Chapter 1
It was already 8:47 PM, Tuesday night, and Cary couldn't wait to go to
school tomorrow. She picked up her tattered blue spiral notebook from the
icy counter top, and tip toed down the hallway. Attempting to avoid the
creaky boards underfoot. 8:49! She was the only one awake, besides her old
disfigured Siamese cat. She knew that it was time for her to reach her
bedroom before her so-called mother would wake. As she dodged the creaky
boards, that lay beneath the musty, stained carpet, her lonely cat trudged
closely behind. It was an nightly ritual. Cary knew that she couldn't take
another beating from her mother for being up after her bedtime. Why do I do
this to myself?
Cary Nowlin is 14 years of age, and cant wait till she is 15 and is able to apply for a local job. She knew herself as a good student whom attends the Atone Middle School, in Washington, DC. She's proud of herself for the accomplishment of being on the Honor Roll every Semester she has ever attended. She cherishs her success in school incredibly. Since school has been her savior and her safety-zone from the threatening chaos at her so- called home-sweet-home.
Cary knew that she had no time to her thoughts and to think about her own safety tonight. She wished so much for a new life, a new home, new and better parents, and, most of all, a new start on life. But Cary knew that she wasn't just going to be handed all of this on a silver platter. But if anything, she needed to reach her bedroom before her mother could awake. She quickly glanced at her watch, noticing that it was time for her to get to bed. Quickly and quietly, Cary hopped from foot to foot avoiding the squeaky floor boards as much as possible. Finally she reached the entrance to her room. Cary looked across her room, looking at the unappealing furnishings. Next to the boarded window, on the floor, lay a petrified, over-stuffed mattress that had been adopted from the local Salvation Army down the street. The rest of the furnishings in the bathroom-sized room, was a cracked, beaten, canary-yellow dresser, which belonged to her great grandmother an infinite years before her time. In her dresser were the items she valued. A picture of her father, and the few articles of clothing she owned. She made her way into the moon light which caressed the discolored sheets, when a light flicked on in the hall. It was 9:00.
Quickly Cary slipped under her faded flower pattern comforter, and adjusted her pillow directly under her hear. She closed her sympathic, ocean blue eyes, and flopped her body to face the opening of the doorway. She wanted a better view of who was making their way down the hall. Had Somebody known she was up this late?
Someone was defitanely paceing themselves down the hallway, so Cary eased her ear off her pillow slowly to hear who was nearing her bedroom. It was easy to hear the floorboards creaking below the person's feet. Than the creaking stopped, at her door. Cary cracked her eyes open to the slightest. She could make out a slight overweight figure, with short dark hair brushing their shoulders. Great my mother is awake.
Cary's mother had always awakened around 9:00pm to get ready for her job at the 7-11 in Tacoma. She prayed to god that her mother had not heard her up so late tonight. The light in the hallway suddenly blinked, and vanished. She began to tremble, and could feel herself begin to tense, as a cool tear of sweat slowly progressed down her right cheek. She began to blush. Why am I blushing?!! The footsteps began to draw closer.
Quickly Cary slipped under her faded flower pattern comforter, and adjusted
her pillow directly under her ear. She closed her sympathic, ocean blue eyes, and flopped her body to face the opening of the doorway. She wanted a better view of who was making their way down the hall. Had Somebody known she was up this late?
Someone was defitanely paceing themselves down the hallway, so Cary eased her ear off her pillow slowly to hear who was nearing her bedroom. It was easy to hear the floorboards creaking below the person's feet. Than the creaking stopped, at her door. Cary cracked her eyes open to the slightest. She could make out a short figure. Great my mother is awake.
Cary's mother had always awakened around 9:00pm to get ready for her job at the 7-11 in Tacoma. She prayed to god that her mother had not heard her up so late tonight. The light in the hallway suddenly blinked, and vanished. She began to tremble, and could feel herself begin to tense, as a cool tear of sweat slowly progressed down her right cheek. She began to blush. Why am I blushing?!! The footsteps began to draw closer.
"Cary, wake up!"
Cary turned to face the figure in the darkness, it was completely black in her room thanks to the board covering her window that her mother put over to keep her from running away.
