Excerpt from Inescapable by Rachel Piazza

Hailee walked calmly and elegantly through the small grocery store. Her basket was overflowing with delectable foods which she hoped to eat later that day. She planned to go outside and have a snack in the cool air of the park after her visit to the store. She could sit on a bench and watch young children giggle happily as they ran through the grass, collecting evening dew on their clothes. Next to her would be Caroli.

She made her way over to the deli counter where she came across a sixteen-year-old girl who was staring at the display, unsure of what to buy. Hailee took a deep breath before turning to the girl.

“Hello, Caroli.”

“Hello” Caroli responded cautiously, “who are you? How do you know my name?”

Hailee mischievously smiled. “I am Hailee.”

“And how do I know you?”

“Hailee shrugged. “You don’t know me, but I know you.”

“How so?”

“Because I have an interest in Project Typhoon.”

Caroli rolled her eyes. “And your real name?”

“Nope.”

“I thought not. Listen, ‘Hailee’. I don’t know who you think you are, talking about my father’s work in the middle of a grocery store with no respect, but what I do know is I’m not continuing this conversation.” Caroli quickly turned around, allowing her long, curly hair to fly through the air.

Hailee drew in a quick breath. She despised what she was about to do next. She shoved a picture of Caroli’s sister, Bina, in Caroli’s face. “Don’t get too confident, now.”

Caroli’s eyes widened as her heart began to race. Her voice shook. “You… you wouldn’t hurt her! She is only eight years old!”

“I don’t want to, but I will if it is necessary. You will meet me in the city park in exactly one hour,” Hailee said while glancing at her watch “…and we will have a conversation. Otherwise, I cannot guarantee Bina’s safety.”

Caroli’s heart began to beat so quickly that she feared she would pass out. “I… I am in no place to choose Bina’s life over that of thousands of others. But…” Caroli said, more to herself than to Hailee, “if I meet you in the park, you won’t hurt Bina. Maybe I can protect both Bina and Project Typhoon.” Caroli raised her voice. “I can protect Bina and Project Typhoon. I believe you have miscalculated your strategies.”

Hailee once again smiled. “Actually, I have calculated quite accurately. You would do anything to protect Bina except give up Project Typhoon. That is quite special. But, trust me, Bina isn’t my only leverage.”

A few seconds of silence passed.

“I can call the police.” Caroli retorted with confidence.

“And I can get to Bina before they can”

Caroli shook her head in disbelief. She felt as if she was completely out of options. Caroli thought about what ‘other leverage’ the woman had while a thousand other fears raced through herm mind as she made her decision.

Caroli gulped audibly. “I’ll see you at the park for our conversation.”

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Photo Credit: Chase Golem