No Way Back by Anna Mac

She used to have them twice a week when she was younger, but by the time she passed

away in her previous life, she had them six times a week.

Jane’s worst nightmares would be a reflection of her deepest fears, and at the time, her

deepest fears were being falsely accused and abandoned by the Fowler family.

Madelyn would be the princess of the Fowler family in those dreams, surrounded by her

loving family and friends, while Jane would be confined to a glass ball, cut off from the

outside world.

No matter how hard she knocked on the glass, no one would hear her cries for help.

Jane could only watch the lively scene of Madelyn and the Fowler family from a safe

distance before the descending sand and rocks buried her.

“Am I going to have bad dreams tonight?” Jane chuckled to herself.

Even if the Fowlers did horrible things to her now, it wouldn’t hurt as much because her

heart was already dead as a rock.

The following day, Jane woke up and rubbed her head. Another nightmare plagued her sleep

last night, and while it had nothing to do with the Fowlers, it still left her feeling uneasy.

This time she was experiencing the sting of burns in her dream as she was immersed in a

blazing fire. Despite the many things Jane had been through in her life, she was still

bothered by recurring nightmares, and she yearned for a restful night’s sleep nonetheless.

She needed to be happy in this life.

Since she had learned that this was a common symptom of Type Omega blood, she

pondered whether or not it would be helpful to sleep with someone who shared her blood

type.

When Jane checked her missed calls, she found sixteen, but, as she had suspected, none

were from the Fowlers. All 16 calls came from Lila, Jane’s friend since she was in college.

Previously, Jane had a severe phobia of abandonment and found herself caught in a

whirlpool of family affection with the Fowlers. Because of the effects of having Type Omega

blood, she began having nightmares and nearly became depressed.

Without Lila’s company, Jane would have been tortured by the Fowlers, so much so that she

would have had no other option but to end her life.

Every person has their own weaknesses, and Jane is no exception. Her need for love and

acceptance from family members was the greatest vulnerability in her previous life.

Jane would do anything for the Fowlers, even lay down her life if it meant protecting them.

And now that she was completely cut off from the Fowlers, Jane swore she would never

again be vulnerable in any way!

Jane dialed the number, and the call connected in three seconds. Lila’s voice came through

the phone: “Oh my God, Janie, are you okay? I only saw the trending news last night at 10!”

Jane spoke softly, “Lila, I’m sorry. Yesterday, I moved out of the Fowlers‘ house and found a

new place to stay. I was too tired, went to sleep, and didn’t respond to your message in

time.”

“You moved out of the Fowler family’s house?” Lila exclaimed in shock.

Jane told Lila about the situation.

“I can’t believe that actually happened… Janie, you must be feeling very upset. I can only

imagine how hard this must be for you.” Lila sighed.

Lila and Jane met in their first year at Oracle University, where they were both studying

Computer Science. When they first met, Jane was so shy that not even Lila could bring

herself to talk to her. However, the longer Lila was around Jane, the more of an innate

attraction she felt for her.

Jane was an orphan, which is why people said she was shy. She grew up in an orphanage

and saw too many bad things about people. Even as a young child, Jane had a level of

maturity and perspective that most children don’t have.

Then the Teacher came along, bringing a bright light into Jane’s life. He taught her a lot of

skills and was strict but also kind and caring. In Jane’s sophomore year, however, he died in

an “accident.”

After that, Jane stopped caring about anyone except her family and focused solely on

finding them. That was why Jane submitted so readily to the Fowlers despite being

mistreated by them in every way imaginable, from being falsely accused and punished to

being beaten and slandered.

Jane could get through everything because she had an overwhelming fear of losing the only

family she had

in this world.

Jane reassured Lila, “It’s okay, Lila. I may have lost my family, but I still have many others,

including you, who are by my side. You are my best friend.”

At this point in her life, Jane had decided she didn’t want or need a family. She would just

live for herself and the ones she loved. She’d had enough of being a beggar, at the mercy

of others‘ whims and desires, and wanted to start making her own way in the world.

“Okay!” Lila exclaimed. “From now on, Jane, my house is your house, and I am your sister.

You’ve met my whole family, and everyone here really likes you. My parents will accept you

as one of their own.”

Lila generously shares her warmth with Jane.

Jane smiled and said, “Thank you, Lila. By the way, I’ll be taking a few days off soon. I

already talked to the school about it last night. I have some things I need to take care of.”

Lila, sounding a bit worried, asked, “Jane, do you have a place to stay now? You moved out

of your dormitory when you decided to live with the Fowlers… Why don’t you come stay

with me at my place?”

To reassure Lila, Jane said, “Don’t worry about it. I have a place to stay. Don’t worry about

me. I won’t pretend to be strong. I’ll lean on you if I have to rely on someone.”

Lila felt slightly relieved. “Okay! Get in touch with me if you run into any problems. Unlike

the Fowlers, I don’t have a mansion, but you can rest assured that my home is a haven for

anyone who needs it.”

After hanging up the phone, Jane took a deep breath. She now knew that there were still

many people, like Andy and Lila, who were worth caring about. She was sorry for the foolish

choices she’d made in her previous life.

Jane temporarily left her luggage at the small hotel, put on a mask and sunglasses, and left.

She visited a Porsche 4S dealership and dropped a big fat check on a Porsche Cayenne. She

wanted to make an immediate cash purchase, and she needed a car that was ready as soon

as possible. The dealer said she could come tomorrow to get it.

The salesman recognized that Jane was likely from a wealthy family and treated her with

the utmost deference and enthusiasm as a result.

After leaving the car lot, Jane went to a nearby apartment complex’s sales office and spent

the rest of the 750 thousand dollars on a fully furnished apartment.

Jane liked this apartment because it was in a good location, was a good size, and had

everything she needed. She signed a purchase agreement, wired the funds, and completed

the full payment.

It was already dark by the time Jane had completed these tasks, so she packed up her

belongings and made the trip to her new home. She took in the sights of S city at night

through the window and felt hopeful about her future.

At this time, her phone rang; it was Lila calling.

“Lila, what’s the matter?” Jane asked, her mouth corners raising slightly.

“Janie, are you busy now? Is this a good time?” Lila asked.

“No, I’m almost done,” Jane replied.

“All right, how about we meet at Nightshade Bar? Let’s have a drink there,” Lila suggested.

Lila couldn’t think of a better way to comfort Jane without hurting her feelings, so she

thought and thought until she realized this was the only way.

The Night Bar was a stylish watering hole with a breathtaking view of the river after dark.

Jane was feeling down, and Lila planned to take her out for drinks and a look at the

beautiful scenery to help lift her spirits As Jane realized Lila’s good intentions, she

responded, “Okay, I’ll be there.”

“Okay! It’s settled then!” Lila chirped.

Peter was having a quiet drink at Nightshade Bar.

“Peter, I’ve never seen you this sad before; what gives? Are you drinking to drown your

sorrows?” A man asked