"Cary its me, dave."
" Hey you didnt have to scare me like that!" She was still shakeing, from being so frightened of the thought he was her mother.
Dave Houston was her closest friend she could think of. He knew and understood all the details about her life, and her family. He had the same problems currently in his life. He is 15.
"How did you get into this hole?" Cary whispered.
" Your mom leaves the basement window unlocked, and I'm used to creeping around the house." Dave replied.
"And anyways your mom is still sleeping, I think tonight is the night.."
" But Dave, tonight is not the greatest night!" Cary sat up, showing her dissaproval to him.
" Why is that, tonight is perfect, we're both ready to leave now." Dave spat towards Cary.
" Right, but my mom is home, and should be up right now, why did you have to change the plans right now!?" Cary was furious at Dave, but so happy to be able to talk to someone who respected her.
" I know, but your dad is at work and will be back when your mom leaves for work, your mom never checks to see if you are in your room, if we leave now we can still catch the 232 bus." Dave calmly told Cary.
" He is not my dad, i've already told you about my dad!" Cary exclaimed and threw a nasty look.
" I'm sorry i forgot about the accident, are you ready to leave?" Dave reminded.
" Ok, let me get my bag that i pre-packed last night because i knew you would change the plans." Cary responded.
Cary climbed out of her bed, careful enough not to create much noise, and walked over to the dresser. She motioned for Dave to help, and both moved the dresser far enough to reach inside a whole in the wall, and grabbed a small black bag. They moved the dresser back, and Cary threw on a faded black sweatshirt, over a plain white shirt, that she collected from her closet.Next she reached back into her clostet grabbed a blue, or once was blue backpack. She slid the back pack over her shoulders and motioned to Dave that she was done.
" Ok im ready lets go, wheres your stuff?"
" I put my backpack in your dead flower garden."
" Fine selection of a hideing spot." Cary always chose the best time to joke around.
Together they crept down the hallway, takeing a left down the stairs. They normally would have left throught the front door, but it squeaked badly and for sure would bring attention to them. Now another left, continuing down the stairs, finally reaching a landing.Cary slowly opened the window which faced them. She motioned Dave to go out the window first. Quickly he walked towards the window, and jumped out like hes been doing it for a long time. Cary tossed her two bags to Dave and climbed out. She jumped into her sticker bush, leaving no one to hold the window open. The window slammed shut. A light turned on in her mothers room!
" Come, on lets go!"
Cary grabbed Dave's hand, and pulled him into the rhodendren bush. Dave reached over to his left, collecting the dirt while he pulled his bag over to him.
" That was close, Cary, be more quiet next time."
" If there is a next time." Cary replied.
The light blinked than total blackness developed through the room. Just as Cary felt that she was safe, the front door slammed shut. Cary felt her legs start to wobble from the position she was crouching in. Cary motioned Dave to hold still, and keep quiet.
Someone was makeing their way into the back yard to see about the noise. Cary could make out a short, pudgy woman stop infront of the rhodendren bushes. The lady took a short look around, and walked back to the front door, slamming the door harder than before.
" Close one, we need to go before she figures out your not in bed!" Said Dave.
" Ok!"
Quickly the two collected their bags, and made their way James Bond style to the front yard. Together they slid along the fence in the shadows, to not be seen. Finally reaching the sidewalk Cary took a long glance at her "home". She could see her mother sitting on the couch, smoking like she does every day before work. But something was different. Cary started to feel different feelings now since she was actually leaving that horrible place. She was going to miss her mother even though she hated her.
" Cary?" Dave asked, and turned around to see how come she stopped walking.
" Uh, yeah sorry, yeah lets go." Cary jogged towards Dave to catch up.
"Ok, we need to turn right here, and go down this street, the bus should be here now." Dave told Cary, but she wasnt listening.
Cary couldnt believe that she was actually doing this. Well shes ran away plenty of times before, but not like this. This time she was leaving with Dave, and wasnt going to go back home again, she wasnt going to be caught, this was for good. But something abruptidly stopped her from her thoughts...
