Page 45 of Wolf

“Okay,” I say on an exhale, “I’ll be back later.”

She nods and I cross the room to hug her. I don’t know who’s more surprised, but she hides the emotion behind a brash smile while I commit this moment to memory. We may be prisoners of our parent’s world, but at our core, we will fight for each other. That means more to me than I can ever express.

Rachel follows me to the window. At the corner of the house, I wave before stepping out onto the street. It’s quiet and dark and after sucking in a breath, I cut between the two houses behind us before emerging on the street on the other side.

The walk is achingly quiet but for my heavy breaths as I survey my surroundings and pray to everything I try to believe in, thatno one sees me. Three houses down, I pause when a light turns on in the upstairs window of the house I’m walking past. I try to remember who lives there but it escapes me, and I hope this means it’s not one of Daddy’s parishioners.

The light blinks out and I lean over, grabbing my knees as I suck in a painful breath. That was close. Too close. I need to hustle but with every step forward, my feet hurt in the horrible, torture devices on my feet.

Finally, I’m clear of the neighborhood and I stop at the laundromat, where I collapse to the bench just inside the door. My feet throb before the pain in my arches recedes.

A woman folding her shirt glances at me strangely, but I ignore her and eye the last pay phone that exists in this town. Most people have cell phones, but my parents refused the added expense of providing them for us, something to add to the list of reasons why we’ve always been different.

Luckily this one still exists but it asks for change and with a frustrated sigh, I lean my head against the cool metal. I only have cash, and I don’t have a credit card either. Now what?

“Problem?” the young woman asks, and I turn to her with a sheepish smile.

“I need to order a ride.”

She cocks her head, eyeing me for a moment, and says, “You have cash?”

Nodding I pull it from my pocket, and she glances at it and me before whipping out her phone. “Where are you going?”

I give her the address for the track, and her brows flicker but she doesn’t comment. Once she’s entered it, she looks up and says, “Twenty bucks.”

Silently I nod, and she presses okay, confirming the ride. After handing her the crumpled twenty, I say, “Thanks.”

She turns away with a small smile and I wait on the sidewalk, glancing around uneasily. Just because I made it out of myneighborhood and I’m not in my normal clothes, doesn't mean no one would recognize me. My hands sweat, and I swipe them nervously along the denim, my anxiety ticking up with every moment that passes. What if Wolf isn’t there? Is it wrong to go there and potentially make this worse?

Finally, my ride pulls up and I slide inside, staring out the window quietly. My stomach is tied in knots at the thought of seeing Wolf again but beyond that, I’m praying he doesn’t send me away in a rage. I don’t know who else to talk to, besides Duke who I hope would listen but he’s also in charge of my pregnant sister.

Leaning my head against the cool window, I consider just running away but to what end? Miriam and Wolf’s friends would still be at risk and it’s not like I have the means to just leave. Besides, I can’t back down when this is my fault, I wouldn’t be able to live with myself after.

The flash of the cars lined up at the track blinds me and I sit up with resolve, wiping away my tears. This is my only option, and I will face the music, even if it burns me in the end.

When I step out onto the dirt, my feet immediately protest in the boots and with a grimace, I walk down the line, searching the cars revving their engines. I don’t see Duke nor his vehicle, though. Maybe they're not here? But is Wolf?

The place is packed, and I circle the grounds twice before pushing through a group blocking my path, but all I get for my efforts is a headache and pinched toes.

The rev of the motors draws my attention and with a weary sigh, I sit down on a stump and watch the cars take off from above the crowd.

Cheers ring out, the racket deafening amongst the roaring engines. A red car with a pretty, black stripe takes the lead but soon it's outpaced by a blue number with cool rims. Behindthem, as they duke it out are the remaining vehicles, spilling dirt and exhaust into the air.

Caught up in the action, I sit up when the blue car veers to the left, only to freeze when a smarmy voice says behind me, “Want a hit?”

Spinning on the stump, I eye the stranger smiling wide, absently noting his missing front tooth as I stutter, “No.”

He waves the drug around in the air before wiping his hand down his shirt, covered in grease stains, and smelling vaguely of sweat and something musky.

“Aw c’mon now,” he says with a wink. “I got something we could share.”

Looking around, I shake my head. I’m at the edge of the crowd and achingly alone. It was incredibly stupid of me to put myself in such a precarious position.

“Um, no thanks,” I say, before standing.

When he touches my arm, a shudder rolls through me and I step back as he says, “You—“

“Sprocket! What the fuck are you doing here?” a deep voice booms over my shoulder.

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