"Lilia, I'm so scared," Anna whispered.

"I know, honey. Don't worry about anything. We'll get out of here okay," Lilia promised.

"But what if we die? Oh god, I can't die here, not now, not yet," the young woman sobbed.

"Anna, we are not going to die here. This guy is a crack pot. Don't worry, please Anna. I need you calm and rational," Lilia said.

"If we do, though, it won't be two people who die. It'll be three," she whispered. Lilia sensed that Anna knew about the life she was carrying inside her, even the only people who knew where her aunt and Paul.

"What do you mean, Anna?" she asked carefully.

"Robert asked me to marry him three weeks ago. I was going to tell you, but I was afraid that you might think that I would want to leave, so I've putting off telling you. And I found out a week ago. I just found out I'm pregnant. I haven't even told Robert yet," she sobbed. Lilia comforted her the best she could, but her mind was reeling.

Anna's fears had woken the ones she had been trying to ignore. She was deep in thought, and for the first time since her misery had begun two months previously, she prayed with all her heart. Please, I know I haven't decided what to do yet, but if you get me out of this okay, I'll will give my baby to someone who can take care of it properly, I swear it. Please don't let this innocent life die because of me, she pleaded.

Noticing the shrunken figure sprawled on her lap, Lilia made a decision. She was coping the situation better that Anna was, it was time to get the terrified girl out of this situation.

"Listen asshole," she said standing up. "You see her over there. If she doesn't get out of here soon, she is going to crack and it won't be pretty. Now, wouldn't it be a great gesture of good will if you let her go? They'll be more open and eager to please."

"Or it could be a sign of weakness or desperation. Sit down and shut up," he said. Damn, he's not as stupid as he looks, she thought, sliding down next to Anna. She waited until the man became distracted by something else, and she whispered to Anna.

"Anna, I need you to listen to me very carefully. I don't know what's going to happen exactly, but I'm going to distract him. As soon as I do, you run. Run as fast as you can, and you don't stop until you're safe, no matter what happens, no matter what you hear. Got it?" Lilia said slowly. The young girl's face showed a mixture of fear and relief as Lilia related her plan.

They stood up slowly and edged towards the centre of the room. There, Anna had a clear path to the door. Just please don't shoot her when she runs out the door, she thought, begging.

The man had his back to her. Locking eyes with Anna's terrified blue ones, she nodded slightly. The girl returned the nod and readied herself.

Lilia's shaking hands gripped the wooden chair in front of her, offering needed support. Then an idea hit her and in a flash of inspiration, she swung the heavy chair with all her might and broke it over the man's turned back.

The force of the blow knocked him down in an explosion of wood.

"Run," Lilia hollered and Anna took off running. Lilia yearned to follow, to leave the hostile atmosphere and the captivity, but he was already stirring and Anna would never make it without her.

She was almost at the door when he got to his knees and took aim. Breathlessly, Lilia lunged, kicking his hand. As he clutched his injured appendage with a cry of pain, she watched Anna stumble as she burst through the door, dashing down the sidewalk and into the safety of the arms of the waiting cop. She breathed a sigh of relief and then cried out in pain as a sharp blow struck her temple and she fell to the floor, darkness over taking her.