Monique

The Great Adventure

Monique watches with tired, but alert eyes, as bright rays of sunlight stream through her tattered curtains. Her heart sinks as she scans her room.

Clothes are strewn across the floor. Some of them have been ripped in half. Her table has been thrown upside down. There are more cracks on the wall. Monique holds her breath and falls back on the pillows. Her heart lurches at the sound of crinkling paper beneath her head. She slowly lifts her head and feels under the pillow. Something cold and crinkly touches her fingertips and Monique grabs it, bringing it out into the open.

It's a Blood Red.

Monique's head pounds. The blood rushes to her head. Her heart rate accelerates. Her mouth waters.

Just one. One bite. One taste. It will help her forget. It will numb her senses.

Just one bite.

Just one.

She shakes her head and releases the Blood Red, watching as it lands on the carpet. She smiles at the sound of the garage door opening and hurries towards the window to see her parents driving away.

Her mind spins into overdrive. She knows what she has to do.

She needs to get out.

Monique grabs the duffel bag she took to Stella's place and adds some extra clothes to it, along with her laptop, the charger and her Internet connection USB, before zipping it up. She hurries towards her drawer and takes the credit card her parents gave her. Finding the car key isn't easy. It takes her ten minutes to find it under her wardrobe.

Monique hastily changes out of her blue pyjamas into jeans and a jacket, and forces her feet into some boots.

Smiling, she picks up the duffel bag and turns the cold metal knob of her room door. For a second she holds her breath, hoping the door would open. With a slight creak, it does. Monique doesn't hesitate -she slams the door behind her and rushes down stairs. She hurriedly grabs some non-perishable items from the pantry, knowing her mum would never notice a single thing missing unless it's her coffee.

As Monique hurries to the garage, she pauses for a brief second in front of the door leading to the basement. It beckons her closer, like a magnet it wants her. Monique can almost hear the voices in her head. She remains firm and hurries into the garage. She places the bag in the boot and opens the garage door.

Her heart beats erratically in her chest. She has to get out. She has to leave this place. Fear seizes her. What if her parents arrive home? What if someone from school sees her?

Monique shakes her head. There's no harm in trying. She drives out of the garage and watches as the door shuts behind her.

As she drives down the street, she doesn't think of Stella or her parents. She thinks of John, Jimmy Timms and Caroline Doll.

She thinks of the Blood Red beside her.