Chapter 17: Eased Escape

                                    

                                          
Your head pounds, seemingly synchronized with your eyes as they flutter open. The first thing you noticed about the room was the darkness. Thankfully, there was enough light from a window so you could still see the empty room around you. It was big, with cracks on the cold, hard walls. Small bits of broken building materials and furniture were strewn about, which made you think that this place had been abandoned for quite some time. 
                          
You called out to Ryuzaki, but your voice could only make small sounds. But he wasn't there. You were alone. Your hands and ankles were bound with rope. Thankfully, your hands were bound in front of you rather than behind. Damn, your palm got scuffed up from landing on the sidewalk.
                          
You had to escape. You had to save L. You had to get out. Maybe something sharp? To cut the ropes? Searching around the room, nothing. Anything? Something that's broken? It's all wood. You would need metal or glass. Glass... window... 
                          
Break the window. 
                          
Being bound at the ankles, you squirmed slowly across the room like an inchworm, your knees scuffing up on the cold, hard floor. Finally after what seemed like too long, you made it across the room, to what was left of a wood chair. You clumsily grasped onto one of the legs that easily fell off, and rolled it in front of you as you crawled to the window. The glass made loud banging sounds as you attempted to break it. You kept your head down and face away from the window to keep glass out of your face. If you didn't act fast, whoever kidnapped you would definitely hear you. Come to think of it, there's no way this escape would have been so easy. An oversight? You thought they were too smart for that.
                          
The window crumbled with a crash, not into small pieces, but triangular ones. You braced yourself, hoping not to get glass in you. As you thought, you felt a stinging scratch on your arm, but you paid it no mind to focus on freeing yourself.
                          
Most of the glass fell out the window, but a few larger shards fell in front of you. Perfect. Using your knees to keep it in place, you sawed the ropes off of your hands, and then your feet. Now being able to stand, you could get a better look around the room. 
                          
The room was pretty dim and dingy. You didn't think you would be on the same street you were knocked out on despite the amount of closed stores. No, they'd take you somewhere that you couldn't be found. You looked out the window, and thankfully, you were on ground level. The surrounding area was woodsy, certainly far away from the city.
                          
Should you jump out the window? Typically, yes, but then you see a door. This must be a bigger building. L must be in there somewhere. 
                          
You ran to the door and slowly turned the handle. It wouldn't budge. Locked. You'd have to find him from the outside.
                          
You took the chair leg with you, then carefully picked the glass off of the window frame, so you could climb out slowly. Thankfully, the pants you wore were thick, because of how cold it was, so it was able to protect your legs. 
                          
The glass crackled under your shoes as you landed on the grass, and slowly crept around the wall, making sure you kept your head under the windows.
                          
It was still frigidly cold outside.
                          
Slowly, you would peek in each window you saw, trying to find L.
                          
One after another, after another.
                          
In one of the windows, you saw two tall figures in long white clothing. You quickly ducked, not being able to stay up long enough to see who was in there. But something about it seemed familiar.
                          
But it didn't matter. No use giving up after you may have just been caught. You needed to find L. At least to make sure he was safe. 
                          
Sure enough, after a small while, you found L, also crouching under the windows following the outside wall.
                          
"Ryuzaki!" You whisper-yelled. His head popped up.
                          
"(y/n)!" He did the same, only he had the biggest awkward grin on his face. You both crawled to a section in between the windows, then ran into each other.
                          
He embraced you tighter than you had ever been embraced before. 
                          
"Thank goodness you're safe. How did you get out?" He breathily whispered.
                          
"I'm so happy to see you're okay. Broke the window with the chair leg." You both clung to each other still, as you looked at his face. He looked down at his sleeve, to find a small amount of blood had stained his white shirt. But he realized it wasn't his.
                          
"(y/n), your arm is bleeding!" He quickly held your arm to take a longer look at it. The glass had cut through your sleeve and now your arm was bleeding. Not too fast, thankfully. Just a little. 
                          
"Stay right there a second." L said as he went over to a big-leaf maple tree, and plucked off one of the biggest leaves he could find. Then he pulled his shoelace out of his shoe and ran back to you, tightly wrapping the leaf around your arm and wrapping it tight with his shoelace.
                          
"It's not that absorbent, but at least it will put some pressure on it to slow the bleeding." L said as he tied it together. It felt flimsy, but at least you know he tried. 
                          
"Thanks, Ryuzaki." You smiled a little. 
                          
"There they are!" A voice screamed. Immediately L grabbed your hand, and the two of you began running through the tall trees. 
                          
Your feet pounded the dirt and rocks, crunching with each step, as L dragged you forward. He ran really fast for someone who basically only ate sweets and hardly ever left his home. You turn behind you, trying to see who was following you. Dozens of people were racing after the two of you. Tall men and women, who looked very strong were chasing you down. They were gaining on you too.
                          
The forest seemed endless. L dodged trees and bushes as he ran, hoping that if anything, you would find a place to hide. Your legs began to burn, your feet stung, and your lungs heaved air to push you along. L was starting to pant too. As you lost energy, so did the sky, as the sun set behind you, making it harder to see in front of you and behind you.
                          
Finally, you felt forceful arms pull you away from L, and saw two large figures pull L away from you. Squirming, kicking, whatever it took, wasn't working. Whatever they were planning, was going to occur.
                          
"Put 'em someplace secure this time." One woman said. "They're slippery ones."
                          
"Let me take care of them." A familiar voice said. "It's my fault, I should be the one to end it."
                          
A smaller man ran up to the group of who you presumed were guards. 
                          
"Very well. Once we put them away."
                          
"Of course."
                          
You glanced over at L, who has forfeited giving up a fight for now.
                          
Presumably, he's saving his energy. Maybe you should do the same.