Chapter Three-
Cody saw her door open and a friendly face walked in. His name was Mr. Furlong, mostly referred to as Sir, he was tall and skinny with blonde hair and blues eyes. She looked at him awkwardly as he entered the bare room. She knew who he was only by sight, he was the owner of the center and creator of the stripped room. She'd hold him accountable for that. Cody figured he was in his late 20s, she had heard from the other girls that he was married with a little girl of his own, he had a young brother who went to some tennis academy in Montreal and another one who had died a few years before. The other girls especially liked him for his generousity, he wasn't like the other supervisors, he was much calmer and understanding. And his rather handsome looks did help the matter.
"Cody Myers, right?" He asked, Cody noticed he had a French accent.
"Yeah." She sighed, stretching her arms around her head
"Good, I need to discuss something with you." He closed the door behind him and inch towards her and instinctively Cody took a step back.
"What, what is it?"
"You can run." He told her bluntly and she looked at him in disbelief.
"What do you mean I can run?" She questioned as she tossed a tress of her hair behind her ear.
"I mean you can run, between 10 and 10:30 pm I'll keep the main gate open, run as fast as you can to the small bar at the corner of the street in the village. I think it's called 'Le Vieux Port' but I'm not sure. There'll be a red van with the license plate W1V 9O2 waiting outside it for you with a man and maybe a little girl inside it. Get inside and he'll drive you home." Mr. Furlong blurted, his eyes filled with excitement for the young girl.
"First of all why should I trust you? Second of all I don't have a home."
"You have to trust someone, Cody." He told her calmly "You don't have a home now, but we'll find you one, a good one, I promise."
"I don't want to go to another foster home." She protested taking yet another step back.
"It won't be a foster home."
"So you mean it's another Centre? Oh yay, that'll be fun." She said sarcasticly
"No, it's a home, Cody. Just trust me." He turned around and headed out and Cody watched desperately
"Wait!" She hollered and he spun on his heels "How am I supposed to get out of this cell?"
"I'm leaving it unlocked." He smiled knowing she was going to do it; Cody Myers was going to run. When he had gone Cody heaved another sigh, she was going to run, again. It'd be her 11th time, she'd been almost successful a few times she could only hope she would make it this time. If she didn't she risked getting sent to the Extension the strictest Centre around, than again she could always blame it all on Mr. Furlong it was his idea after all. And Cody couldn't help but wonder why he would even want to help her, it'd be the first time anyone had tried to help her.
Cody didn't know that the reason Mr. Furlong was trying to help her was out of guilt. Guilt that he had carried for a number of years. She reminded him of his younger brother, Ryan, he had gone through some tough times, real tough. He had meddled with all sorts of steroids in the last few years of his life and Mr. Furlong was aware of that. But before Ryan had taken up drugs he was this vivacious young boy with a lot going for him. When he died Mr. Furlong started working at the Centre, to cure his guilt. He knew he could've helped Ryan, he was his older brother and Ryan looked up to him. He could've convinced Ryan into getting some help, but he didn't. And every time he looked at Cody he couldn't help but be reminded of his younger brother, the one he had lost years ago.
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Cody glanced outside her window and at her clock, if was 10:04, time for her to leave. She grabbed her orange jean jacket and pulled it tightly against her skin for comfort. Cautiously she pushed open the door and headed to the campus.
Her mind raced as she ran down the soggy grass, her heart thumping out of her chest. As she got close enough to see the gate she noticed it open.
So far so good, Cody.
Just run, Cody.
You have to trust someone, Codes.
'Till you reach the village.
To the bar.
To get home.
To freedom.
You can do it, Cody.
Run, Cody, Run!
