On the ride home from church, all I could think about was Charlotte's proposition. It was a crazy notion to suggest we leave, considering there was nothing beyond Grayson except deserted wastelands. But at the same time, it was exciting to think of le leaving my life behind and beginning again, to be free of James and his tyrannical methods and have no one to answer to but myself.

I still thought Charlotte was insane for suggesting we flee Grayson, but I couldn't blame her for trying. I'd seen the marks on her body for myself- there was no denying that she was in grave danger. I was willing to do whatever it took to get her out of the situation. Of course, that meant that I would have to find a way out of my own hell, a feat in and of itself.

Finding a way to join Charlotte without being caught- if that was what I decided to do- would prove to be difficult. During recent weeks, James had begun locking me in my quarters during the day, only allowing me out when he was home from work. It wasn't as horrible as one would think because Ruby had a key and came to visit often or brought me books from the library. This made my room feel less like a prison, and more like a retreat from the real world.

Ruby was the only ally I had in Moberly Manor; the one person I could talk to without fear of retribution. Our daily conversations were the only times that I could forget the woes of my marriage and find the me that I was before I was bound, the me that was forced to remain hidden so long ago. Ruby's kindness and our newfound relationship were the only things keeping me rooted in place instead of running to Charlotte's side.

Even if I could find a way to get out of the manor to meet Charlotte, I wasn't sure I could bring myself to do so. Forget the immense danger I would be in risking my life for something that might not even be true, how could I leave Ruby behind when she'd done so much for me? How could I leave her when I cared for her as much as I did? I knew the answer- I couldn't.

Charlotte had sworn me to secrecy, but I couldn't leave Ruby behind. I cared too much for her to even consider it. So when James left for work the next morning and I was sure we had the house to ourselves, I pulled her near and told her the plan.

"I know it sounds crazy. But whatever Charlotte is enduring, she's desperate to be free of it. She's determined, and once Charlotte sets her mind on something, there's no talking her out of it," I said. "I don't want to let her go alone, but if you ask me to stay, I will."

Ruby shook her head. "No, it doesn't sound crazy at all. I've been where Charlotte is, and I understand why she wants to flee. You must go with her. She won't make it far this far along in her pregnancy."

I nodded, my mind made up. "Will you come with us?" Ruby thought about this, but didn't answer. "I'll understand if you don't. I know what we are doing is dangerous. You would be risking your life if you decide to go. "

"My life means nothing without you, Mia," she said, interlocking her hand in mine. "I would rather die a thousand deaths than stay here without you. You are the only thing I have left."

I raised her hand to my mouth and gave it a gentle kiss. My stomach clenched with nervousness and excitement. This time tomorrow, I would be on the road with my best friend and the woman I loved, hoping to leave Grayson and all of its hate behind us.

***************

I spent the rest of the afternoon arranging a small pack to bring as much supplies with us as possible. I stuffed medical supplies and a change of clothes into the bag, along with a large blanket I'd hand-knit after my Awakening. Ruby focused on canning and packing as much food as she was able, but we both knew that the rations wouldn't last long. To avoid drawing attention to ourselves, we kept our bags modest, small sacks that a woman might be carrying home from the market. This allowed enough space for just five days of rations each. After that, we would starve if we didn't find a food source. I just prayed we found a safe place beyond Grayson's barrier before we had to resort to that.

Every time I had convinced myself that it was too dangerous to flee, that we should stay where we were and try to find another way to help release Charlotte from her cruel husband's grasp, Charlotte's earnest eyes and bruised body crept into my consciousness, and I knew I had no choice. I had let an innocent man die to keep her safe, so how could I abandon her now when she needed me the most? Despite what peril it may bring, she and I were in this together and we would die together if it came to it.

The next morning after James had gone to work, Ruby and I finalized our plans. When the sun was starting its descent in the western horizon, we made our way to the park. My heart felt like it might explode, flapping faster than the wings of a hummingbird. I was paranoid, feeling as if every passerby's eyes were watching me, ready to run to James and report my insubordination. Everything in me screamed that I should turn back while I could, but my legs continued propelling me toward the park.

Ruby and I were the first to arrive. We sat on a swing and waited... and waited... and waited. A full hour passed, and still there was no sign of Charlotte. Ruby was quiet, but I see the panic in her eyes, matching my own. Had Charlotte gotten caught sneaking out? Was she being punished at this moment? Would the Guardians be coming for me next?

I'd nearly bitten my fingernails to their quicks when a little boy, no more than five years old, ran across the playground and stopped before me.

"Here," he whispered, handing me an envelope. "Miss Charlotte wanted you to have this."

