Riding with strangers to hell knows where
I pressed my forehead against the cold glass of a black tinted car. Outside the window, blurring into one indistinct picture, the trees of an unfamiliar dense forest flashed by. “I was taught not to get into a car with strangers, so where are they taking me now?” I thought belatedly. Despair mingled with fear, making her heart race.
The day before…
Cold drops of autumn rain fall on your face. I am lying on a bench at the entrance to the cemetery. My eyes are closed. Tears slowly trickle down your cheeks, mixing with raindrops. The head is completely blank. And only my heart shrinks from unbearable pain and despair, proving that I am still alive. And it would be better to die. Together with her. I looked at the small pendant in my hand - the only thing left of it - and tears began to fall with renewed vigor.
- Fox!
I squeezed my eyes shut even more irritably. No one wanted to hear or see.
- Fox! Damian was breathing hard from the fast run. - It's good that I found you.
Of course I found it, as if I didn’t know where to look! This bench has almost become my home. For a week now I have been lying on it, like another corpse that they forgot to bury in the ground, returning to the hated father only to spend the night and eat. Mom died two weeks ago from a long illness that had haunted her since I was born. Doctors said that childbirth took too much strength from her, and this undermined her health. For this I hated myself. But even more I hated my father. I don’t know how my mother married him at all, only in my memory I never saw her happy with this man. My father liked to take a drink, earned little, and harassed my mother with his difficult character.
For the first three days after the funeral, I just cried, lying on my bed in the dark. Then my father, rolling the whites of his alcohol-clouded eyes and splashing saliva, yelled at me to immediately start doing household chores and stop skipping school. When he raised his hand to persuade me with a good slap to obey his order, I ran away. I jumped out of the house in what I was and wandered for a long time around the deserted outskirts of our small town. Finally, my feet carried me to the cemetery. I didn't want to see my mother's grave. I just lay down on the bench at the entrance and lay there until the evening, until the stars lit up one after another in the night sky. A cold piercing wind ruffled my thick black hair and climbed under a thin blouse. But I wasn't cold. I did not care.
At night, while my father slept, I crept through the attic window to my room, and in the morning I was again lying on the cemetery bench. In the afternoon I came back to eat. The father was at work. He didn't even look for me, didn't ask if I was alive. But today was a day off, and I didn’t want to go home.
- Lisa, get up immediately and come home! Damian leaned over the bench.
I sat up and sighed in exasperation.
- Domi! Are you running errands for my father? I don't want to see him.
- Yes, he is not looking for you! I didn’t come at his request, for sure, - Damian grunted, - there are five black armored Mercs near your house!
I furrowed my brows in disbelief. Has dad crossed the path of some big shot? No, it's impossible. Where is he and where are the big shots. They won't even cross paths on this planet. I shrugged my shoulders indifferently and lay down on my couch again.
- They came for you, Lisa!
- Domi! - Irritation accumulated. - Do not talk nonsense, and do not bother me to die. I don't care who they are or what they want.
- Alicia! “Damian was pretty damn stubborn if he wanted something. Since childhood, we lived in the neighborhood and knew each other as flaky. Together we went to school and to the aikido section. If Damian set himself a goal, even a bulldozer would not turn him off the path. I still won't let you die. And anyway, I already told those people that I know you, and promised to bring you home.
I sat up abruptly.
- You're a traitor! Surrendered his childhood friend to strangers in armored cars?!
Damian lowered his eyes guiltily. I got up with a sigh. What difference does it make where and how to die. You can also at home from the hands of unknown bandits. Damian followed.
Father nervously tapped his fingers on the table. The sight of the bullies frightened him, but he stubbornly argued with the men in black suits (there were four of them). They filled half the room with their huge, muscular figures, making it seem tiny. As soon as I crossed the threshold, my father gave me an evil look. He still smelled of fumes.
- My daughter! She must stay with me. Who will work around the house? And yes, she can make money. I can't give it away! “Here, steam is coming out of his ears.” It suddenly seemed to me that I was a product on the market, for which two buyers were arguing.
- This is not discussed, we have all the documents confirming that you are not the father of Alicia Kedano. And now, when she turned sixteen two months ago, she herself has the right to choose in whose family she lives.
The man in black stood up and turned to me.
- Alicia, I'm here to take you home. I hope you will not refuse my offer immediately. I know that this is too unexpected, you will have time to find out everything. Think until tomorrow. I'll drop by in the morning. I hope the answer is positive.
So this is official? On you? My eyebrows went up. The black cabinets left the house, and the room became more spacious again.
- Listen carefully! Just try to agree to go with them! - Father, breathing furiously, jumped up to me and grabbed my hand. - It was I who raised you, paid for clothes and food! It's your turn to repay the debt. You stay here and get a job! The disgusting smell of alcohol wafted into my face.
