Freaks (Ticci Toby) ((Sequel to Outcasts))

Chapter Twenty-Five;

Kerigan

"Mom he was just thanking me!" I yell again, watching her pace back and forth in my room.

Isaac had stepped downstairs, and my mother and I had been arguing for what seemed like forever now.

"You expect me to believe that? After I walk in on you, shirtless, your legs spread from here to Kentucky, him between your goddamn knees? His face buried in your chest?"

"SO WHAT?" I snapped, anger boiling in my stomach.

"The last time you brought home a weird boy he KILLED MY LOVE AND KIDNAPPED YOU!" She screamed.

"Like I could fucking forget! You forget, I WAS THE ONE STUCK WITH HIM FOR YEARS! You forget, I was the one who was stolen and abused and locked away for two and a half years! I missed everything! Isaac understands that! He's the only one that fucking understands! You dont think he and I would have a connection? We fucking RAN AWAY FROM OUR SHARED KIDNAPPERS TOGETHER!" I rounded on her, flinging my arms out.

"I could understand if you would talk about it with me!" She cried. She was trying to make herself the victim, like always.

"Do you really think I want to talk about what I fucking went through down there? You think I want to talk about the abuse? About the fear? About how he would take advantage of me? Hurt me? Scream at me? Treat me like a fucking prize? You think I wanna tell my mother I was a sex trophy for 3 years? Is that what you want to hear?" I snap, screaming at her. "You wanna hear about the twisted shit he would subject me to? How he described Uncle Lynels Murder in detail? How he would INSIST he was the hero? And punish me if I even IMPLIED any different? You wanna hear about how he would corner me in the shower and I would just stand and take it? Because I was so fucking scared I'd never make it out of that fucking house!" I wiped my eyes, wet with angry tears I didn't even know were rolling down my cheeks.

"You need to talk about this stuff with someone!" She yells, all pretense of "woe-is-me" gone. Now she had something to work with.

"I do! I tell Isaac because he was THERE! I talk about what we BOTH went through and it helps! You sitting here accusing me of being a whore doesn't do a damn thing!"

Her eyes hardened. "I never said--" she started, but I wasn't going to sit there and take it any more.

"BULLSHIT! You were screaming at me because you found me with my shirt off in my own motherfucking room, with the man who's been there for me more than you ever will worshipping me for helping him!" I yelled.

Her hand stung across my cheek.

I stared at her, eyes wide. Watched the fear fill her eyes as she stumbled back, her eyes staring at my stomach as she screamed. Isaac ran up the stairs, flung the door open, screamed my name, and ran in front of me, grabbing my flaming fists and patting the blue fire out. Blocking me from my mother's sight only pissed her off more.

"Dont touch my daughter!" She yelled, launching up to grab Isaac. Before she could lay a hand on him, I threw my hand up, and she stopped part of the way there. She stared at me in shock and fear. "What the fuck are you? How are you doing that? Let me go!"

"Dont you fucking ever lay a hand on either of us. Ever. I am stronger than you will ever be. And I am not scared of you anymore." I hissed.

"Get the fuck out of my house! You freak!" She screamed, and I flung my arm, pushing her towards my door. The door slams behind her, all while Isaac is still inspecting me for more injuries than the one on my face.

"Shes calling the cops. Help me pack!" I snap, ripping away from his hands. I grab my backpack and fill it with clothes, the little bit of money I still had, my soap, and whatever else I could fit in it. Isaac did the same, making sure to grab out talisman off the dresser.

"Where are we going?" He asked worriedly.

"Any fucking place but here." I snapped as I dug out the backpack I had brought from the Underealm. I went to empty it, to see what all I needed from it, like my first aid kit, my lighter--

A mailing envelope flopped on the floor.

"What's that?" Isaac asked in worry. I bent down to pick it up.

The front read "Good Luck," in cursive scrawling script. There was  an L in that same writing, and a rough scratchy J.

"Jack." I whisper. I open the envelope to find a thick pile of money.

I cover my mouth in shock, and slowly pull out the wad of cash. It was all hundreds. I only counted ten before I decided that if I counted anymore, I would have a heart attack.

"I guess the answer to my question is any goddamn place we want." Isaac chuckled, just as the police sirens blared down the street.

"We need to get to them first," I snap, grabbing our bags and running down the stairs, Isaac at my heel.

The cops pulled up, and one jumped out.

"Whoa, where y'all goin?" He asked.

"Anywhere but fucking here." I snapped, pushing tears into my voice.

"You alright miss?" He shut his door and pulled us aside as my mother came running out screaming. I shook my head and sniffle.

"No! I'm so sick of this fucking house. I may have escaped but there hasn't been a goddamn day I haven't been imprisoned in three goddamn years!" I screamed across the yard at her. I gingerly touched my cheek.

"She hit you?" He asked, and I nodded, letting him inspect it with his flashlight. I knew it was bruising. I made sure it was with a fist to the cheek. "Do you want to press charges?"

"No. Honestly, I just want to fucking go. Shes fucking crazy. Keeps saying I set myself on fire, and that I lifted her up without touching her? Like telepathy or something, I dont know what the fuck is wrong with her but she got super violent." I whisper, and Isaac grabs my hand. The lie rolled off my tongue. It wasn't technically a lie. Just a little twisted.

"Does she have other kids?" He asked, suddenly looking alot more worried as Mom screamed.

"Yeah. Two young girls and an 11 year old. I think Memaw can take them if you need to find someone to keep them safe." He nodded, and got my grandmother's name and number. As he stepped away, I squeezed Isaac's hand and whispered, "Night, cover us. Tell them that they have all they need from us. Let us be and let us escape."

The wind swirled around me, and I knew it had worked when the cop looked up and stared at nothing for a good 6 seconds before going back to writing. I turned and pulled Isaac away from the scene. Isaac squeezed my hand and followed me dutifully.

"Where to now?" He asked breathlessly, as I pulled him along a path still burned into my brain. It wasn't 10 minutes before we came up on the old house. Isaac didnt know what it was, but I did. "Where are we?"

I walked up the front sidewalk. The key was still under the now decimated lavender plant. I opened the door and stepped inside.

Completely untouched. Good.

"Were at the boys old house. Because if there's any way to defeat them, it'll be in this house." I told Isaac. He watched me triple check the doors and windows to make sure they're locked, and then tried the light switch.

3 years. They flickered. But they turned on.

"Must be auto-pay." He whispered in awe, looking around. I searched the house for more openings, passing the bench by the door with pictures covering it.

There was LJ at his piano recital. Tim at his inauguration to Student Body President. Ben holding the first place trophy, being hoosted up by his teammates.

Toby and I on snowball night. I took the picture in my hand.

My fist burst into flames. It disintegrated in my hands.

The memory was no longer sweet.

"So where are we gonna sleep?" Isaac asked. Without a word, I led him upstairs, past Toby's room, to Jack's room. It was small, didnt have a window, and had a lock on the inside. We piled in and I locked the door. I lay in the black sheets bed, and open my arms, beckoning Isaac in. He gingerly lays next to me, and I press my ear to his chest.

I close my eyes.

And dreams overtake me.