"You thought you were wise," Selene hissed. "Running away from me? You will pay for it."
The car moved fast, the city lights flashing outside. Ariana's chest pounded. She knew this was the end of her little freedom.
When they reached the edge of the city, she was dragged into a large compound. The walls were high, and the gate closed with a loud iron sound.
Inside, Ariana saw many faces. Some were young like her. Some were older. Their eyes all carried the same fear. About thirty people were there, divided into groups. Guards with guns walked around.
Selene pushed Ariana into one group and left. "She's fresh," Ariana heard her say to one of the men. "She will bring good money."
Ariana sat by the wall, shaking. Her mind could not understand. Where was she? What would they do to her?
Then, a girl with short hair moved closer. She whispered quickly, "Don't cry loud. They don't like noise. Just keep quiet. You'll get used to it."
Ariana looked at her, her lips trembling. "Used to what?"
"To be here," the girl said. Then her eyes shifted left and right before she bent close. "But listen, we are planning to escape. Don't give up yet. We've been studying the locks and the guards. When the time is right, we will all run."
Ariana blinked. Her heart beat faster. She wanted to believe. She wanted to hold on.
That night, she lay on the cold floor. She pressed her hands on her chest and prayed again. "God, please. Don't let me die here."
The first night in the compound was long. Ariana could not sleep. The ground was cold, her stomach was empty, and her heart was shaking inside her chest. Around her, she heard quiet sobs. Some people were crying small, hiding their faces. Others just stared at the ceiling, their eyes wide open.
Morning came with noise. The big gate opened and two men shouted, "Line up!" Everybody rushed to stand. Ariana followed, though her legs were weak. They were given small pieces of bread and water. Nothing more. She held her bread and chewed slowly, trying to make it last.
The short-haired girl came close again. "My name is Lila," she said softly. "What's yours?" "Ariana," she answered.
Lila nodded. "Don't worry. We will not die here. We are watching everything. We are waiting for the right time."
Days passed, and Ariana began to see what Lila meant. The place had rules. Nobody must talk too loud. Nobody must fight. Every night, the guards checked the locks. Every morning, they counted heads.
Ariana noticed things too. The main gate had two locks, one with a big chain. The guards carried keys on their belts. There was a small back door where food entered. That door had only one padlock.
At night, when the compound was quiet, Lila and two boys in her group whispered about their plan. "We need to know when the guards change shifts," one boy said. "They drink at night. When they drink, they sleep."
Ariana listened, her heart beating fast. She wanted to ask questions, but fear kept her mouth closed.
One evening, she saw how the guards laughed and drank from bottles, leaving their guns on the table. For the first time, a small light of hope grew in her chest.
But hope was mixed with fear. Every day she saw how people disappeared. Some girls were taken away and never came back. Ariana didn't know if they were sold, or killed, or something worse.
Each time she watched the gate close behind them, she whispered, "God, don't let them take me."
The waiting continued. The whispers grew stronger. Soon, the plan would begin.
The days in the compound moved slow. Every morning was the same. Bread. Water. Count. Work. Then silence.
Ariana started knowing some faces. There was a tall boy named Micah, who always watched the guards with sharp eyes. There was a quiet girl, Naomi, who hardly spoke but was always close to Lila. And there was an older boy, Jonas, who seemed to be the leader of their small group.
At night, they sat together, pretending to rest. But their whispers carried plans.
"We need to know how many guards," Jonas said one night. "I count six in the day, four at night. Sometimes they sleep. That is when we must move."
Ariana listened, her heart shaking. "What if they catch us?" she asked.
Jonas looked at her. His voice was low but strong. "Then we die trying. Better than dying here like animals."
Her stomach turned, but she nodded. Deep inside, she knew he was right.
One afternoon, Ariana made a mistake. She stared too long at the small back door where food entered. A guard caught her eyes and shouted, "What are you looking at?"
She jumped, her hands shaking. "Nothing, sir!" she cried quickly.
The guard walked to her, slapped her face, and pushed her down. Laughter followed from the other guards.
That night, Lila held Ariana's hand. "Don't look too much," she whispered. "Just act like you are tired. If they suspect, the plan will spoil."
Ariana nodded. Her cheek was still hot from the slap. Tears dropped as she turned her face away.
But the hope of escape did not die.
Another night, Jonas tested the padlock on the back door when the guards were laughing and drinking. He only touched it with his finger, then moved away fast. Ariana saw his eyes. They carried fire.
"Soon," he whispered. "Very soon."
Every day was fearful. Every night was a whisper. And Ariana's prayer became the same: "God, if You want me to live, let this escape work."
One night Jonas called them quietly. His voice was low but sharp.
"Tonight," he whispered. "We will try tonight."
He looked at Micah. Micah nodded. Naomi held her breath. Ariana's hands shook. She wanted to run. She wanted to hide. But she also wanted to be free.
They waited until the guards were laughing outside. The men were loud that night. They drank and told stories. Their feet made a big noise on the porch. The boys thought the guards were sleepy.
Jonas pointed to the back door. He had been watching the padlock for days. He knew the times the guards took cigarettes and talked. He said, "When Jonas gives the sign, we move. Quiet."
Micah was first. He moved like a shadow. He crawled close to the wall. His hand found the padlock. He tried to twist it with a small pin he had hidden. The metal stuck. Micah bit his lip. He breathed low.
A guard laughed loudly then. He bent to pick his bottle. Micah froze. He heard the guard move back up. Micah pressed harder. The pin slipped. The lock did not open.
A guard turned his head. His eyes saw Micah. He shouted. "Hey! Who is there?" His voice was sharp.
Micah jumped up. He ran. Someone grabbed his leg. The noise woke others. Shouts filled the night. Ariel, no, Ariana, tried to help. She ran out too. Lila called, "Go! Run!"