Page 19 of Real

But Candlewick knew what the risks were when he escaped with Buddy. He did it anyway.

“You said Candlewick can have visitors this afternoon, right?”

“Yes.”

I could ask him myself if he’s willing to make the sacrifice. He’ll probably end up serving time anyway.

“What time should we be there?”

She sighs. “Four o’clock. Don’t do anything stupid, okay? You could jeopardize the whole sanctuary. That isn’t fair to the kids who need us.”

I don’t respond to that, and I just hang up. If I leave some kind of note making it clear I acted on my own and went against the wishes of the sanctuary, the only thing I’d be risking is my own freedom.

Am I really willing to do that for a man I barely know?

I think of the way Buddy closed his eyes as he smelled the grilled cheese sandwich. It takes so little to make him happy. We could disappear together to a country with no extradition treaty, and I could get undocumented work. We wouldn’t have much, but I could still give him safety and simple pleasures like the smell of hot food and sunshine on his face.

I open the driver’s door and climb inside. Buddy watches me closely. He’s probably wondering what the phone call was about. How do I tell him that any chance he had at court is likely gone now? And how do I bring up the idea of running away together?

He doesn’t know me any better than I know him. Would he trust me enough to come with me?

“We’re going to visit Candlewick,” I say. First things first. The jail is over an hour away. I can think of a plan while I drive.

“They set him free?” Buddy asks, a smile spreading across his face.

“No, we’re going to the jail.”

His smile falters. “Oh.”

“It’s okay, there’s plenty of security there. You’ll be safe.”

“That’s not the problem. I just… Well, I’m not allowed,” he says.

“Because you don’t have an ID? We can talk to the intake officer about your situation—”

“No, because I have metal inside me.” He scrunches his shoulders together. “Three bullets and a knife.”

I don’t understand. Did Dorian shoot him and he somehow recovered? What about the knife?

“Dorian… um, well… he was angry. And I couldn’t get them out.”

Oh my God. That’s horrifying.

“Are you okay?” I ask.

He nods. “It was a long time ago.”

“Can you feel pain?” The question leaves my mouth before I can stop myself. It’s probably insensitive to ask something like that.

But Buddy doesn’t seem upset with me. He nods again, his bottom lip trembling.

Dorian is a monster.

I turn on the engine. “We’re still going to see Candlewick. I’ll visit him for you. Give him any messages you have for him.” And ask him how he feels about serving time for Buddy’s freedom.

“Okay. You can tell him I’m going to return to Dorian so he can be free.” As Buddy says this, he squares his shoulders and looks me straight in the eye.

For the first time, I think I understand what Buddy’s offer to return to Dorian for his friend truly means. He’s planning to go back to a man who tried to kill him.

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