Taryn threw her bag onto the sofa as she ran for the bathroom. “Why is it always when you’re busting that the train ride is the longest, bumpiest ride in the living history of the world?” Taryn laughed as she asked herself. Sighing, with relief she washed her hands and wandered back to the living area. On her way past, she grabbed a can of Coke and flopped down on her super comfortable blue colored sofa. Wedging the toe of one shoe on the heel of the other, she flicked that sexy device of torture off and repeated with the other foot until she could wiggle her toes with a wonderful sense of freedom.

Digging in her bag for the ringing cell phone, she pressed the button and placed it to her ear.

“Speak,” she snapped unjustly. It had been a very long day, and this was the first time she’d had some silence. The last thing she needed was any more drama in her already full life.

“Fuck, okay…” Kylee laughed. “Had a bad day Snappy-Tomina?”

Taryn laughed at the sound of her friend’s voice. “Oh, maaan, you wouldn’t believe the half of it,” she said with a shake of her head.

“Need a drinkie?” Kylee asked. “Payton left. She had a call from Volos, some emergency that he needed her help with. I’m bored, and currently carrying a four pack of vodka cruisers standing outside your door, awaiting you to get your lazy ass off the sofa and push the dang button.”

“What?” Taryn sat up, looking at the small patio door facing the street. She jumped up and ran over. Sliding the door open, she walked out on her small, six foot long patio. It was barely enough for a chair and a coffee table. She did enjoy having a drink out there on a hot summers evening, despite its size restrictions. Leaning over, she looked down and saw Kylee grinning and waving back, her cell still held to her ear.

“Just open the door, woman,” Kylee said into her cell. “I need entertainment, and your number popped up.”

Taryn laughed as she waved back. After shutting the patio door, she pushed the button to release the main entry door to the building. Then she opened her own door, leaving it slightly ajar, as she went back to her sofa and repeated her earlier flop.

“If you make a stain on my new sofa, you’re paying the cleaning bill,” Taryn snorted. She twisted the top, flicking the cap onto the coffee table and took a sip. The berry flavored bubbles traveled down her throat with a surprising ease.

“How is it you haven’t nailed him yet?” Kylee asked. “Have your ovaries dried up to tiny black nubs? Is your pussy covered in cobwebs so thick that even an industrial fan couldn’t blow them away? Are you even really a woman?”

Taryn scoffed. “Not into married men.”

“Ahhh… yeah, that’s an orgasm killer right there.” Kylee leaned back into the sofa. “All the good ones are either married or gay.”

“Truth.” Taryn leaned over and clinked their bottles together in a toast of the single-women club.

“Hey…” Kylee suddenly sat up. “What about… what’s his face…” She snapped her fingers trying to remember his name. “Attor,” blurting it out with excitement. “Volos’ bro, he had eyes for you at the festival. He’s totally nailable, and not married.”

“Not sure he will be in any kind of ‘action’ anytime soon.” Taryn laughed. “Not after today.”

Kylee lifted her eyebrow slowly, she turned and scooted her leg under her butt. Twisting to face Taryn as she leaned back into the corner of the sofa. “Okay, that sounds like it has an accompanying story.” Grinning she said, “Spill.”

Shaking her head. “Nothing, he just snuck up on me, and unfortunately found himself on the receiving end of my lifted knee.” Shrugging as she continued, “I don’t like surprises.”

“Oh… my… God!” Kylee accentuated every word. “You kneed his balls?” When Taryn sheepishly nodded, she burst out into a loud and rambunctious fit of laughter. Her head falling back onto the sofa as her entire body jiggled with amusement. Sitting up, she gasped for air, while wiping tears from her eyes. She said between chuckles, “How did the big guy react?”

Taryn grinned. “He froze on the spot. I thought he wasn’t going to take a breath at first, but I think his little guy was throbbing for a long time.” She shrugged. “I reacted before I realized who it was. I really nailed the poor guy.” Biting the corner her lip in a grimace, she was really sorry.

Kylee could barely control herself, the waves of glee just kept coming. “I wonder if that’s what Payton had to ‘help’ Volos with.” A new wave of laughter hit her. “Maybe she had to hold Attor down while they did a ball-lectomy,” she howled with glee.

“Kylee, it’s not funny. The poor guy,” Taryn scolded her lightly. “I stayed with him while he recovered enough to walk home.” Taking a sip of her drink she then continued, “I’m sure whatever Payton was needed for, it had nothing to do with Attor’s impact injury.”

Taryn held her finger to her lips asking Kylee for silence, as she picked up her ringing cell for the second time that night. With a nod from her friend, she pressed the button and said, “Hello?”

“Taryn Spigoletti?” the male voice said down the line.

