Cassie
I looked over at Mason in bed. He was sleeping.
I’d only managed to sleep a little. The memory of what had happened seared through my mind, jolting me awake every time I fell over.
He doesn’t love me. Did he ever? He had made it clear that, if he ever had, it was at an end. No one could do what he had done to someone they love.
I sat up stiffly and eased off the bed. The soreness I suffered made me clench my teeth with every move I made. I was desperate not to make a sound. I couldn’t risk waking the man and having to face his wrath again. I had to get out of there. Staying would only lead to greater hurt. I winced at the sting between my legs as I walked.
Once I was out in the kitchen, I looked around in the darkness for anything that might help me escape. I spotted Mason’s keys on the table. He must have put them there at some point during…
I shut down my recollection,. He never loved me. Maybe I had Stockholm Syndrome? I shook my head. I just tried to see the best in people. Well, never again…
Mason was just like Ruiz. I had to get away from both of them.
I snatched the keys and made my way outside with faltering painful steps. It was all I could do to walk around the house. I was terrified someone would be lurking, waiting to snatch me away. I had lost my childlike trust in the world.
In that respect, I guess Mason had taught me a lot. Life was not all about looking for the best in people. It was about seeing the worst that people could do to you and being prepared for it.
The motorcycle was in a small shed behind the house. It was heavy. So heavy I feared it might fall on me. I barely managed to roll it out of the shed. I’d never driven a motorcycle before. But honestly, I thought; how hard could it be? I looked at the controls and quickly figured them out. Just like a car, only smaller – and more dangerous.
“Fun,” I whispered as I slid across the seat.
The stinging between my legs reminded me that this was necessary. I nodded to myself. Let’s do this! Chances were I’d wake Mason up when I cranked the engine, so I’d have to be fast.
I took a deep breath and kicked the starter. The motorcycle roared to life. I breathed a small ‘thank you’ when it moved forward. It wasn’t nearly as hard as I’d thought it would be, so long as I kept in moving forward at a good pace. It was like riding a pedal bicycle in that respect. And if the noise had awoken Mason, then it hadn’t brought him outside while I was still in view of the house.
The winding dirt road seemed to stretch on forever. My earlier thoughts sprang back to mind, about it being a good place to go if you never wanted to be seen again,. If I crashed, the chances that anyone other than Mason would find me were pretty slim. I’d no idea what I was going to do once I’d actually got out of there either.
The feeling of being alone settled over me. I faltered as I looked beyond the motorcycle’s headlight. Nothing but darkness waited for me out there. Even the stars seemed to be hiding.
Eventually, the scrub began to open up and I caught a glimpse of the highway. My heart leaped with optimism. I was going to make it. Mason couldn’t catch me on foot. This time I was going to get away.
I stopped the bike at the edge of the highway. Which way had we come from? I bit my lip and chose to go right. Eden had to be in that direction. What I was going to do when I got back to Eden was unclear, but I just wanted to be where other people were. I needed big crowds. They couldn’t hurt me in big crowds. Could they?
The highway was scary. I’d never ridden a motorcycle anywhere before, let alone on a highway. The idea of heading into town on it was daunting. I decided I’d ditch it just before I got to town. I’d probably be less noticeable on foot anyway. I reckoned the chances that someone would recognize the motorcycle of the leader of the GRMC were pretty high.
I took a deep breath. I was going to make it. I just had to be smart about it.
No one was going to scare me into submission ever again. Fuck, Mason. Fuck the GRMC. Fuck this whole damn life. Josh might have been an asshole, but that betrayal had taught me nothing in comparison to the last few weeks with Mason. The world was a lot shittier than the petty crap I’d had going on.
I blinked tears. The wind caught them and whipped then away.
“I don’t need anyone,” I whispered into the night.