Fractured Minds (Rebels of Sandland 3)

Her head snapped up and her eyes blazed with fury.

“I’m not giving up.”

“I didn’t mean that.” I sighed. “I’d never call you a quitter.” Alice was one of the strongest people I knew. She had her faults, but she was one of life’s warriors. She’d fought the hardest wars that anyone could ever face; a war within her own mind every single day, just to survive.

“I’m choosing my battles. Making a stand for me. Giving myself a better shot at life. I’m still gonna leave, even if you refuse to follow me.” She wrapped her arms around her waist, giving herself a hug for support.

“Good for you. I’ll help you make the break in any way I can, but I won’t follow you. This is wh

ere I belong. I’ll trust your judgement on this Danya girl. If you think she’s worth it, then I’ll stand by you on that. I know you don’t trust people easily, so she must be the real deal.”

“She is.” Alice nodded to herself in agreement. “Do you really believe Sandland is the best place for you after everything that’s happened here? No one helped us. Ever.”

“We didn’t shout loud enough,” I said, feeling the weight of regret pinning me down.

“We shouldn’t have had to shout at all. Our word should have been enough, but it never was, was it? Mum and Dad ignored us. School turned a blind eye. They all did.”

For Alice, it was black and white, but I saw the grey in-between. I could have done more to make them see. I could have saved us.

“Not all of them turned a blind eye.” I’d never told Alice that Brandon knew, but I’m sure she’d guessed. She knew how close we were.

“You were lucky. You made friends. Good friends. I didn’t. Well, not until now, anyway. Danya is everything.”

Her eyes glazed over as she thought about the girl she was hell-bent on running to. And who was I to stop her? If my sister could make a grab for a little bit of happiness with Danya, what sort of a brother would I be if I stood in her way?

“I don’t want this to be how it ends.” I knew my words sounded melodramatic, but I couldn’t help it.

“This isn’t the end. It’s a new start. A fresh start.” Alice gave a low smile and I returned it. Knowing my sister would be out of his grasp was some comfort. It would certainly make my vengeance easier if I had one less person to worry about.

“I’ll come and visit you, as often as I can.” I might have to go in disguise in the dead of night to avoid the soldiers, but if that was the only way, so be it.

“I’ll count on it.” She grinned and stood, looking torn between staying and hugging me and running as fast and as far away as she could from everything that’d chained her to her misery.

“When are you leaving?”

“Well, seeing as you’re not coming with me… There’s no time like the present. Danya has a room made up ready.” I’d already guessed that’d be her answer.

“And you thought you’d drop by with my favourite breakfast for one last goodbye?” I prised open the bag, hoping the contents hadn’t gone completely cold.

“Oh, I didn’t buy that. One of the nurses was on her way in with it and she gave it to me. It must’ve been left at the reception.” She shrugged and I thought nothing of it.

“It’s probably from Brandon, or one of the others.” It was definitely something they’d do. They knew hospital food sucked balls.

“You’ve got good friends, Finn. Don’t let him ruin what you have. Leave him be, and hopefully, when he isn’t getting the attention he wants, he’ll disappear back into the sewers he came from. He’s nothing. He doesn’t even deserve your anger. We’ve both wasted enough of our lives being ruled by him. It has to stop. Promise me, it’ll stop.”

It wouldn’t.

“I’ll try my best.”

Alice seemed convinced by my answer and leant down to give me a hug as I lay there. I tried not to let on that her gentle squeeze hurt like hell, and plastered on my fake smile. In a way, Alice leaving was a weight lifted off my shoulders. If she was safe with Danya, then I could focus on stepping up my plan. I liked the idea of being a lone wolf. I had a pack, but I wanted to do this my way. If I had nothing, then I’d have nothing to lose.

I watched as Alice walked away, closing the door quietly behind her, and then I peered down into the bag to find a folded note on top of the breakfast inside. I took it out, expecting to see some ridiculous joke or photograph. When I read what was written, my whole body plunged into a free-fall of violently fuelled adrenaline.

I chose your favourite breakfast. Isn’t that what they do on death row? Feed you up before your final curtain call. Enjoy your last meal, because when you get out, I’ll be waiting. ~Tony

The minute I could get out of that hospital, I did. The doctors and nurses put me off for days, and to be fair, I wasn’t in the best shape to get out of bed and walk away. But as soon as I could, I left. Signed myself out and took the pain meds they gave me, even though I had no intention of ever taking them. I wanted to feel every ache, twinge, and sting, because then I wouldn’t waver from the path I needed to take.

He hadn’t sent me anymore messages since the fucked-up breakfast, but I knew he’d be watching. He couldn’t help himself. In a way, I hoped he was. If his eyes were on me, then maybe he wouldn’t notice Alice slipping away. If I could be that distraction for her, I’d be happy. At least in some way I’d have done what I’d always promised to do; help and protect her at all costs.