Chapter 4: Near Death

She's been here for hours now and has been screaming ever since. The dark had crept leaving the room in darkness. Kara is in a panic. She doesn't want to be left in this desolate stockroom nor stay here until somebody finds her. What if no one finds her? Will this place be her grave? She tried to focus, she must escape. Or the darkness will creep again and torment her. She needs a light. Her cellphone! She rummaged through her bag, where it is sitting at the bottom of her old, blue jansport bag.

She opened the flashlight from her cell phone and somehow it broke the darkness. Is there a switch here? She thought and scanned the stockroom for any switch. There is one. She immediately went to it and clicked. Nothing.

She banged the door with her fist now bruised. The windows have protective grills, she cannot pry those steel away. She looked at her cellphone, 15% battery. Oh no. Her sweat rolled on her face.

"Anybody!! Helppp!!" she shouted at the top of her lungs.

"Help me!!" she cried as she knelt on the dusty floor.

"Help me please… help…" she cried, hoping somebody would save her. But only silence greeted her. She curled like a ball and cried herself. Her cell phone warns that its battery is low. And in just a few minutes it died. Kara just closed her eyes tight and uttered a prayer.

A bony hand is touching her back sending spine tingling goosebumps on her. The darkness is there, succumbing her in its danger, feeding on her fears. She tried to ignore it. The hand tugs her arm, she holds on and keeps her arms closer to her.

She hugged herself.

"Go away! Go away!!" she muttered, her eyes still closed. Trying to fight the fear that is eating her now.

"Leave me alone!" she shouted, the darkness replied with a demonic laugh and this time pulled her left foot. It was dragging her though she tried to kick it off, her fingernails scratching the floor in hopes to hold onto something but none. The floor is smooth yet covered with dirt and dust, nothing to hold onto. She continued shouting in horror.

Now both her feet were taken so she is face down. And it is dragging her with success. Dragging her slowly yet the cold bony hands tightly held her feet, then every now and then gave out a spine tingling laugh. She screamed.

Thud. Thud.

"Kara?! Are you there?"

Just when she was about to give up there was her ray of hope.

"Jenna? Is that you? I'm here! I'm here!!!!" she shouted joyfully, her tears kept falling but this time she is happy knowing that Jenna is just behind the door.

"Yes, it's me." And then the door flew open and there were rays of light from flashlights.

Jenna went over to her. She saw Kara lying in her stomach as if something dragged her to the far side of the stock room. She is very filthy, covered in dust and dirt. And is crying like crazy. She knows too well that Kara doesn't like dark places and Jenna thought that Kara must have been scared to death. She picked her up and held her and waited until she calmed.

Jenna was with a security guard who opened the door. She helps her stand up and also walk. Kara's knees feel like jelly, so she can't walk properly. First they went to the bathroom so that Kara could have a change and freshen up. Jenna also tends to Kara's bruises, patching them with a band aid.

"It's Kendra again, right?" Jenna opened, the other girl just looked down.

"I have been telling you for a long time now that you leave them. You are no longer a minor, you can live on your own. They are treating you badly, and Kendra is treating you worse. Why don't you go away?" Jenna said angrily. She is angry with her friend's supposed to be family and how inhumane their treatment of her. Somehow, she is also mad with Kara for staying and enduring those sufferings. If it was her, she would leave them immediately.

"Where will I go, Jenna? If I leave? I mean, I don't have anyone else but them… " there is a glint of sadness in Kara's eyes.

"You can start living independently. On your own. Anyway, you won't have a problem with your education because your father insured it. Maybe you can live by yourself, rent a little room, and look for a part time job to support yourself. Just get away from them please. Do not tolerate them anymore…" Jenna is pleading to her now. It's enough that Kendra is bullying her at school, and it continues even at their home. And it's not just Kendra, but also her mother as well.

Kara is silent. She had thought about it a long time ago. To leave them, but how could she? She had grown accustomed to their presence and as wild a thought as it is, she treats them as her only family since her father died. Or maybe she is just afraid to be truly alone? Maybe.

Jenna tugged her, waking her in her reverie.

"Or you could live with us. My parents won't mind, you know. My mom is actually fond of you. Right! Why don't you do that? Live with us?!" Jenna suddenly becomes animated with the thought. Kara's heart wells with gladness, Jenna truly cares for her. But what she's offering is actually too much.

She shakes her head and looks directly at Jenna's eyes.

"I know so well that you care for me a lot. You are more like a sister to me than anyone else, you know that, don't you? But, but, I just can't take it. I can't leave them… they're my family." she explained gently.

Jenna wants to scoff at her but she refrains herself.

"But if you ever change your mind, our doors are open." Jenna said warmly. Maybe, Kara is not yet ready to leave them, but she knows, one day she will. She gave her a hug and pats her back.

"Thanks, Jen. Thanks for everything…" Kara said softly, her eyes a little misty. She felt Jenna's hug tighten before she let go.

"What about we grab a bite at the diner? What do you think?" Jenna offered, she is smiling brightly.

"Yeah, that would be good." she replied, smiling back at her. She is so grateful for Jenna. Being by her side all the time and just being her friend. She could have chosen better friends knowing her wealthy background, yet she chose her among others.

They went to Mike's Diner, and went to their favorite spot. Took dinner and talked animatedly as if nothing extraordinary happened. She paid the bill as well.

"I will drive you home. Okay? I want to make sure you'll be home safely." Jenna said not waiting for her reply and dialed in her phone. She called for her chaffeur. In a little while, a black sedan parked in front of them, and it was Jenna's ride. They hop in and after a little instructions from Jenna, they went on their way.

She dropped her exactly on the sidewalk near her house. She could see her house, the lights were all off, a sign that nobody's home yet. Maybe Klarisse and Kendra had eaten away as she looked at the garage and the car was not parked there. It was past 11 o'clock. She bids goodbye to Jenna, wishing her a good night's rest. She waited until the car got lost in her vision as it went on the curb. She inhaled the fresh cold evening air and appreciated the lush crown of the acacia tree where she stood. She sighed, contemplating the incidents that happened to her this day. It was a day indeed. Finally, she went towards the house. But before she took a step forward she heard a sudden blaring of horns and then a long screech of tires. Everything is happening so fast yet Kara felt otherwise. She felt as if the world was in slowmo.

She sees the raging car towards her, hears the deafening sound of its horn, and the blinding lights from it. She will be hit. Will this be her end? She closed her eyes and braced for the impact.

And then, a shuddering crashing impact. And then everything went still.

She opened her eyes, she's safe. She could still feel her body in one piece. Her heart is thumping wildly and it almost left her body. She lost the ability to move thinking about what just happened. She knows that right then and there, her life was at its near end. And yet, she's here safe and sound – in someone's arms.

She looked up to the owner of the steel arms that held her. Her eyes widened as her mouth slowly opened and her trembling voice escaped saying…

"You?!"