"Cary look its the bus, are you ready?" Dave quickly slurred.
" Yeah how much is it?" Cary asked.
" You'll need 60 cents to ride it." Dave responded
Cary pulled her black bag that she pulled out of her wall closer to her face. Inside was over $100 and some loose change. She picked out two quarters, and a dime. Cary looked up, and the bus came to a complete stop in front of her...was she ready? ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --- She knew this was the ticket for leaving her misery life, so following Dave up the steep, worn stairs, reaching the money slot. Cary stopped at the yellow line, which had been worn away from the previous people whom walked on it, and slid her sixty cents down into the slot. Grabbing her ticket, sitting down next to Dave.
" Hey I'm kinda nervous Dave, have you been on a bus before?" Cary warily asked.
" Yes Cary, stop worrying, I thought you wanted to do this?!" Dave quickly sputtered towards Cary, noticing a penny sliding under his sit whenever the bus halted to a stop.
" Im nnn-not nervous just tense, so anyways where will we be going anyways, we never discussed since you wanted it to be a surprise!" Cary slurred innocently.
" I'll tell you about it once we reach there, and anyways its going to be a long ride. So try to get some beauty sleep since you girls need it!" Dave sarcasticly replied.
" O.k, just done forget about me and if I'm still sleeping by the time we reach to your destination, dont leave me on the bus!" Cary sleepily shot obliquely to Dave.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -
Yes finally im dreaming again this is great! I love being on this island its like heaven but on earth...
Slowly Cary's heaven was slipping away from her...
"Cary, for the last time we're going to miss our stop wake up!" Dave hollered catching everyones attention to the two fighting friends.
" hmmm, whats going on? Where are we Dave? How long have I been sleeping for?" Cary could have relentlessy carried on with her questions but was stopped by the drowning noise of the brakes of the bus.
" Heres our stop." Dave cheerfully answered to her questions.
Cary scrambled up from her plastic chair and cantered towards Dave slightly nudging him out the door. Almost tripping on her way out, just realizing she forgot her luggage. Takeing a short exaggerated glance to dave annoucing she just lost her bags, as the bus slowly rolled down the long continuous road.
" Are these the bags you forgot?" Dave sarcastically remarked holding a bag and a half up in the air.
" Maybe." Cary couldnt help but crack a wry smile towards Dave.
" So tell me something Dave, where are we heading. Im feeling better after my short nap though."
Cary Nowlin is 14 years of age, and cant wait till she is 15 and is able to apply for a local job. She knew herself as a good student whom attends the Atone Middle School, in Washington, DC. She's proud of herself for the accomplishment of being on the Honor Roll every Semester she has ever attended. She cherishs her success in school incredibly. Since school has been her savior and her safety-zone from the threatening chaos at her so- called home-sweet-home.
Cary knew that she had no time to her thoughts and to think about her own safety tonight. She wished so much for a new life, a new home, new and better parents, and, most of all, a new start on life. But Cary knew that she wasn't just going to be handed all of this on a silver platter. But if anything, she needed to reach her bedroom before her mother could awake. She quickly glanced at her watch, noticing that it was time for her to get to bed. Quickly and quietly, Cary hopped from foot to foot avoiding the squeaky floor boards as much as possible. Finally she reached the entrance to her room. Cary looked across her room, looking at the unappealing furnishings. Next to the boarded window, on the floor, lay a petrified, over-stuffed mattress that had been adopted from the local Salvation Army down the street. The rest of the furnishings in the bathroom-sized room, was a cracked, beaten, canary-yellow dresser, which belonged to her great grandmother an infinite years before her time. In her dresser were the items she valued. A picture of her father, and the few articles of clothing she owned. She made her way into the moon light which caressed the discolored sheets, when a light flicked on in the hall. It was 9:00.
Quickly Cary slipped under her faded flower pattern comforter, and adjusted her pillow directly under her hear. She closed her sympathic, ocean blue eyes, and flopped her body to face the opening of the doorway. She wanted a better view of who was making their way down the hall. Had Somebody known she was up this late?
