Eternal

I decided to go back right there and then before I could talk myself out of it but was surprised when Jackie marched over to me once I walked through the door and pulled me in for a cuddle. She smoothed down the back of my hair in a soothing manner, and she most certainly confused the hell out of me. I stared up at her in utter shock, that was until I laid eyes upon Mrs. Wright, then everything started to make a lot more sense.

Mrs. Wright came strolling over to me with puffy, bloodshot eyes and snatched hold of my hand.

“Oh Unya, I’ve been going out of my mind with worry, where have you been?” Asked Jackie, who definitely should have been up for an award with that little performance. Honestly, if I didn’t know better, I may have actually believed that she cared about me.

“I’m sorry Aunt Jackie, I know I should have called, but I just couldn’t bear to be around anyone after what happened,” I stated, staring down at the ground, trying to sound stricken with grief.

“Anna just wanted to know if you had spoken to him at all before the accident?” Jackie asked it in such a way, that it told me I should not correct her on the use of the word ‘Accident.’

I mean come on, even the news was saying that it was suicide, how the hell could that be construed as accidental, but I bit my tongue to prevent myself from pointing that out.

“I’m sorry Mrs. Wright, I did see him about a week ago but he seemed happy. I heard he got into a fight, but I just put it down to gossip. I know Darren would have never lowered himself to fighting some low life in public.” I tried to sound all meek and demure and I knew that Jackie wouldn’t buy a second of it.

“Oh my, of course he wouldn’t have, Darren was such a sweet boy.” Said Anna as she clutched her hand to her chest, Jackie steered her back towards the living room as she began to sob. Before Jackie followed her in, she came back over to me and spoke very quietly to ensure that she would not be overheard.

“Listen to me you heartless little bitch, you will go straight to your room and you will stay there until I deem fit to let you out again.”

I wanted to say something back in response but decided to bide my time as I took to the stairs and retreated to my room, where I discovered a brand new door, this one with a lock on the outside instead. Alarm bells went off in my head but I shook them off as I closed the door behind me and marched over to my window, which had now been nailed shut. She was locking me away, and I was powerless to stop her as I heard the lock slam home and I officially became a prisoner.

It was later that night when I rang Addy and told her what Jackie had done, she instantly started to freak out and I was powerless to help calm her down.

“She can’t do that to you, it’s barbaric,” She stated, utterly shocked by the level that Jackie had stooped to.

“Whether she can or can’t is irrelevant, seeing as she has. I am a prisoner in my own room, how messed up is that?”

“Unya you have to get away from there and for good this time, you can’t keep going back to her as she’s getting worse as the time goes on.”

“Look, the minute I turn Eighteen, I will be free to go wherever I want and she won’t be able to stop me,” I stated, hoping that it wasn’t just wishful thinking on my behalf.

“Don’t be so naïve, Katie left you a lot of money in her will, when you hit Eighteen Jackie won’t be able to lay a finger on it anymore, do you really believe she is just going to let you go, knowing that.”

I hated to admit it, but Addy was right. Thanks to my mum, Jackie was sitting pretty, with no need to work and never having to worry about mundane problems, such as bills and food. Once I left that would all change, but what lengths would she actually go too, to ensure that none of that would change.

A week trailed by slowly, as I remained locked in my room. The only time it was opened was to provide me with the barest amount of food, just enough to prevent me from starving. I almost didn’t eat it, out of spite, but in the end I relented. Knowing that I would need whatever strength I could gather to finally be rid of Jackie.

She had just passed me my dinner when the front door went, she scurried away so fast that I couldn’t resist pressing my ear against the door to try and eavesdrop. I couldn’t hear what was being said word for word, but I distinctly heard a male voice and Jackie’s tone definitely increased in pitch. God was there actually a man out there who could be attracted to that wretch of a woman.

I heard their footsteps as they ascended the stairs and their words grew more and more clear.

“I thought you wanted rid of her baby,” Stated the guy, followed by wet slopping sounds, which were obviously the noises he made when he kissed, I mean gross.

“I do Martin, but I don’t know if I can go through with that, it just sounds so messy,” She replied, her voice gushing at the attention that she was receiving.

“It doesn’t have to be, just get her to the edge I mean accidents do happen, obviously she just couldn’t go on anymore after the tragic loss of her boyfriend. And then we will be free to spend our lives together in the luxury that you clearly deserve.”

I stopped listening after that, I mean I had always known that she hated me, but could she actually talk about killing me so easily. That was the final straw, I refused to wait around to become another statistic in teenage deaths. I had to get away from her once and for all, and no way in hell was I going to leave her with a single penny of my mother’s money.

Chapter Twelve

Lawson

I hated having to call on Kat for any kind of favour, but it had become apparent that I could no longer avoid it. I just knew that the request could be the final nail in our friendship.

“Lawson you have got to be kidding me, how dare you ask me to get Marcus involved in your drama. You have been on at me for months to finish with him, and now that I finally have, you want me to call in a favour on your behalf. I can’t do it, I haven’t spoken to him since that night you went to Venom, I just can’t

face it.”

“Look Kat I am sorry to bring you in on this, but I have no idea where Unya is, I can’t finish my job unless I know where she is and if she’s the one that the Fates spoke of.”