Monsters' Gift (Crude Hill High 2)

I got it. They were all worried about me. I accepted that, but I was not going to be a prisoner in that house anymore.

I’d tasted freedom and I wanted it back. There were many things I could live with. Their reputation, what they did to stay in control. I could handle all of it, but being a prisoner, not happening. Not anymore.

Climbing over the balcony, I grabbed the sheet, knowing if I fell wrong, I was so going to suffer for it.

Why was I doing this?

I was afraid of heights at the best of times.

Taking a deep breath, I tried to shimmy down, but I felt the blanket move. As I looked up, sure enough, the knot wasn’t strong enough.

Before I even had time to move, it was untied and I fell down, hitting the ground beneath me. I rolled over with a groan, wanting to go back five minutes to remind myself I wasn’t some kind of wall-scaling expert. I was a human.

I didn’t have much time to lick my wounds or revel in the pain. Voices came closer and I got to my feet, moving into the shadows. Guards passed and I just hoped they wouldn’t catch sight of the blanket.

They didn’t show any signs of seeing me.

When they were out of earshot, I moved out of the shadows, coming away from the wall, and I smiled. So far, so good.

Now, all I had to do was make a run for it. I’d show them. I’d show all of them.

I made it around to the main drive, seeing four cars parked in the driveway.

Rather than attempt to run on foot, I tried each door. Getting to the last one, I slid into the driver’s seat and looked for the keys. When I found them, I smiled.

After clapping my hands together, I slid them into the ignition just in time for the door to open.

I stopped and turned to see Drake in the passenger seat.

“Planning a little escape?”

I turned the ignition over and he put the car into reverse.

I wasn’t a very good driver. Ashley was the one who could drive.

“Emily, what the fuck?”

“I don’t give a shit what Caleb and the others say. I am in control of my own life.”

He slammed the door closed but I didn’t care. I was too far gone on my own anger to give a shit about what he had to say or do. “I will not be ordered around like a child.”

“Even though you’re behaving like one.”

“Fucking asshole. Do you think I’m in the mood to be told what I am or not reacting like? Huh?” I pressed my foot on the gas. “I suggest you make those gates fucking open, Drake. I’m not going to stop.”

“Turn the car around.”

“No.”

“Emily, this is stupid.”

“Being forced into a bedroom is stupid. This is one last-ditch attempt at freedom, and guess what, buster, I’m taking it.” I burst out laughing, feeling like a crazy person had taken over, and maybe they had.

I wasn’t going to be forced into my bedroom to be told what to do. My dad was long gone.

Caleb certainly wasn’t going to get away with acting like it.

The gates started to open, but rather than slow down, since they weren’t open wide enough, I scratched the car on the way out, taking a sudden spin to avoid a couple more parked cars.

Again, I wasn’t a very good driver. I often took public transport for safety reasons.

Putting the car into gear, I lightly pushed my foot on the gas and we started moving.

“Do you want me to take over?” Drake asked.

“No.”

“How did you get out of your bedroom?”

“Why were you back? I thought you were out running errands.”

“I did all of them and I came back. I happened to notice you nearly fall and break your neck. What the fuck were you thinking?”

I glance over at him. “You were in the garden?”

“Of course.”

“Then why ask me if you’d already seen what I was doing?” I asked.

“Wanted to see if you’d lie to me.”

“Are you for real right now?”

“What? You’re the one who actually tried to scale out of a window with a badly tied bedsheet. What the fuck were you thinking?”

“I think it’s clear I wasn’t exactly thinking anything now, was I?” I asked with a growl.

“How about I drive?”

“Not a chance.”

“Em, you can’t do this.”

“I can do whatever the hell I want, and if that means I put my life at risk, then so be it.” I pressed my foot to the floor and I knew, of course I knew I was being completely ridiculous. The only place I’d wanted to be for the past seven years was with those four impossible, irritating, annoying men. They were the Monsters through and through, but they were all mine. I knew it now more than ever.