Harry pulls me towards the couch, forcing me to sit next to him. He wraps his hand around my wrists without putting a lot of pressure on them. It looks like he’s keeping a firm grip on me, but it doesn’t feel like anything.
“We were all part of Eastside,” Harry says in a deep voice.
I look around the room. Everyone wears scowls similar to Harry’s and tattoos line their arms.
“Each person played an important role. Liam acted as the watchdog,” he says as he waves his hand towards one of the guys sitting on the couch. “He was also the one who was scratching at the walls. I’m not sure if you heard that though.”
My toes curl as I remember all the events that took place just yesterday.
“Niall was in charge of the door and lights,” Harry continues as he waves towards a blonde guy. “And Zayn was the gun shooter and the person you saw by the window.”
I nod my head, unsure of what else to do. The information swirls and dances around my head, causing confusion to arrise.
“And Louis,” Harry says, waving to the last person sitting on the couch, “helped me tie your hands behind your back.”
“You put up a good fight,” he says. I can’t tell if he’s trying to make this conversation light because although his sentence sounds rather humorous, his face is grave.
My head starts to spin with all the information Harry’s giving me. There were five other people in that house and I didn’t see a single one of them. If they’re that devious, I can’t imagine what else they have in store for me.
“What about the woman screaming?” I ask.
Everyone looks around at each other, unsure of what to say. When I try and make eye contact with someone, they look down or at Harry.
I’m not sure how I’m still sitting here with these delinquents. I feel like I could puke at any moment due to my nerves.
“It was a recording,” Harry finally says. “There isn’t really a woman in there.”
Somehow I don’t believe his statement.
“That was my boss that you met earlier,” Harry says, quickly changing the subject. “He goes by A.J. He wants you to take a shower and get ready for tomorrow.”
I don’t nod my head or say a thing. Why do I have to look good for this…orientation tomorrow? What is this meeting that he’s talking about?
The other boys start to stand up, but I keep my focus on my hands. “If you need help with her, you know where we are,” one of the boys says as they leave.
As soon as they close the door, Harry releases my wrists and gently runs his hands over them.
“Sorry,” he mumbles. “Are you okay?”
“Fine,” I lie.
“You don’t look okay.”
“Well what do you expect, Harry?” I say a little too harshly as I jerk my hands away from his. He doesn’t say anything and it looks as though he’s at a loss of words. “I’m taking a shower,” I say as I stand up.
He continues to sit in silence as I leave the living room. I grab my bag that I brought to Eastside and a towel before walking to the bathroom. The shower squeals as I turn it on and I shake my head. It’s an obnoxious noise and I just want silence. I need to get out of this place before they can sell me into slavery. I don’t want to be a slave. I don’t want to be sent away.
I can feel tears sting my eyes and I shake my head angrily. I’m such a mess. Crying is all I’ve been doing since I arrived here and I’m sick of it. I’m not allowing myself to cry anymore.
I look out towards the widow as I wait for the shower to warm up. This will be the closest to outdoors I’ll ever be. I’m so close, yet so far.
My heart begins to quicken as I see no lock on the window. Is this a trap?
I slowly push open the window. It creaks loudly and my body freezes immediately. I turn around; making sure Harry isn’t standing behind me. No one is there.
I look back at the window. Crisp air squeezes in between the small crack, filling my nostrils with a sweet floral scent. It’s the smell of freedom.
I inch the window open slowly—so painfully slow. The smell teases me and even though I know the bathroom door is locked, I can’t stop myself from checking behind me for any sign of Harry. The rusty window keeps cracking and I’m not sure how he isn’t hearing it. The sound of the shower covers the squealing, I guess.
With one last push on the window, it opens all the way allowing me to jump out. I feel jittery and anxious. The smile can’t stop from creeping onto my face and I don’t care how idiotic I look. I’m free. I can escape from Eastside Academy.
I look behind me one last time before gently lowering myself to the ground. There’s no one out here. There’s only a big cornfield and a blue sky. I turn around quickly, grabbing my duffle bag off the floor and adjusting it on my shoulder.
I’m free.
I creep to the side of the house, peering in through the kitchen window. Harry is sitting at the table with his head in his hands. His mouth is moving as if he were talking to someone, but when I look around the room, no one else is there to hear what he has to say. He tugs on the ends of his hair and then I quickly crouch down and start heading towards the cornfield.
My heart is beating erratically from the nerves and excitement coursing through my veins. I feel liberated. I feel superior. My head feels serene and translucent. Everything is okay now once I figure out a plan.
As soon as I get towards the middle of the field, I sit down and think of a way out of here. I have no idea how far this cornfield goes, but if I continue to go straight, I’m bound to hit a house or a road or something. I just need to give my head a rest right now.
I sit there motionless in the field for a good ten minutes. By now, I would’ve been in the shower for at least twenty-five minutes. Harry has to be getting suspicious of me. I bet he’s trying to talk to me through the bathroom door. How long will it take him to realize that I’m not even in the bathroom anymore? I wish I could see his face when he realizes I’ve escaped.
I start walking forward for awhile until I finally come across a road. I can’t stop the smile from spreading across my face. I start running towards it, shoving the cornstalks out of my way until I reach the pavement.
The sky is blue almost as if it’s welcoming me to a beautiful, brand, new life. This could be a new start for me. I’m no longer with Uncle Jim, I’m not with Harry and his crew—I am free to live my own life.
Except I absolutely no idea where I am right now.
I walk along the road, looking in every direction, hoping for some sort of sign that will indicate where I am.
That's when I see a small house sitting beside the road. I start running towards the house and I almost feel like jumping up and down when I see headlights behind me.
I turn around and smile. It comes to a stop, probably wondering what I’m doing here in the middle of nowhere. I almost sing out in pure happiness.
The car door opens and my initial happiness flees just as fast as it arrived. The person behind that wheel isn’t someone who’s going to help me. It’s none other than Harry.
I turn around quickly as soon as I realize who it is and take off running in the direction of the lonely house.
“Jackie, stop! Please!”
I shake my head, racing towards my freedom—the house. My desperation for being released of the hands of a gang only drives me to run faster as I approach the little shack.
“Help!” I scream. “Please! Open the door!”
I bang on the door, glancing behind me several times as Harry starts making his way up the driveway. I hit the door harder. My heartbeat can be heard in my mouth and ears. “Please! Just answer the door!” I cry.
The door swings open and my stomach plummets to the ground. My voice dies out and the blood hinders. The owner of the house shows off his dubious smile, exposing his yellow and decaying teeth. He grins at me before eyeing Harry—his smile vanishing quickly.
“It’s so nice of you to show up, sweetheart,” his slow voice rings out.