There's No Escape

Chapter 4

Billy POV

Rattle Rattle

We all tensed up and stared at the direction of the front door, but then relaxed when Emma's father came around the corner.

"There's some bags in the car if you guys want to help." He said while placing a few bags down on the counter. He then looked right at Kyle. "Who are you?"

"This is Kyle, the guy I told you about." Emma said.

"Well at least you got one of my kids out of that place."

I saw Kyle give Emma a questioning look, but she was just staring at the ground. She then walked over to me and grabbed my hand. "C'mon Billy. Let's go get the rest of the bags."

I followed her out to her parents' car. The back of the car was open and there were a few bags inside. She leaned over and grabbed the two lightest looking bags and handed them to me. She then took the rest out and placed them in front of her feet, and then reached up and closed the trunk. Emma picked the bags up, and we walked back into the house, closing the front door firmly behind us.

I turned the corner into the kitchen and saw Emma's father taking things out of the bags and placing them in the cupboard and fridge.

I handed him the bags and he gave me a smile. "Thanks Billy."

"I'll be right back." I said, while walking in the direction of the bathroom.

I used the toilet and then washed my hands, and took a hesitant glance into the mirror above the sink. I had stayed away from the mirrors since I got here, I didn't like the way I looked. All the way from my father's eyes, to the hole in my cheek. It made me look like a monster, and I didn't like it one bit.

I splashed a bit of refreshing water on my face, before going back to the kitchen. The groceries were all put away and now Kyle was talking with Emma's dad.

"Josh couldn't have done that." Her father said.

I looked over at Emma to see that she was leaning against the far counter with her arms crossed over her chest. She looked like she didn't want to be there.

"He attacked Hazel and didn't stop any of it. Hazel told me that he helped plan all of it." Kyle said.

"Josh wasn't like that though." Her father looked down at his feet and then after a moment he cleared his throat. "You're welcome to stay for dinner if you would like. I'm making spaghetti."

Emma looked relieved to see that the conversation was over. She took a step towards us. "I'll show you my room if you'd like."

Kyle nodded to Emma and then stood up from the stool he was sitting on, and turned to Emma's father once more. "I'd be delighted."

Her father smiled and then we all walked upstairs and down the hallway to Emma's room.

"Your father is quite... interesting." Kyle said, after Emma shut the door.

"Yeah, I know." She sat down on her bed and then gestured for me to sit next to her, which I did. "My mother's worse."

And then I remembered the nights lying awake and listening to her mother's sobs for her dead son.

"Oh."

"Yeah." She looked down at her hands, and then back up to Kyle. "So when are we leaving tomorrow?"

"Ten?"

"Ok."

I sat there, wanting to go. I needed to go. I was going to go.