it's because of the heavy downpour or maybe now they have left. The former thought gives me a tiny ray of hope that maybe I don't have to suffer anymore but the latter makes my skin crawl.

I want to be free.

I want to get up and check if I'm finally free and live without the goons lurking behind my back but I don't want to risk my safety and also I don't have the energy left to do so.

For four days I had planned it. For three hours I have been running and hopefully, I am just minutes away from my freedom.

I feel my eyelids getting heavy and I struggle to keep them open. At this point, I can't risk anything but my body is too exhausted to keep up and I finally give up to the deep slumber sitting inside a dirty barrel, hiding from goons on a cold rainy night somewhere in the outskirts of London.

I feel a sharp pain in my scalp and I reluctantly open my eyes to meet with dark blue eyes which I once used to admire. Those eyes which once shined with fake compassion now hold real malice.

"Please, Jaxson" I don't know what I'm begging for. For them to spare my life or to end this misery all for once by killing me even though I know that killing me is not an option. It was never an option. I am important to them.

I hear him laugh. Laughing at my doom. "Tell this to Xavier although I doubt your pleading would have any effect on him. That man is really stone hearted but if you please him he may think of decreasing your punishment. Well, if you ask me I would suggest you think of giving him a bj. Your lips would look beautiful around a dick and moreover I don't think he has the energy to fuck you thoroughly. " Jaxson said with a wink.

I ignore his comment and look behind Jaxson to see three other people standing laughing at Jaxson's joke.

Jaxson raises his hand and signals one of them to come closer. One of the bulky ones nods and comes towards me. Smirking he grabs a fistful of my hair and drags me towards a dark blue truck.

"Please don't do this. Let me go. I promise I won't tell anybody about the red house." I beg again desperately.

Red house. I shudder just thinking about it. That place has become my nightmare.

"Tsk... Tsk... Tsk" says Jaxson. "Oh, baby girl you won't be able to say anything about it to anyone. You escaped once and now there is no chance you could do that again. "

Jaxson says this with so much certainty as he knows what's going to happen next. His words bring me to the edge and now I know there is nothing more I can do.

My scalp hurts really bad but my body is too exhausted to fight. I give up. I just look at the sky which has now stopped raining. The sun is finally coming out from its hiding place and a humourless chuckle leaves my lips. It metaphorically fits my situation as my tears have gone with the rain as I am dragged out of my hiding place.

Someone picks me up and throws me inside the truck. One of Jaxson's mates. I start feeling dizzy and once again give up.

The words I hear are, "Say goodbye to freedom."

I silently pray to god to somehow save me from the devil himself to whom they are taking me to.

Xavier.