Chapter 21: A Daring Escape.

Bella's mind was racing with thoughts of escape as she sat in the van, surrounded by the three young girls. Simon's question about her touching her fingernails had caught her off guard, but she had managed to brush it off.

As the van drove further away from the only home Bella had known for months, she knew she had to act fast. The driver and his co-driver had stopped the van near a small town, and Simon had remained with the girls while they went to "ease themselves."

After what felt like an eternity, Simon told Bella that he was going to join the drivers and warned her that anyone who moved would be shot. The girls were scared, and Bella knew she had to act quickly.

As soon as Simon left, Bella turned to the girls and asked if they could run fast. They hesitated at first, but Bella's urgency was infectious. She told them they had to leave now, and the girls nodded in agreement.

Bella pushed open the van door and got out, checking to see if Simon and the drivers were returning. She saw them talking in the distance and knew she had to move fast.

She helped the girls out of the van one by one, whispering instructions to them as they stepped onto the dusty ground. The youngest girl, who couldn't have been more than 8 years old, clung to Bella's hand as they looked around for a place to hide.

That's when Bella saw it - an abandoned old house on the other side of the road. It looked like it had been vacant for years, but it was their only hope.

Without hesitation, Bella whispered to the girls to follow her, and they made a run for the old house. The youngest girl's hand trembled in Bella's as they sprinted across the road, their hearts pounding in their chests.

They reached the old house just as Simon and the drivers were returning to the van. Bella pushed the girls inside and followed close behind, her heart racing with excitement and fear.

They had made it out of the van, but they knew they weren't safe yet. Simon and his cohorts would be looking for them, and they had to find a way to get as far away from them as possible.

As they caught their breath inside the old house, Bella looked around at the girls.

They were scared, but they were also determined. They had made it this far, and they were going to make it out of this nightmare alive.