Chapter 2

Carol's birthdays were never big affairs in the Peletier home. From the time she'd come to live with them when she was five years old, it had been more than clear that her godparents were more concerned with their son. Ed was an only child. He had resented Carol so much that his parents had paid extra attention to him to make sure he knew he was their priority.

Losing her dad at such a young age and being uprooted to move across the country to California had been traumatic enough. The strangers—people she only saw in photographs in a small box on her father's nightstand—had only given her the basic care growing up. She got clothes and food and a place to sleep, but Christmases and birthdays were always hard. Watching Ed play with this shiny new toys while she got nothing but clothes and sad looks from strangers in church became commonplace.

Punishments were always physical. Ed would generally do something to rile her up when they were out in public, but anytime she'd retaliate, she was the one who was punished. And, oh, the punishments always left her hurting for days.

Something about the punishments made Ed happy, and he'd go out of his way to get her in trouble. He was always pushing her around, teasing her at school with the other kids would make fun of her for not having any parents. To feel hate at such a young age was a lonely place, but she'd hated him. She'd hated him even more when she turned thirteen and started to develop. He'd been fourteen and would make remarks about her developing body when he'd walk past her. He always did it out of earshot of his parents, and when she'd gone to his mother—Judy—she'd taken his side, claiming her son would never say such awful things to a girl.

The first time he hurt her, she was almost fifteen. He'd been unusually nice to her, offering to take her for a ride in his new car. While she hadn't trusted him, she'd thought that maybe he was growing up and realizing that he didn't have to be a complete asshole.

He'd promised to take her to the beach. Instead, they ended up in a parking lot behind an old warehouse that nobody used anymore. He'd reached across to lock the door and unbuckle her seatbelt, and then he'd touched her.

She'd slapped and hit him, but he got what he wanted, leaving her shaking and crying and bleeding when it was all over and done with. He'd told her if she told anybody, they'd never believe her.

Still, embarrassed and in tears, she'd gone to her godparents that night to tell her what had happened. She hadn't wanted to hear any bit of it. Instead, she accused Carol of being jealous of Ed because he was older and had a car, and she told her that if she ever lied about Ed again, she wouldn't like the punishment.

For three more years, Ed continued to hurt her, slipping into her room at night and putting his hand over her mouth. She'd try to fight him at first, but each time he'd threaten her with some new form of torture or humiliation if she said anything.

Somewhere in the middle of all of it, she'd turned to the Internet to escape. She'd joined a message board for teens who'd been through traumas such as losing their parents, and that was when she and Daryl met.

Daryl had been an escape. He was a nice person to talk to, and the more they talked and shared their interests, the more she dreamed of running away from home and starting over. But she wasn't stupid. She knew she needed money for that. She knew that saving money was going to be hard, especially when Ed was constantly sneaking into her room, finding ways to get in even when she tried her best to keep him out. He would steal from her. He stole pictures of her parents right out of the picture frames. He stole money out of her purse. He stole her innocence. And somewhere along the way, she'd come to believe that she had to suffer in silence, because she had no one to talk to and nowhere to go.

But then there was Daryl. Oh, she couldn't tell Daryl about Ed. She could tell him of the various cruel things he'd do to her. She could tell him how much she hated home and wished she was someplace else. But to actually bring herself to tell him about the way Ed touched her and violated her and made her feel so dirty and helpless was something that made her break down and sob just to think about. How could she tell him? How could he possibly understand how she'd carried this secret for three goddamn years? It had been going on for so long. Even while she was finding the best friend she'd ever had. Even when she was falling in love.

"Carol? Hun, are you ok?" Carol snapped out of her thoughts and looked up to see one of the other waitresses standing by the time clock. It was Mary, a girl from Santa Monica that had transferred to Carol's school halfway through their senior year.

Carol flinched and nodded.

"Sorry, I was…"

"You were a million miles away. I didn't expect to see you for another half hour."

"Oh, I, uh, was wanting to use the phone before my shift. I was hoping to get here before Tobin."

