Desired by Shadow (A Shadow Walkers Novel) Read Online Free PDF Page B

hanged, the feeling of suffocating; it was a terrible way to die. Casting a look heavenward, he said the same thing he did every year, “Let it be quick.”
    The platform shook. The bang registering as the trap door opened and the rope jerked, pulling tight, cutting off his air supply as he fell through the opening.

Chapter 7

     
     
    Maggie moved her leg, wriggling her toes. The pins and needles feeling slowly dissipated. She’d lain rigid in bed for hours, waiting, planning. It was really early or exceedingly late depending on how you looked at it. For a few minutes she stayed motionless, listening to the sounds around her. The house silent. Satisfied everyone was still asleep she rolled off the cot cringing at the squeaking noise. Crouching next to the bed, Maggie held her breath. When no one appeared after a few minutes she pulled her shoes on and grabbed a small backpack. There was nothing to take with her other than a toothbrush, hairbrush, and a couple of ponytail holders. The only other set of clothing she owned had been ruined earlier that night. There was no one else in left in the women’s dorm-style room to alert the guards she was trying to leave. Donald had been angry and distracted and had forgotten to lock the bolt on the door. Maggie retrieved the bobby pin she’d had hidden under her bed for almost a year and popped the lock. With a loud click, it swung open. Again she waited, hoping no one had heard the sound. Slipping out the door, Maggie softly pulled it closed behind her and pushed the lock in again.
    A week ago any thought of running away would have been unthinkable. Knowing she’d be taken down to the basement, never to return, made her desperate escape attempt the only viable option she had left.
    Creeping down to the kitchen Maggie stayed to the edges of the hallway to avoid the creaking wood floors. Turning the corner, she looked into the room they used as a makeshift living room and saw one of the guards dozing on the sofa, the TV tuned to a cooking show. Tiptoeing, careful to step over the couple squeaky spots in the linoleum, she crossed the room to the pantry. Opening the door, Maggie was grateful the bulb over the oven provided enough dim light to see what she needed. She took fresh bandages for her shoulder, a mini-bottle of aspirin, toothpaste, bottled water, crackers, and a few bananas to tide her over. It was a small enough amount not to be noticed but enough to keep her going for a couple of days. Disposable hand-wipes were already stashed in her bag and most important—twenty quid she’d picked up at the club.
    Some drunken partygoer must have dropped it and she’d snatched it up fast, hiding it in the pocket of her jeans. Popping a couple of aspirin, she washed them down with a glass of orange juice. She’d miss her favorite beverage. It was getting harder to find things like juice and produce at the grocery stores, and when you could the cost of the items was astronomical. People had begun planting gardens again. Shoving a sandwich in her mouth she checked on the guard, who was softly snoring.
    Moving along the hallway, she kept close to the walls stopping every few feet to listen. Satisfied no one was following her, Maggie took the back stairs to the first floor.
    No one would be up at this hour. Bypassing the hallway leading to the underground garage, she made her way to the storage room. The garage was always guarded. But cleaning supplies, in some dusty old room? Why bother? Heartbeat loud in her ears, she wiped a sweaty palm on her jeans and opened the storage room door, willing it not to squeak.
    Mopping the floors was one of her assigned chores. The room was damp and dirty, but if she remembered correctly, there was a storm grate in the wall and it wasn’t locked.
    Moving the boxes piled on the floor, Maggie looked over the grate. The last time she’d cleaned, she noticed the grate had hinges at the top. Lifting it, a horrible, screeching noise had brought the guard