Someone was defitanely paceing themselves down the hallway, so Cary eased her ear off her pillow slowly to hear who was nearing her bedroom. It was easy to hear the floorboards creaking below the person's feet. Than the creaking stopped, at her door. Cary cracked her eyes open to the slightest. She could make out a slight overweight figure, with short dark hair brushing their shoulders. Great my mother is awake.
Cary's mother had always awakened around 9:00pm to get ready for her job at the 7-11 in Tacoma. She prayed to god that her mother had not heard her up so late tonight. The light in the hallway suddenly blinked, and vanished. She began to tremble, and could feel herself begin to tense, as a cool tear of sweat slowly progressed down her right cheek. She began to blush. Why am I blushing?!! The footsteps began to draw closer.
Quickly Cary slipped under her faded flower pattern comforter, and adjusted
her pillow directly under her ear. She closed her sympathic, ocean blue eyes, and flopped her body to face the opening of the doorway. She wanted a better view of who was making their way down the hall. Had Somebody known she was up this late?
Someone was defitanely paceing themselves down the hallway, so Cary eased her ear off her pillow slowly to hear who was nearing her bedroom. It was easy to hear the floorboards creaking below the person's feet. Than the creaking stopped, at her door. Cary cracked her eyes open to the slightest. She could make out a short figure. Great my mother is awake.
Cary's mother had always awakened around 9:00pm to get ready for her job at the 7-11 in Tacoma. She prayed to god that her mother had not heard her up so late tonight. The light in the hallway suddenly blinked, and vanished. She began to tremble, and could feel herself begin to tense, as a cool tear of sweat slowly progressed down her right cheek. She began to blush. Why am I blushing?!! The footsteps began to draw closer.
"Cary, wake up!"
Cary turned to face the figure in the darkness, it was completely black in her room thanks to the board covering her window that her mother put over to keep her from running away.
"Cary its me, dave."
" Hey you didnt have to scare me like that!" She was still shakeing, from being so frightened of the thought he was her mother.
Dave Houston was her closest friend she could think of. He knew and understood all the details about her life, and her family. He had the same problems currently in his life. He is 15.
"How did you get into this hole?" Cary whispered.
" Your mom leaves the basement window unlocked, and I'm used to creeping around the house." Dave replied.
"And anyways your mom is still sleeping, I think tonight is the night.."
" But Dave, tonight is not the greatest night!" Cary sat up, showing her dissaproval to him.
" Why is that, tonight is perfect, we're both ready to leave now." Dave spat towards Cary.
" Right, but my mom is home, and should be up right now, why did you have to change the plans right now!?" Cary was furious at Dave, but so happy to be able to talk to someone who respected her.
" I know, but your dad is at work and will be back when your mom leaves for work, your mom never checks to see if you are in your room, if we leave now we can still catch the 232 bus." Dave calmly told Cary.
" He is not my dad, i've already told you about my dad!" Cary exclaimed and threw a nasty look.
" I'm sorry i forgot about the accident, are you ready to leave?" Dave reminded.
" Ok, let me get my bag that i pre-packed last night because i knew you would change the plans." Cary responded.
Cary climbed out of her bed, careful enough not to create much noise, and walked over to the dresser. She motioned for Dave to help, and both moved the dresser far enough to reach inside a whole in the wall, and grabbed a small black bag. They moved the dresser back, and Cary threw on a faded black sweatshirt, over a plain white shirt, that she collected from her closet.Next she reached back into her clostet grabbed a blue, or once was blue backpack. She slid the back pack over her shoulders and motioned to Dave that she was done.
" Ok im ready lets go, wheres your stuff?"
" I put my backpack in your dead flower garden."
" Fine selection of a hideing spot." Cary always chose the best time to joke around.
Together they crept down the hallway, takeing a left down the stairs. They normally would have left throught the front door, but it squeaked badly and for sure would bring attention to them. Now another left, continuing down the stairs, finally reaching a landing.Cary slowly opened the window which faced them. She motioned Dave to go out the window first. Quickly he walked towards the window, and jumped out like hes been doing it for a long time. Cary tossed her two bags to Dave and climbed out. She jumped into her sticker bush, leaving no one to hold the window open. The window slammed shut. A light turned on in her mothers room!
