Casing ✔️

Chapter 4

Sniffling, I closed the book I'd been unable to put down all day. There was a crumpled tissue in my hand, and I used it for the umpteenth time to wipe my tears away. The last hundred or so pages of that book broke me completely, and I'd never craved the outside life more than I did at that moment.

The wooden panels on my walls were covered in pages from books I loved, and as I looked over them, I managed to take a deep breath and calm down. My tears stopped after another minute of just existing in my little cave, and I made a mental note of picking up another copy of this book, so I could rip out a page or two and hang it up.

My eyes wandered out the window, towards the city and the lights that had started to twinkle under the evening sky. It hit me that I wanted to know more about the Strac's and their business, and I remembered dad had worked at a nightclub from time to time. Though, the club wasn't the real business; what went down during the day was what made the cash come in. Guns were the primary ware being traded by dad's colleagues. That was part of the reason why he insisted Nina and I learned how to use them from a young age.

I hadn't touched a firearm in years, though, and just the thought made my body shiver.

So instead of dwelling on that, I put my book back on the shelf and walked over to my closet to pick out an outfit fit for clubbing. A black skirt and a glittery tube top would have to do just fine. I didn't want to look too good—or else people might take note of me, and word could get back to dad or Hank that I wasn't at home.

But as I glanced at myself in the mirror, I realized I already did look amazing.

Grabbing my purse, I made sure it was stocked with all I'd need—my phone, pepper spray, wallet—and then I opened up my window and looked down towards the ground. It was far, and I'd never imagined I'd ever dare to do this, but I needed to.

I was done being locked up in this damn tower, and there was nothing dad or Hank could do to make me a prisoner again.

The vines that'd grown outside the house for generations was so stuck into the stone wall and the grooves that it was much easier than I thought to get down. Thick and sturdy green plants. I was grateful to whoever planted them, and to Nina who told me she used them when she snuck out in the beginning. She was living proof it was possible.

As soon as my feet hit the ground, my stomach flipped over, acid burning up towards my throat. I was already regretting this stupidity, but the most prominent voice in my head told me to just go. Go, go, go and don't look back.

So I did.

My heels sunk into the grass as I walked over it, hurrying towards the road so I could wave down a taxi as soon as possible. All my limbs were trembling with adrenaline as I reached the pavement and started walking away from the house, just in case someone looked outside and saw what I was doing.

I'd never gone against dad's wishes like this. Never. Guilt was already eating me up, but it dimmed a little as I reminded myself it was my life—and he had no right to lock me inside a house for so long, no matter how big it was. I needed to live. To breathe. To exist.

To be, or not to be. That's the question. And my answer was easy: To be. Oh, God, I needed a fucking life..

A taxi with the light on on the roof on drove past, and I raised my hand and took a few hurried steps forward to signal I could use it. I was surprised when it slowed down and stopped by the curb a few meters away, and smiled to myself. Maybe it wasn't too bad after all, being out on my own.

"Where to?" The driver smiled at me as I got in and closed the door. He looked me over once, probably appreciating the curve of my breasts under my tight top, but I didn't care.