- Let go! Tears welled up in my eyes.
“Sit in your room and think carefully about who you owe for everything you have!”
He dragged me, twisting my wrist painfully, into my room. The key clanged in the door.
I lay on the bed, swallowing the tears rising to my throat. Why is all this happening to me. His whole body was shaking with fear. While my mother was alive, my father, although he shouted, did not dare to raise his hand against me. But now his anger, swelling, threatened to turn into physical violence. I was scared.
Alicia Kedano. The name came to mind unexpectedly. Why Kedano? I'm Alicia Dixon. And what a strange surname - Kedano? The thought that my father was not my own at all, for some reason, calmed and pleased. Do I really have another family somewhere? And can I get away from here, from this hated man? Hands shook with excitement. Determination slowly filled every cell of the body. I already knew my choice. The only thing that bothered me was who would take care of my mother's grave? However, I can come to the cemetery. Nobody will stop me from doing this. My heart felt better for the first time in two weeks.
In the morning I woke up from a roar. After a couple of minutes, heavy steps accompanied by the indignant cries of my father proceeded to my room. The roar repeated, but this time the door of my bedroom flew out.
“This man,” the man in black did not even look at his father, “claims that you refused my offer. But I would like to hear it in person.
I, standing on the bed in pajamas and with disheveled hair, slowly shifted my gaze from the man to my father. There was a clear threat in his eyes.
"We were talking about this yesterday," he warned in no uncertain terms.
And then I made up my mind.
- I'm going! I'm going with you!
The father turned pale, his eyes were filled with blood. But in front of a stranger, he restrained himself, allowing himself only to hiss furiously: “Well, thank you, daughter!”
I didn’t have much to pack: all my clothes fit into a small suitcase. I did this in ten minutes. The father did not leave the house to see him off. I chuckled. The man in black loaded my small luggage into the car and politely opened the door for me.
- Fox! - a friend jumped out of a neighboring yard. Damian was surprisingly cheerful. Not even sorry that I'm leaving?! And will not take an interest in what is happening and where they are taking me?! Me too, friend. - Bon Voyage! - he waved his hand and, stumbling upon the frown of one of my escorts, suddenly made a slight bow. What?! Did Damian go crazy with fear? I must say that the cortege of five expensive black Mercedes, which, as I noticed, were stuffed with closet-like bodyguards, caused shivers. But not to the point of bowing down to them. Let them be at least thrice as rich as Arab sheikhs. I shook my head in puzzlement and climbed into the luxurious leather interior. Damian waved after the departing cars for a long time. There was a strange smile on his lips.
I hate new schoolsWe drove for a long time. Right for a very long time. I managed to take a nap, and when I woke up, the road went deep into some unrealistically dense dark forest. Tall pines interspersed with shaggy firs, creating a surreal picture. Spirits, or dragons, or, for example, werewolves, must certainly live in this forest. I shrugged my shoulders, driving away stupid thoughts about fairy-tale characters. But the road didn't end there. “Here's a fool, I believed unknown peasants who take me to a dense forest,” - only then the whole danger of the situation dawned on me.“Hmm,” she cleared her throat, her voice trembling with fear, “are you taking me to my own father?”- Not.Not? And that is all? Will he say no more? The man silently stared at the road."S-sorry, then where are we going?"- Home.Somehow not very informative. I gently tugged at the handle of the car. Jumping at full speed, of course, is stupid, and even in a dense forest ..."You don't have to worry," the m
In vain I got excitedIt's great that the lessons were going on, and I slipped out of the school unnoticed. Returning to the hostel, I suddenly discovered that there were no locks in the room. None at all. Well, okay, let's say they're all like a friendly family here and trust each other, but I don't know anyone. She sighed resignedly and dragged the heavy chair to the door. Carefully propped up the handle, I felt calmer.- Domi, you saw me off and happily forgot?! - Damian picked up the phone only on the third attempt to get through to a friend. Evil is missing. - I saw your treacherous smile when I left! We have been friends since childhood, I thought you might even cry. At least pretend.- Brrr! Why are you so scary? Did you like the new school? - Damian was not at all upset by the thrashing from his girlfriend, on the contrary, he seemed indecently cheerful. Have you found friends yet?- Clearly, I will not wait for tears from you, traitor. I'll get straight to the point...- Hey
In one fairy tale, a girl was walking in the woods and met bears...The alarm clock on the phone played some kind of cheerful melody, urging you to wake up cheerfully and greet the morning joyfully. We need to change the tune. A funeral march would be fine. I grope for my gadget in the dark and randomly poke buttons. Finally, the alarm is silenced. I throw off the covers and, dipping my body into the cool air of the room, wander into the bathroom. I scream sharply from a strong blow with my little toe on an unknown, but terribly hard object. And finally I wake up. I look around the room in bewilderment, and my memory showers me with yesterday's memories like a cold shower. I'm not at home. In general, God knows where, in a luxurious school for rich kids, lost in a dense forest. And it all sounds damned unbelievable. Outside, the pre-dawn twilight colors the sky dark grey. I listen to the silence in the corridor, and I understand that everyone is still sleeping. Exactly Lessons will on
