Dana paced the tennis court of the city park.  She had expected Alice to have been here by now, but there was still no sign of her.  To say the least she was getting worried.  Was Alice so mad at her that she wasn’t coming?  Was Alice even alive, it wasn’t impossible that Sparks got to her first?  Her body beaded with sweat, and fear washed over her.  If anything happened she would never forgive herself.  Alice meant the world to her, without her life wasn’t worth living. 

Glancing at her watch she saw how late it was, if Al was coming she would have already been here.  Her body began to tremble and she felt cold.  Something wasn’t rightshe had to get to Alice.  Gripping her bag she took off at a swift pace, damn Sparks and any of the cronies standing between her and Al.  She had never thought she was the type of person who would be willing to take another’s life but at this moment she knew she would do what ever was necessary for this nightmare to end.

Quickening her pace, Dana was almost moving at a dead run.  Her muscles were straining and aching from lack of use for the last year.  Her breath was hitching in her throat and if it wasn’t for adrenaline she would have passed out.  Still Dana continued to push her body down the familiar sidewalks, her cheap tennis shoes pinching and rubbing against her feet.  Looking up she spotted the familiar buildingshe was so close to home…to Al.  With renewed strength she pushed her legs to move faster.

Rounding the corner, her body collided with another person sending her flailing to the ground.  Her head hit the sidewalk with a sickening thud and she struggled to open her eyes and look at the person she had ran into.  “You”  No matter how much she resisted she couldn’t remain conscious enough to stand.  The last thing she remembered was being picked up and carried awayaway from Al.

******

Rolling over, Tina felt the cold sheet beside her.  Shaking herself out of her sleep, she lazily set up and glanced around the room searching for that familiar scene of her wife peering over her computer.  She was shocked to see that the brunette was not there.  “Bette?”  Fully awake now, she rolled out of bed and walked toward the bathroom.  Noting the light was off, she started to feel anxious.  “Angelica!”