Tegan waits until the house falls silent, assuming Hank and Polly have gone upstairs. Terrified of being caught but determined to reach Hank’s truck and a hospital, Tegan decides to attempt a quiet escape from the basement.

She raises the head of the bed and immediately grows dizzy from being upright for the first time in days, then steadies herself. In the dim light, Tegan mistakes movement in a dark corner for Hank but realizes it is only a rat, and she refocuses on leaving.

Tegan swings her right leg toward the edge of the bed with manageable pain. When she tries to move her left leg, a surge of blinding pain stops her cold. The boot remains on her left foot; she cannot feel or wiggle her toes, and numbness spreads despite the overwhelming pain.

Recognizing she cannot stand, walk, or drive, Tegan abandons the escape attempt. She understands she remains at the mercy of Hank and Polly, and fears for her baby as her physical condition makes self-rescue impossible.