CHAPTER SIX

Felicia took a cab to the nearest ATM and withdrew as much money as she could from her account. She broke her ATM card into pieces, then switched off her phone, knowing it would be traceable. With no money, no phone, and no way to contact anyone, she felt truly alone and scared. 

Having no other option, she hailed another cab and headed to the airport. She tried to stay out of sight of the CCTV cameras as much as possible. When she got to the airport, she headed to the waiting area and checked the time. She had about an hour and a half before her flight was set to leave. She felt a sense of dread as she knew her lie could be revealed any moment from now till then. 

Her heart was heavy with guilt as she thought about her parents. She knew they would be devastated when they found out she had disappeared, and she hated to think of the consequences they would face. But, she also knew she had to follow her heart. She was determined to make a better life for herself and to repay her parents in any way she could. She just hoped they would understand one day.

She checked her wristwatch again and realized she only had forty minutes before her flight was set to leave. She surveyed the airport, trying to spot any suspicious activity. Her palms were sweaty and she felt like time was standing still. She was on edge, feeling like something bad was about to happen. She tried to stay calm, but it was difficult.

A young girl, who looked to be about ten years old, sat down next to Felicia, all alone crying lowly.

Felicia turned to the young girl concerned. "Hey, are you okay? Where are your parents?" She asked softly.

The girl looked up at her with red rimmed eyes "I don't know. We got separated when I was chasing after my balloons." She replied sniffling.

Suddenly, Felicia noticed several men in black suits and sunglasses popping up all around the airport and she felt her heart drop into her stomach. She knew they had found her. She was in big trouble.

She hunched her shoulders and pulled her cap down lower, trying to blend in and avoid drawing attention to herself. But the waiting area was pretty scanty, and she was afraid that any sudden movements would make her stand out. She sat frozen in place, trying to control her fear and think of a way out of this mess.

The men were closing in on her, and Felicia could see them communicating with each other, using hand gestures and body language. She clung to her bag, ready to run at a moment's notice. But where would she go? She was trapped. She closed her eyes and tried to calm her racing heart, but it was no use. She could feel the panic rising within her.

The men drew closer and closer to Felicia, and her heart began pounding loudly in her chest. She could see them touching people and apologizing as they searched for her. It was only a matter of time before they found her. She felt a sense of dread wash over her. Was this how far she could go? She thought bitterly.

Suddenly, the little girl next to her reached out and touched her arm. "I want my mommy and daddy," the girl said with tears welled up in her eyes. At that moment, Felicia felt a surge of protectiveness for the child, and she knew she had to help her.

"Don't worry," Felicia assured, her voice quavering slightly. "I'll take you to the security desk, and we'll find your parents." The little girl nodded, wiping her tears away.

She took the little girl's hand, and they walked together toward the security desk. Her heart was racing, and she could feel her legs shaking as they walked and her breath came in quick, shallow gasps. But she had to keep it together, for the girl's sake. She was terrified that the men would catch her, but she knew she had to keep it together for the little girl's sake.  

Just as they were approaching the security desk, she noticed one of the men in a black suit walking toward them. Her heart almost leaped out of her chest at the sight, and she could feel her hands begin to sweat. She quickly knelt and pretended to wipe the girl's face with a tissue. As she did, she wrapped the girl in a warm embrace, shielding herself from the view of the approaching man.

She watched from the corner of her eyes with bated breath as he passed by them, not even sparing them a glance. She released the breath she'd been holding and tried to compose herself. Her hands were shaking and her heart was still pounding, but she knew she had to get the girl to safety. They arrived at the security desk, and Felicia explained the situation to the security guard, then deliberately merged herself into the crowd and disappeared.

Her lips trembled as she bit down on her nail polish, her nerves frayed. She made her way to the terminal and found the children's play area, which had a large glass wall that allowed her to see out and hide. She watched as the men searched the area, their numbers dwindling as time went on. She began to feel a glimmer of hope that they would give up and leave.

Just as she thought the coast was clear, she got up and made her way to the terminal to check herself in, relieved that she'd made it in time. 

The officer in charge looked at her passport and then at her but she avoided eye contact. "Sorry ma'am could you please remove the cap for a moment". The immigration officer instructed.

She looked left and right paranoid and slowly took it off. "I'm sorry, ma'am you'll need to wait here," the officer stated apologetically and showed her a photo. It was a photo of her.

Felicia did her best to appear calm and collected, even though her heart could stop at the moment. "I don't understand," she responded, trying to play it cool. "Is there a problem?"

"No problem, ma'am," the officer replied. "We're just following orders. Please step out of the line and wait over here." She sighed in frustration and complied, not wanting to draw any more attention to herself. 

As the line dwindled and the last person checked in. Her palms were sweaty and her mind was muddled with fear and adrenaline. She knew she couldn't wait any longer. As soon as the last person went through, she made a break for it, running past security and ignoring their shouts to stop. She ran as fast as she could skillfully avoiding any obstacle in her way, she sprinted to the jetway and onto the plane. 

The flight attendant was standing at the entrance to the plane, and Felicia could see the panic on her face as she saw the security men running toward them. But it was too late - the plane's ladder had already begun to fold, and the door closing. The flight attendant looked at Felicia without asking any questions, then gestured for her to take her seat. She nodded with gratitude, hurried down the aisle and collapsed into her seat relieved, her body still shaking from the adrenaline rush.