33

Once I changed again and the truck was loaded up with the blankets I took it out onto the streets. The wheels were strong and pushed through the snow just fine. I groaned inwardly though. I didn't want to see Leanne or Mary Jo right now, and I didn't know why Charlie even wanted me to go out there!

I remember where their house was though. After all these years I did. I remember walking with Tomalin to his home. He was a quiet child and didn't have many friends. But then again neither did I. I had Thomas and… Ant. I sniffled wiping my face trying not to cry. I had to get out of here, that much was for sure. Thomas knew I wanted to leave and he knew I would be making plans to escape. I just wondered if he planned to tell Charlie. Guess I'll have to find out. I saw their house on the side of the road and turned into their driveway. It looked just as grand and big as I remembered. I cut off the truck and moved up to the door knocking firmly. There was silence. The door began to unlock and I braced myself for the bitches of the house to open the door, but neither of them did. Tom did. He was in jeans and a black shirt with a coat on over him. He looked at me with sympathetic eyes.

"Hi Tati… Charlie said you'd be coming over with some blankets." he said. My arms were crossed now as the cold wind hit my body. I nodded.

"Yes. If you help me get them inside we can get this done quicker." I replied and he nodded and stepped out onto the front porch. We turned and headed to the truck. We opened the back doors and grabbed the blankets and headed back to his place. We moved inside and I got a chance to look around at their home. Like Charlie's the place cleaned down but nothing had changed since my family and I had moved away.

"Where do you want them?" I asked.

"Just in the living room." Tom motioned his head behind me and I turned and moved to the back of the house. We carried the blankets into the large room where hunting rifles were still hanging on the wall below a portrait of Tom's great-grandfather. He was an exotic animal hunter. "Right on the couch." I just sat the blankets down and he did as well and when I turned to leave he leaned up and stood in front of me raising his hands defensively.

"Hey… I heard about your brother-"

"Don't." I replied walking around him and moving to the door. Lord only knows Charlie probably told the entire community what he and Thomas had done to him. Tomalin was behind me.

"Things are only going to get worse for you here." he said and I paused and before the door and looked at him.

"How do you mean?" I asked. He sighed.

"You're going to want to get out, that much I know. You had better hurry then, because if you get pregnant by… him, you won't have the full nine months to escape. You'll start showing and they are going to make sure you can't even leave the house." he said and I winced some glancing back at him.

"How do you know this?" I asked. He placed his hands on his hips and looked away, jaw tightening.

"We're a fucked up family, everyone is. You aren't the only one to ever be trapped here. You've just been around long enough to know who the weakest is and who the strongest is." he explained. I scowled at his words. Of course there have been others, how could I have been blind and not have known that? That's right, love blinded me, blinded me so bad it got my brother killed. I sniffled some wiping my face.

"Why do you even care about what happens to me?" I asked. I feel his hand suddenly take mine and I look at him as he shook his head.

"Tatianna I have always cared about you. I cared about you since we were little kids. To see you here now in that house, scares me every day because I know what they are capable of. You know what they're capable of. You ignored it for so long because you didn't think they could ever do it to you." he said. His words tore into me so quickly, my tears finally fell and I sobbed hard as he pulled me into him embracing me. He was right. How wrong I could be to think that Thomas could ever not hurt me and then he does in the most brutal of ways. I had to get out. I couldn't tell anyone how I would get out, but I would. I sniffled some and stood up looking at him.

"Thanks. I should get going, before they start to worry." I replied. He slowly released me and nodded.

"Of course." he replied and I moved to the door. "Tatianna." I looked back at him and he gave a firm nod.

"Be safe." he replied. I stared at him with a weak smile before nodding.

"Stay warm, Tomalin." I replied and turned and left out the door. I headed to the truck and took off. There was no way I could make it out now even with the snow off the roads. It'll freeze over tonight. I needed to make sure I could make a clean get away. But the roads were big no matter what. People would come. I just had to choose who those people would be. But I also started to think about Tom's words.

"You aren't the only one to ever be trapped here. You've just been around long enough to know who the weakest is and who the strongest is."

I started to realize that he was right. I did know who the strongest was and who the weakest was. Charlie was strong with his mind. His words could taint Thomas into doing what he wanted. They are more family than I could ever be. Thomas was the strongest physically but weak in mind, almost. I knew that he could be my biggest downfall, but maybe if I get to him enough I could use him to my advantage. Then there was the weakest, the one who did as she was told. The one who could not fight back against me at all. I knew what I was going to have to do. I hated even thinking about it. No. No I didn't hate it. I would have to kill Luda Mae before my escape. She was frail enough. Charlie may not be so easy since he could just call for Thomas and he'd come running.

This was where we were at now. They didn't get to do this to me. They didn't get to take away from my world, take away my freedom and kill my family in the process. I didn't have anything left to lose.