" Come, on lets go!"
Cary grabbed Dave's hand, and pulled him into the rhodendren bush. Dave reached over to his left, collecting the dirt while he pulled his bag over to him.
" That was close, Cary, be more quiet next time."
" If there is a next time." Cary replied.
The light blinked than total blackness developed through the room. Just as Cary felt that she was safe, the front door slammed shut. Cary felt her legs start to wobble from the position she was crouching in. Cary motioned Dave to hold still, and keep quiet.
Someone was makeing their way into the back yard to see about the noise. Cary could make out a short, pudgy woman stop infront of the rhodendren bushes. The lady took a short look around, and walked back to the front door, slamming the door harder than before.
" Close one, we need to go before she figures out your not in bed!" Said Dave.
" Ok!"
Quickly the two collected their bags, and made their way James Bond style to the front yard. Together they slid along the fence in the shadows, to not be seen. Finally reaching the sidewalk Cary took a long glance at her "home". She could see her mother sitting on the couch, smoking like she does every day before work. But something was different. Cary started to feel different feelings now since she was actually leaving that horrible place. She was going to miss her mother even though she hated her.
" Cary?" Dave asked, and turned around to see how come she stopped walking.
" Uh, yeah sorry, yeah lets go." Cary jogged towards Dave to catch up.
"Ok, we need to turn right here, and go down this street, the bus should be here now." Dave told Cary, but she wasnt listening.
Cary couldnt believe that she was actually doing this. Well shes ran away plenty of times before, but not like this. This time she was leaving with Dave, and wasnt going to go back home again, she wasnt going to be caught, this was for good. But something abruptidly stopped her from her thoughts...
"Cary look its the bus, are you ready?" Dave quickly slurred.
" Yeah how much is it?" Cary asked.
" You'll need 60 cents to ride it." Dave responded
Cary pulled her black bag that she pulled out of her wall closer to her face. Inside was over $100 and some loose change. She picked out two quarters, and a dime. Cary looked up, and the bus came to a complete stop in front of her...was she ready? ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --- She knew this was the ticket for leaving her misery life, so following Dave up the steep, worn stairs, reaching the money slot. Cary stopped at the yellow line, which had been worn away from the previous people whom walked on it, and slid her sixty cents down into the slot. Grabbing her ticket, sitting down next to Dave.
" Hey I'm kinda nervous Dave, have you been on a bus before?" Cary warily asked.
" Yes Cary, stop worrying, I thought you wanted to do this?!" Dave quickly sputtered towards Cary, noticing a penny sliding under his sit whenever the bus halted to a stop.
" Im nnn-not nervous just tense, so anyways where will we be going anyways, we never discussed since you wanted it to be a surprise!" Cary slurred innocently.
" I'll tell you about it once we reach there, and anyways its going to be a long ride. So try to get some beauty sleep since you girls need it!" Dave sarcasticly replied.
" O.k, just done forget about me and if I'm still sleeping by the time we reach to your destination, dont leave me on the bus!" Cary sleepily shot obliquely to Dave.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -
Yes finally im dreaming again this is great! I love being on this island its like heaven but on earth...
Slowly Cary's heaven was slipping away from her...
"Cary, for the last time we're going to miss our stop wake up!" Dave hollered catching everyones attention to the two fighting friends.
" hmmm, whats going on? Where are we Dave? How long have I been sleeping for?" Cary could have relentlessy carried on with her questions but was stopped by the drowning noise of the brakes of the bus.
" Heres our stop." Dave cheerfully answered to her questions.
Cary scrambled up from her plastic chair and cantered towards Dave slightly nudging him out the door. Almost tripping on her way out, just realizing she forgot her luggage. Takeing a short exaggerated glance to dave annoucing she just lost her bags, as the bus slowly rolled down the long continuous road.
" Are these the bags you forgot?" Dave sarcastically remarked holding a bag and a half up in the air.
" Maybe." Cary couldnt help but crack a wry smile towards Dave.
" So tell me something Dave, where are we heading. Im feeling better after my short nap though."