"Oh, fuck Tobin. I swear if there's a penny to pinch, he'll pinch it. Besides, he went to an audition today, so he won't be in." Mary rolled her eyes and chuckled. "I swear, if he acts as well as he runs this diner, he'll be "guy covered with a sheet in the morgue" in some god-awful B-movie slasher." She shrugged. "So don't worry about him riding you for using the landline. Hell, I might call Japan later, just for shits and giggles."

Carol felt the tension melt away for a moment. She was grateful for her smartass co-worker. As much as she hated her job, she appreciated the fact that pretty much everyone else hated it, too.

"Alright. Let me make this call, and I'll be out to help you with the morning rush."

"No worries. It's the usual morning crowd today."

"Ok, good." Carol took a deep breath and headed down the hall and around the corner to the old phone hanging on the wall.

She took a shaking breath and dialed Daryl's number from memory. It wasn't something she wanted to have lying around the house for Ed to find. Things like that she worked hard to remember so she had something for herself that Ed couldn't get to.

She took a few shaky breaths while she waited for him to pick up. It didn't take long.

"Carol?"

"Yeah. Hi." Her voice was soft, and she closed her eyes tight for a moment, fighting tears.

"What's going on? Are you ok?"

"I can't stay here anymore," she whispered. "I need to get away. I just need a new start. And I hate to ask you. You've been such a good friend. I know it's hard to know somebody you've never met, but I feel like you're the best friend I've ever had." In her head, she was screaming at herself to shut up. Nobody wants to hear this. You sound pathetic. "God, that sounds stupid."

"It's not stupid," Daryl insisted. His voice was hoarse, like he hadn't gotten much sleep, and Carol leaned against the wall, letting his words soothe her. "It sucks when your best friend lives across the country." He chuckled a little, and Carol smiled. "Makes everything harder."

"It does." She sniffled. "I know it's what everyone is supposed to warn you about. Don't go meeting strangers off the internet. But Daryl, I have to get out of here. I have to leave."

"I can wire you money for a plane ticket."

"I can't. I don't even have ID, Daryl. I don't even have my birth certificate. I don't know where to start." She sniffled and shook her head. "I don't want to leave any kind of paper trail. I just want to disappear."

"You think they won't call the police?"

"I'll be eighteen. I'll leave a note. I'll let them know I'm not coming back."

"What if they call the cops, anyway? What if they have your picture all over the news?"

"Then we'll call the cops. I'll tell them what…" She swallowed hard and pinched the bridge of her nose. "I'll tell them everything. I just need to get away."

"I'm coming out there. I'll pick you up."

"What? Daryl…"

"I've got a car. I've got cash. I'll get you and bring you back here. I mean…you…you don't have to stay with me. I can help you, but…"

"Daryl, that's really sweet, but, I can't ask you to…"

"You need help. You called me. I'm not helping. Let me do this. Please." Carol took a shaking breath and held back a sob. "Hey. You've got me. Just tell me when and where, and I'll be there."

...

Hey Uncle Dale.

Hello, Daryl. How's things at the house?

Fine. Merle hasn't burnt it down yet.

I knew I could count on you to keep it standing, son.

How's your trip?

Good. I'll be back in a few days. You boys good on cash?

Yeah. Hey, I need to leave town for a few days.

Something going on?

No. No, nothing like that. I have a friend in California that needs some help. She wants to come visit, but she's having trouble finding a way out here.

Is this friend someone I know?

No, but you'll really like her.

Son, this isn't one of those online romance scams, is it?

No, it's not like that. She's a friend.

Well, I can't keep you from going, but I want you to be careful. You need extra money?

I'm good.

What about work?

I'll figure it out. Take some vacation time. Get somebody to cover what shifts I can't get out of. I'll make it work.

Sounds like you're set on this.

I am.

Alright. Just be careful. Check in from the road?

I will. Enjoy the rest of your trip.

Thanks, son. Be safe.