HUNGER || #Wattys2018

Chapter 3 'Get free'

LILY-Rose and Ryder Walker met us in the bathroom after medication the next day, like they said they would. I still didn't trust them. I mean, Lily Rose was a doll faced demon and Ryder was just strange, but who was I to judge?

The fact that they hadn't snitched on us yet was a good sign.

It was harder to slip away from class this time but I don't think anyone had noticed us. We had been careful. When teachers were approaching, we would hide in the shadowy corners of the hallways until they had passed and practiced what we would say if we got caught.

"S-skyler's started to bleed. She doesn't have a pad." And the teacher would believe us because what reason did we have to lie, such good girls like us?

At lunch, we conspired by the trash cans again and discussed what we'd do after classes ended, since we were now a team of some sorts. Ryder excitably suggested that we could go to Malory woods as her big squirrel eyes darted around the cafeteria. I hear there are cannies there at night.

And without a better idea, we'd all agreed.

We convened outside the gates after school ended, faraway from the leering eyes of teachers and nosy girls. Our alliance had caused quite a stir. New rumors were floating around about Skyler Thimble starting a wolf pack or something, whispered in awe as we walked down the corridors together.

Is that what we were. A pack? I didn't mind these rumors. In fact, I quite enjoyed them. No one knew about our daily rendezvous in the girl's bathroom so we were safe, for now.

I'd never felt so alive. So bad-ass (I liked this word. I'd heard it in one of papa's action movies. He'd let me watch them sometimes when mother was not around).

Skyler gave us all plastic walkie talkies that she had bought at the local supermarket so we could communicate with eachother when we were not together, incase something went wrong.

We had even created code language during break time. Ace was code for stray meat and Red if one of us had been caught discarding our pills. Of course we would create more later on.

It was quiet up here. I thought as we peddled up the steep narrow hill that lead to Malory Woods, past acres of green fields and pine trees. Much more peaceful than the city.

I'd had to pull my bicycle out of the garage the night before. Mother had stopped me in the living room where she was watching a Christian dating show on the telly to ask me what I was doing out so late.

I was getting my bike. My friends and I are going to the park. I replied. This was the truth, wasn't it? She didn't need to know what exactly I was going to use it for.

I could tell that she was still suspicious. She watched me with her all knowing owl eyes and said : "Well, have fun then," before turning back to the television.

MALORY WOODS. The sign welcomed us as we rode past the entrance, through the narrow dirt paths that were shrouded with tall proud pine trees and across muddy valleys.

Somewhere along our journey, we'd gotten off our bikes and started to walk, since the woodland terrain was much too rough.

The hoots and howls of the wild creatures echoed around us whilst we walked down the dirt paths, stepping over snapped branches and pushing past bushes until we reached a clearing in the woods where a small mass of water glistened like a mirage underneath the dim sunlight.

We dropped our bikes on the ground and approached the lake. It felt like we were the only people on earth, teethering on the edge of the universe.

Or maybe there was somebody watching us from behind the trees? Maybe when we were not paying attention, they would sneak up on us and and kill us all.

What an exilerating thought that was!

In the distance the blue birds chirped and the lake water was so clear, you could see the fishes swimming underneath it.

We sat on the bank and watched the waves roll onto the shore, throwing rocks onto the surface to see which one of us could get ours the furthest. I was swinging my arm to angle my throw when I saw Skyler walking up to the river bank from the corner of my eye.

I paused, dropped the rock and turned to watch her from the clifftop, shielding my eyes from the sun rays with the palm of my hand.

Skyler called out to us with her shark like smile, telling us to take off our clothes and I quote, join me for fucks sake. She'd always had a foul mouth. She zipped down her plaid dress and took a deep gasp of air before frolocking into the sun kissed river.

We exchanged nervous glances but did as were told, slowly unzipping our own dresses and letting them bundle of fabric pool at our feet before stepping out of them like a snake discarding of its old skin.

She was standing hip deep in the lake now, beckoning us to come over with her outspread hands. "Justine, you first." She said with a wink. I understood this wink. It was our own secret language.

I hesitantly walked past Lily-Rose and Ryder, crossing one arm across my naked breasts and the other ontop of my womanhood. I'd never been exposed like this infront of anyone except for mother and it had been a few years since she'd since me completely naked. I was so scared, I was trembling in fear as I stepped into the lake.

Skyler Thimble smiled at me and slowly untangled my gangly limbs from around my body whilst the gentle tide lapped against my skin.

She raised my chin up and looked at me with eyes so dark, it felt like falling into a black hole. "No one can make you feel ashamed of this body. Not ever again."

Glossy tears brimmed in my eyes and slid across my cheek, bathing me in her words.

As she scooped handfuls of water into her hand and poured them over my head, Skyler told us a story.

A story about a magical underwater kingdom in her bathtub that drowned out the noises of life. Sometimes, she'd want to stay forever but she always kept coming back up for air.

I held my breath as they lowered me into the water, letting the tide wash over me and carry me away.

I could feel their hands under my body, supporting me. Silently telling me that everything was going to be okay.

But the calm lullaby of darknes soon began to morph into something else; a dream.

And in this dream, I was running through a dark, dark forest with no beginning or end.

And at first I thought, I am being hunted I am going to die! but the longer I ran the clearer it became-

I WAS the hunter.