Did I already say I hate new schools?From time to time I pulled down my jacket, trying to cover up the tight blouse. Aina smiled contentedly. We entered the class together. As expected, everyone tried to hide their eyes, pretending that I did not exist. However, the silence that settled in the office for a couple of minutes spoke of the opposite. Despite Aina's objections, I took the very last desk in the corner of the class in order to completely hide from prying eyes. And only after that did I furtively look around to find out with whom I would study. And here's another oddity - there were only girls in the class. Well, where are the guys promised by Aina? Just worried for nothing. However, it didn't get any easier. Viola sat behind the first desk. You must be lucky to be in the same class. She only threw a look of contempt in my direction once and continued to discuss her fashionable bag (apparently new) with the girls. They nodded obsequiously to her. Typical sixes.The teacher c
Not the kind of meeting with my father I expectedZark stood leaning against the window sill, arms folded across his chest. His fiery gaze was capable of burning a hole through Principal Rice. Morgan Rice's hands are shaking, or is it me?Of course, I was stupid when I immediately stated that Viola was the first to start attacking. Zarq hurled deadly at me:- More on that later!Now he was going to solve another issue, in fact, then he dragged me here."The elders wanted to play with me?" There was a growl in his voice. She was tricked into being brought here. She does not even understand where she got to and what they want to use her for!Damn it! A chill ran down his back. I've gotten myself into something that's clearly not good.Director Rice paled slightly.- Sir, do not misunderstand, the decision was made for practical reasons. It needs to be introduced gradually. It's a delicate question, you know...- I was against it from the very beginning! Zark slammed his fist on the wind
Kedano... My real father's last name. Kedano is a killer. That's what Zark wrote on that piece of paper. My father killed the man in the photo?I lay on the bed and listened to the anxious beating of my heart. I wanted so badly to meet my father. My mom looked happy in that photo next to him. I couldn't believe that my father could be the killer.The girls had long since returned to the dormitory after extracurricular activities and were getting ready for bed. I habitually propped up the door handle with a chair. Didn't sleep again. You will fall asleep here when the thoughts of the note do not go out of your head. Ask Zarq directly? But where can you find this ever-disappearing “groom”?For a while, she lay staring at the ceiling. The only person I know who knows Zark well and isn't afraid to talk to me is Tobias. How do I catch him at school if he's with guys all the time? The beast howled long. Yesterday seems to be the same? Right now, I'm definitely not sleeping. Footsteps rustle
Cunning bitch, how did you get meAs one would expect, different gossips crawled around the school, one more entertaining and colorful than the other. I sluggishly trudged along after Aina with a ghostly hope that they had forgotten about me during the day of my absence. However, stories about exploits usually always outstrip the hero of the story, acquiring new incredible details. As a result, by the end of the school day, it turned out that I was cuckolding Zark with his best friend (how banal, no fantasy!) Toby, and therefore they had a fight at night, since Zark caught Toby and I in his room doing indecent activities. And in this regard, everyone was interested in the question, why is Toby still alive?After the lessons, Viola came up to my desk and quietly muttered:- And you are not a miss, sh ... ha!“I think that’s what they call those who hang themselves around the neck of other people’s suitors,” I retorted in the same tone.- You still get it! Viola switched to a hiss.- A
Goodbye Viola, I'm moving outZarq promised to resolve the “misunderstanding” himself and left the hostel. It was impossible to tell from his cold face whether he believed me. Viola smiled triumphantly.- Ate? My Zark! - she hissed and walked away.I plopped down on the bed wearily. My head hurt unbearably. I'll probably sleep in before school. Although, I'd love to skip it. But she could no longer show her weakness in front of the blond bitch. Enough! Don't think she can get away with everything.“Listen, don’t mess with her,” Aina tries to calm my anger at school.- She runs herself up!- If you start a fight now, she will come out dry again.Indeed, Viola is surprisingly well-behaved. Just an angel in the flesh. From her joyful face becomes sick.I return to the hostel in a bad mood. In front of the door to my room, I freeze in disbelief. Yes, when will it end? Now my room is completely empty. I fly to Viola without delay.Entering a turn at a turn, I hit my nose into something ver