𝐒𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐦𝐬

Chapter One

Freedom is a word I never really thought about because it never really seemed important. That was until my parents died. Then I begged for it. My aunt was the living devil on Earth, and she hated me above all else. If it wasn't for my uncle, I would probably be dead. He was the only one that cared for me not my aunt nor my aunt's mini version. Well, my cousin, she's just as bad as my aunt. They treat me like some modern-day Cinderella except I'm actually related to them. Hell, I'm lucky I even can go to school most days if I'm not unconscious from what they put me through. 

Of course, my cousin is popular she's the modern-day Athena and everyone watches her. Then they see me and it's like Medusa all over again. But I still have my friends and they're good for me. Well apart from the fact that I'm one of the only single ones. I forget the last time Tatum was single or Stu. Billy and Sidney at least seem like a stable couple. My only other friends I have are Casey who's currently with Stu then there was Randy. The other single like me; still surprised he hasn't asked me out yet. Casey my closest friend is the only one my "parents" approve of me having also she lives two blocks down so if my aunt needs me, she normally calls me to run home as soon as possible only for me to come back to her limping with a cut lip and some other fresh cut reopened from the long list of past beatings. 

I hoped someday this would change but I knew it never would. However tonight was different, my aunt and cousin were going out for the night that meant I could hang at Casey's and not worry about being abused for a whole night. Whether that guarantees the morning is another line of thought, but I knew I wasn't going to let thoughts of my aunt ruin my night with Casey and what were we doing? Irresponsibly watching a scary movie in the dark. Why? Because what else do you do with freedom from your own horror than terrify yourself with the fake horror of others. So here I was with Casey walking to her house from the end of another torment of school listening to Casey tell me how she finally left Stu for this new boy Steve.

I wasn't really paying attention if I was being honest, I was still stuck on the thoughts of my morning to come. Coming up to the welcoming sight of her home I smiled, here was my sliver of freedom for tonight. Going into the house time passed into the darkness of night with our futile conversations. As the sky finally settled into a dark black, I was finally sent to the kitchen to start making the popcorn, more specifically Casey's Jiffy Pop. "Killer Clowns from Outer Space or Child's Play?" Casey suddenly yells to me from the kitchen, and I smile knowingly. "Child's Play obviously the clowns were weird," I reply, and I hear her laugh. "Of course," she spoke happily, and I smiled. It drops slightly at the sound of the phone ringing. "I'll get it," Casey calls out and I just nod to myself.

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"Hello?" Casey's voice rings into the small handheld she had pressed to her ear. "Hello," a deep man's voice echoes into the phone travelling deep into Casey's ears. Then a silence fills the room Casey stands in. "Yes?" Casey then asks into the phone and finally I decide to look to her. She just nods her head suggesting its fine and I return to the popcorn. "Who is this?" the deep voice asks again, and Casey just looks confused. "Who are you trying to reach?" she asks cautiously into the device. "What number is this?" the man asks again, and this gets Casey feeling more unsettled. She turns toward the direction of her friend but decides against worrying her any more than necessary. "What number are you trying to reach?" Casey asks innocently unsettling feelings resting in her gut. "I don't know," the deep voice drawls again causing a shiver to cross up Casey's spine. "I think you have the wrong number," Casey says with valour trying to mask her slight fear. "Do I?" the voice asks, and this raises Casey's heartbeat slightly. "It happens. Take it easy," Casey says calmly fear running her veins as she finally ends the call with a click.