The Dreamer

Chapter 6

"Come on, won't you tell me what's bothering you?" asked Jack.

"I told you, nothing!" I yelled. I was getting irritated...he had literally asked me this twenty times. 

"Obviously something," Jack replied. 

I took a deep breath. "It's just...they're going to try and trap me..." Then, for some reason, I started crying. 

Jack came over and put his arms around me. "It'll be okay," he told me assuringly. 

"No it won't," I replied crying into his chest. "I just...need to be free..."

Jack used his fingers to lift my chin up to look at me.

"Then be free." 

Jack leaned down and kissed me. It had a warming effect, and I forgot why I was even upset. It felt like we were kissing hours, but it must have only been a few seconds before Jack pulled away.

"Whoever's trapping you," Jack whispered, "you need to get away from the person trapping you. You need to be free to live your life Elise."

All I wanted was for Jack to kiss me again. I felt his breath in my ear...

After calling 911, the police and ambulance had come, and there was some investigating. Because Hank had disappeared after he most likely attacked Mark, the boys and I would in fact be going into foster care unless Hank's name was cleared. 

Which I was almost positive it wouldn't be.

Now, I was lying in bed, thinking about my dream. Jack had told me to be free, to live my life. 

That's what I need to do, I thought to myself.

No, the second (and probably more logical) part of my brain told me, trapped or not, you need to stay where you are.

Shut up, the rebel side of my brain said. This is my life. 

Well what are you going to do?  my logical side asked. Run away?

Maybe, my rebel side replied.

But for some reason I couldn't bring myself to do it. Plus, wouldn't that be kinda stupid, running away? I mean, where would I go? 

The more I thought about the more it sounded...almost inviting. Free to do whatever I want...

I don't know what happened to me that night. All I knew was I wasn't going into foster care. I wasn't ever going back to live with Hank. And I was leaving my step brothers. What had they ever done for me anyway? Whenever we were younger and I was too little to defend myself, they used to beat me up and leave me alone, crying.

I quickly jumped out of bed, grabbed my backpack, and started filling it with the few clothes that I had. 

Tobias, Chris, and I were staying with a temporary family until they found us someone who could keep us longer. 

I quietly opened the door to the guest bedroom where I was staying, then tiptoed down the stairs. At the bottom I turned right where to the kitchen. I grabbed my water bottle out of my backpack and filled it up. Then I opened the refrigerator. There was a six inch sub sandwich inside. 

Take it, you might need it.

What the hell do you think you're doing; put it back!

I tried my best to ignore those annoying voices in my head, and I took the sandwich. I searched the fridge, trying to find any other foods that I could easily transport into my backpack. I didn't care that I was stealing; the police would be trying to find me anyway, might as well take stuff that will help me. 

Then a thought struck me: money. 

All I had was like forty bucks in my backpack. How could I be so stupid? There goes my whole plan...

Then it struck me. 

Whenever I was about seven, I caught Mark putting a twenty dollar bill into the fourth drawer of his dresser. Mark spotted me, and before I could run he pinned me against the wall and told me that he counted that money everyday, and if a penny was missing he would kill me. He had seemed to be putting money into the dresser every week, there had to be at least three hundred dollars in there. 

Anyway it was my last hope, I just had to pray that the money was still there. 

I checked the clock. It was two a.m. If I caught the five a.m. bus, I had three hours to get the money, go to the bus stop, and get the hell out of St. Louis. 

"Elise?" I turned around.

It was Chris. Busted.

I didn't say anything; I was frozen. 

"Where are you going?" he asked. Slowly, my senses came back. 

Should I lie? 

"I gotta get out of here."

"You're running away," Chris said, not seeming surprised. 

"I-"

"Can I come?" Chris asked quickly.

Well, I was certainly not expecting that. Looking at him, I kinda felt bad for Chris, but I already knew the answer.

"No, I'm doing this by myself," I replied sternly. 

"Please-" 

"Figure something out on your own," I snapped, although it kind of hurt me to talk so mean to him. I don't even know why. Although Chris is younger than me, he's always been bigger and stronger; as able to beat me up as his brothers. "Bye Chris."

Then I left, leaving him speechless.

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Shoutout to you for reading this chapter! Lol...anyway hope you liked it!