Chapter 4: A New Foundation
The yellow taxi pulled up to a small, charming brick apartment building.
It was located on the quiet outskirts of a completely new town.
Sarah paid the friendly driver and grabbed their two large suitcases from the trunk.
These bags held all they had brought from their wealthy but miserable past.
Lily stood on the sidewalk and looked up at the second-floor window.
A small wooden flower box sat completely empty on the outer windowsill.
"We can plant some daisies in there tomorrow," Sarah suggested gently.
Lily smiled brightly and nodded her head in eager agreement.
They walked up the creaky wooden stairs to apartment number four.
Sarah unlocked the heavy front door with a shiny, brand-new brass key.
The apartment was small, completely empty, and slightly dusty.
However, the afternoon sunlight made the old hardwood floors glow with warmth.
"It is not very big," Sarah admitted quietly while looking around.
"It is absolutely perfect," Lily replied without a single second of hesitation.
They set their heavy bags down in the center of the living room.
Sarah used her phone to order a large pepperoni pizza for their very first dinner.
They sat cross-legged on the bare floor using a cardboard box as a makeshift table.
The warm, greasy cheese tasted better than any gourmet meal Eleanor had ever served.
"Tomorrow, we need to go shopping for a real bed," Sarah laughed.
"I think sleeping bags will be fun for tonight," Lily answered with a happy smile.
As the sun finally dipped below the horizon, the room grew dark and chilly.
Sarah turned on a small, cheap plastic lamp in the corner of the room.
It cast a soft, safe yellow glow across the blank walls.
Lily carefully touched the fresh white bandage on her healing arm.
The physical pain was fading rapidly, just like her terrifying memories of that house.
Sarah noticed the movement and immediately scooted closer to her daughter.
She wrapped a thick, fuzzy blanket securely around both of their shoulders.
"Nobody from that life knows where we are," Sarah whispered softly into the quiet room.
"We are entirely off their map."
Lily leaned her head against her mother's chest and listened to her steady heartbeat.
It was the most soothing and reassuring sound in the entire world.
"I love you, Mom," Lily said softly into the darkness.
"I love you too, my brave girl," Sarah replied while kissing the top of Lily's head.
May you like
They sat together in the peaceful, uninterrupted silence of their new sanctuary.
The heavy chains of their past were finally broken and left completely behind.
