Chapter 1

Talia''s POV

My legs won''t hold me up anymore.

I stumble against a brick wall, trying to catch my breath. Everything hurts. My ribs feel broken. My face is swollen on one side where he hit me yesterday. Or was it today? I can''t remember anymore.

The alley smells like garbage and pee. I don''t care. At least it''s quiet here.

I need to keep moving. They might find me.

But I can''t. My body just... stops working.

I slide down the wall until I''m sitting on the cold concrete. My vision keeps going fuzzy. When did I last eat? Two days ago? Three?

A car door slams somewhere. I try to get up but my legs feel like jelly.

No no no. Not now.

Footsteps. Getting closer.

My heart pounds so hard it hurts. If they found me already... I can''t go back. I won''t go back. I''d rather die here in this dirty alley than go back to that house.

"Oh my God, Jacob! There''s a girl here!"

A woman''s voice. Not them.

I try to make myself smaller against the wall. Maybe she won''t see me if I don''t move.

"She looks hurt. Really hurt."

More footsteps. Heavy ones. A man.

"We need to call an ambulance," the man says. His voice sounds worried. Not angry like I''m used to.

I want to tell them to leave me alone. That I''m fine. But my throat feels like sandpaper and the words won''t come out.

The woman kneels down next to me. She''s got dark hair and kind eyes. I flinch when she reaches toward me.

"It''s okay, sweetheart. We''re not going to hurt you."

That''s what they all say at first.

"Look at her face, Jacob. Someone did this to her."

The man crouches down too. He''s big but his face is gentle. "What''s your name, honey?"

I shake my head. Can''t tell them. They''ll send me back.

"Can you walk?" the woman asks.

I try to stand but everything spins. My knees give out and I almost fall forward.

The man catches me before I hit the ground. His hands are careful. Like he''s scared he''ll break me.

"Linda, call 911. She needs a hospital."

Hospital means questions. Questions mean they''ll find out where I came from. They''ll call him.

I try to pull away but I don''t have any strength left.

"Please," I whisper. It''s the first word I''ve said in days. "Please don''t..."

"Don''t what, sweetheart?" Linda asks.

"Don''t send me back."

She looks at Jacob. Something passes between them.

"We won''t send you anywhere you don''t want to go," she says. "I promise."

I don''t believe her. Adults lie. They always lie.

But I don''t have a choice anymore. The darkness is closing in and I can feel myself falling.

The last thing I remember is Linda''s hand stroking my hair and her voice saying, "You''re safe now. You''re safe."

I''ve heard that before too.