"Oh, uh... thanks," I said, tentatively taking the paper. "Do you happen to know where Miss Charlotte is?"

He nodded. "Mrs. Margaret said she's having the baby early."

I felt my heart drop into my stomach as the boy skipped away. We were too late. We could never leave Grayson now that a baby was involved- we'd be caught for sure. And I knew Charlotte well enough to know she'd never leave her child alone with her horrible husband. She'd endure whatever pain he threw her way to protect the baby. The child would permanently bind her to her new life of torment, and there was nothing I could do about it.

"What now?" Ruby asked.

"I guess we go home," I mumbled, defeated at the idea of returning to Moberly Manor.

"We could still do it, you know," Ruby said, her eyes falling on the sky beyond Grayson's borders. "If there's a place beyond Grayson, we could find it. We're already packed."

I nodded, but the fire that had ignited me the previous day had been extinguished at learning Charlotte's situation. Just as I couldn't leave Ruby behind, I couldn't leave my best friend either. Until the time when Charlotte could go with us, we would be remaining in Grayson. Ruby gave a sad smile, and I knew she could see in my eyes that the change of events had sobered the moment, had cleansed my vision of the picturesque fantasy I'd been envisioning and helped me see things for the way they really were.

Ruby and I remained in the park for a while longer, waiting as though Charlotte might show up and our plan could still commence. But when as the sun got lower and lower in the sky, my hope dwindled.

"We will need to get home soon if we hope to beat Mr. Moberly," Ruby reminded softly.

I sighed. "I know."

With a sense of finality, I stood from the swing, and Ruby and I begrudgingly made our way home as the sun was setting. The idea of returning to Moberly Manor when I was so close to being free was like an arrow through the heart. And if my husband got there before us, Ruby and I would regret our decision not to try leaving when we had the chance.

I tiptoed through the door with anxious butterflies fluttering in my stomach, but there was no James waiting for me this time. Ruby and I hid our packs in the back of the kitchen pantry, and I helped her prepare a quick supper before James came home. A dark cloud hung over the air, a sense of defeat. Ruby and I had been ready to die to have our freedom; now we were back where we started- hiding in the shadows, trying to survive.

As I ate my spaghetti, I barely tasted it. My mind was on Charlotte, worrying about her future and wondering if her child had been delivered yet. I hoped they were doing well. I wished I could be there with her, to hold her hand as she endured one of the greatest pains imaginable. I knew how scared she was to have this baby, and the fact that it was earlier than she'd expected would only increase her anxieties. If only I could get word to her, to let her know that everything would be okay.

***************

As the rest of the week came and went, my mind was on my friend. Would she go to the park when she was able to, hoping that I would show up and help set her free? Or would she realize it was too much of a risk and remain in her home like a good wife and mother, making due the best she could for the time being? I hoped it was the latter.

By the time Sunday arrived, my stomach was in knots as we made our way to church. The moment I was seated in our usual pew, I began searching the room for Charlotte, praying she'd decided to stay.

I watched as the congregation piled in, but Charlotte was nowhere to be found. The seat next to her obese and disturbed husband remained empty. I scanned the building relentlessly, long after the service had begun, craning my neck until James gave my leg a discreet pinch that made my eyes water and set me looking forward toward the pulpit.

My mind reeled as the preacher's sermon became a distant lull in the background. It was possible that Charlotte had made it out of Grayson after all, but something told me that wasn't true. The Guardians were stationed in every part of Grayson and were well-trained to spot rebels seeking their escape. The idea that an eight-month pregnant woman had single-handedly managed to thwart them was unrealistic.

It wasn't until we had neared the end of the church service and began going through the prayer request list that I understood the depravity of the situation.

"And finally," the preacher read. "Let us pray for Brother Henderson, whose wife went into preterm labor early this week and gave birth to a stillborn baby boy."

My stomach lurched at the words. Poor Charlotte. No wonder she missed church. I could only imagine the pain she must be enduring at losing her child. Though the man she was bound to was not her ideal husband, she'd always wanted kids. She would have been a hell of a good mother, too. She wouldn't take losing her baby well.

"The mother of the child did not handle the news well," the preacher continued. I sat forward on the edge of the pew, sensing the ominousness in his voice. "It seems Mr. Henderson's wife could not bear the idea of living in a world where her baby did not exist. She threw herself down the stairs of their home mere hours after giving birth. Her injuries were beyond repair. Brother Henderson lost his baby and his wife in the same day. Let us pray for him as he lays his first-born child and beloved Charlotte to rest."

My heart stopped in my chest as I absorbed the preacher's words. Charlotte was dead.