The Perks of Being a Freak (Editing)

92. Plan B

That week was tense.

Benny, Emily, and I were all cautious. We tried never to be alone. Simon and Jaeb helped us with that while we were at school, and we stuck together outside of school as well. 

We didn’t know what plan B was. We didn’t know anything, except that we were in danger.

I guess that we acted normal, to an extent, except that I couldn’t stand to look at either of my parents, or my older two brothers. It hurt too much. They had betrayed me.

So maybe it wasn’t coincidence that Aaron was working with Dr. Hanson. Maybe that was how they had found me, and then gotten my medical records from my mother in exchange for college money for my brothers.

What a bitch.

We went to school, we learned, we pretended that everything was fine and we were happy but it was all a lie. We all knew the truth. We had to escape, or else plan B would be initiated and we would go right back to hell.

So we made a plan. We were going to steal a car, probably my mothers. We were going to get on the highway, and drive until we ran out of gas. Simon said that they knew a guy who could get them fake IDs, and since we were all seventeen, it wouldn’t be too hard until we could get real IDs.

We just had to stay hidden until then.

I suggested that we talk through our plan when we got together for our picnic in Boston, and the others agreed. I was excited and nervous. This was the ultimate rebellion. Running away. I would have preferred to graduate high school first, but that couldn’t be helped. Maybe I would never get to be a surgeon like I wanted, but at least I wouldn’t be a weapon.

We never got that chance.

We made it to Boston just fine. We took two cars, Benny’s and mine. Emily, Mitchell, and Jaeb rode with Benny, and Simon and I took all the blankets and food and whatnot.

We parked the cars on the side of the road, and were walking down the street when it began vibrating rhythmically.

Pound. People stopped walking, us included.

Pound. Somewhere nearby a child started wailing. I shared worried glances with the freaks.

Pound. “Is this plan B?” Benny whispered, sounding nervous.

Pound. “I think so,” Mitchell replied, fists tightening.

Pound. Screams were audible, and people came rushing by us, trampling others in their haste to get away.

Pound. A creature came into sight at the end of the block. The sight of it made me go cold. 

Pound. It’s foot made a dent in the concrete.

Rrrrrrgggggggg. A metallic growl was heard as metal teeth were bared. A giant wolf, made entirely of metal, crouched at the end of the road. It had tiny eyes and wickedly sharp teeth.

“Plan B,” I whispered. “Break Boston.”

“Oh, God,” Simon murmured.

The logo on the wolf’s chest was the same logo that marked the top of the manilla envelope that Hanson had given me.