Taryn froze, the blood draining from her face as her world shrunk instantly in front of her eyes. The blackness threatening to encompass her entirely with bone-chilling fear. Her mouth wouldn’t respond to the silent screaming presently shooting from her brain.

“Taryn?” Kylee whispered. “You okay?”

“Taryn Spigoletti? I know it’s you, so I will just speak,” the male spoke. “I was asked to call you and relay a message. Grunt if you understand.”

She grunted softly into the phone, her eyes filling with unshed tears as the voice broke her carefully created the illusion of safety.

“Your father wants you to know… they know, and to tell you to… trust no one.” With a click, the line went dead, and a beep, beep, of an unconnected line now echoed in her ears.

“Taryn…” Kylee said louder. She could hear the beeping, but her friend was still frozen, holding the cell phone while she turned white as a ghost. “Taryn, what’s happened?”

“I have to go…” Taryn’s words were barely audible.

Kylee nodded. “Okay. I will come with you. Where are we going? The hospital?” Kylee assumed some emergency had happened with a family member and that she’d need to get there quickly.

Taryn shook her head like she was waking up slightly from a daze. She looked at her friend, wiping a fallen tear from her cheek. She shook her head again. “No. I mean, I have to go… leave town.” She jumped up and went to the laundry, pulling out a small suitcase.

“What? Leave town? You go get yourself fired?” Kylee tilted her head, a frown of confusion creased her forehead. “You can find another job, it’s all good.”

“No!” Taryn shouted loud enough to make Kylee jump, taking a deep breath, she turned to face her friend. “Just get out of here. Okay? If anyone asks if you know me…” Taryn paused slightly, “… say, no. It might just save your life.”

“Okay.” Kylee stood up. “Stop it. You’re scaring me now.” Her voice wavered against the energy her friend was throwing around the room.

“Good. You should be scared. Run. Go home. Forget about me,” Taryn pleaded. “Please.”

“Someone is after you?” Kylee whispered.

Taryn nodded as the tears flowed over her cheeks, her breath hitching as she started to grab her clothes and put them in her bag.

“What’s happening, Taryn?” Kylee asked, her voice still quiet, as she laid down on the end of the bed watching her friend in full panic flight. “Maybe I can help.”

“No one c-can help me. I j-just have to r-run.” Taryn’s words were broken as she tried to stop the tears.

“Hon…” Kylee started to say.

“Stop! Kylee,” Taryn shouted. “You have no idea who I am. What I am,” her voice pitched high. “My whole story is fake. I am…” She hunched over, her hands clutching her bag as her head hung defeated between her shaking shoulders.

Suddenly her face lifted, her eyes puffy and red from the tears and the panic written clearly along every line her face had. She gave her friend a dead stare. “They’re going to kill me, Kylee. I am just trying to buy more time.”

Kylee pulled her cell out and pressed a button.

“Who are you calling?” Taryn’s asked nervously.

“Payton,” Kylee said.

“No!” Taryn shouted as Kylee held up her hand to stop, but the phone call obviously answered. Taryn slumped heavily onto the floor, as she listened to the one-sided conversation Kylee was having with Payton. Taryn tucked her legs into her chest as the tears flowed hard and heavy.

“Hey Pay, we have an issue here…” She listened to the reply.

“Yeah, it’s really important.” Nodding.

“You know how V helped you?” Kylee asked.

“Yeah, that important.” Adding, “Taryn, correct.”

“I understand he has shit going on, but…” She looked at her friend who was presently a sobbing mess on the carpeted floor. “Taryn’s life is on the line,” she blurted the last part. Kylee didn’t know the details yet as to why her life was on the line, but in order for Payton to listen, she needed to go hard from the beginning.

“Right. Yes. Got it,” she said. “See you soon.”

Kylee clicked the button the end the conversation and looked to Taryn. “Okay, honey… pack what you need and let’s go.”

“Where?” Taryn looked up from her knees.

“My place, for the moment.” Kylee shrugged. “We will work it out from there, Taryn?” Kylee said to gain her attention. “I got you, it’s going to be okay.”

Taryn knew it was a bad idea. She knew this would ultimately cost more lives of her friends. Yet, she was powerless to stop it right now. She had gone to so much trouble creating her story, even to the minor details of leaving a note for her family. Telling the very people who were helping her hide, that she was leaving. Her cleverly orchestrated illusion of smoke and mirrors was slowly clearing to show her as a fraud.

How am I going to explain my way out of this one?

How am I going to keep my friends alive?

Taryn didn’t have answers to the questions running through her mind. She would wait until they all fell asleep and make her move. It didn’t matter which direction she ran, as long as she was the only one who knew.

Closing the door behind her, Taryn followed her friend down and out onto the sidewalk. She nervously glanced left and right, waiting for an attack at any time. She and Kylee hurriedly walked the few blocks to a temporary safe house.

Or at least Taryn hoped it was safe.