PROLOGUE
January 3rd 1997
Pattie and Butch led me up the hill. They didn’t turn back to see if I was still following. Somehow I think they knew I still would. They scared me, I won’t lie. They scared the hell out of me. They scared the hell out of everyone but I was too chicken to be mean to them like everyone else. I decided that I would be nice but that just made everyone consider me to be like them.
A freak. A bloody outcast. And I rue the day that I let Pattie sit next to me a lunch. I rue the day I told her I had a crush on the boy who I didn’t know was her brother and most importantly, I rue the day she declared me as her best friend.
They stopped finally and I could take a breath. Pattie and Butch looked at me funny and began to laugh.
“Can’t stand just a teeny walk, Eloise?” Butch said. “Shut up. Can’t you see she’s tired? What kind of boyfriend are you anyways?” Pattie smacked Butch upside his head. “Give her your sweater. She likes them gentlemen type.” “I’m fine.” I said and watched the puff of air escape from my mouth. “You sure?” Pattie asked. “City folk like you ain’t used to country air.” “She said she’s fine, Pattie.” Butch said. “Just do what you came to do and let’s leave. Dad’s gonna be real mad if he’s home and he don’t see us.” Pattie pulled out a leather pouch from her jacket. It was worn out and was tearing at the seams. She opened it and brought out a pocket knife and a small jar. I gasped. I saw Butch smirk. He probably saw my reaction. “Gimme your hand.” Pattie said. Normally anything she said I would do without question but this was just too far. "Why?” “’Cause I said so. Now shut your mouth and give me your hand.” She grabbed me by the arm and extended it to reach her. She cut my wrist, right on the vein. The blood flowed without stopping and she collected it in the jar. She did the same to her hand. I began to hate myself. How could I be associated with such people? She smiled and showed off her crooked, yellow teeth. “There. Now we’re bound together.” She screwed the lid back on the jar and shook it. “For life.” She took out a strip of cloth form her pocket and tied it onto my wrist. “It will hold the blood until we get back to town.”
I remained silent throughout the journey back to town. I just took a blood oath. A freaking blood oath. It was against my will but I did it. Pattie and Butch played around and I watched them. They wrestled a bit and to my surprise, Pattie won. They did everything from a spitting contest to a game of tag. I wondered if I would ever be free from them. I considered convincing my mom to move or me running away. But Pattie’s words rung in my ears. ‘Bound together. For life.’
