“Good thing I’m not the romantic type, otherwise I’d be overcome with love and excitement right now.”
Dad hums. “Well, she’s not all bad. Like I said, she’s good on the computer. But she has a talent for making you want to rip your own hair out.”
“Gees, you’re really selling me on this.”
Dad chuckles. “I’m sure you can beat her into shape. This will be good for all of us, son.”
While they go back and forth about how incredible and perfect I am, I crack one eye open into a slit, spying the wide-open door behind this man. If I can get my muscles to move in sync again, if I can get my bones to whir to life, I could make a run for it now. I could make it out there and just keep running. They wouldn’t catch me.
Do it,the darkness whispers.
The encouragement spurts the machinery in my body to life. I lunge in an eruption of adrenaline. Freedom is a few feet away and I make the leap.Fuck yes, I’m gone.
Freedom feels a lot like a brick wall. My body hits the marble with a crunching thump, elbows and skull smashing into the ground. A roaring buzzing fills my brain, and pure agony consumes every muscle, bone and nerve in my body.
“What the fuck?!”
“I’m so sorry,” Dad says. “She’s a bit out of it at the moment. She’ll be alright in a couple days. She never takes long to bounce back. One of the few good things about her. She’s a strong one.”
“She just fucking attacked me.”
“I think she was going for the door, if I know my daughter.”
I’m hefted up off the floor again and dropped back into the wheelchair, my entire skeleton screaming in agonised protest.
A long, slow sigh blows near me before the guy says, “Alright, whatever. Thanks.”
Movement begins, and I realise I’m being wheeled forward. I can just about make out the blurry shape of a dark grey, sleek-looking car.
“Can you walk?”
It’s probably directed at me, but I’m currently too busy channelling every ounce of strength to make one last ditch attempt to run out to the field to the side of us to answer.
“Fucking great,” the guy mutters.
He appears at my side, and his arms go to scoop my limp body up.
NOW!
The word is like an electric charge to my limbs. I spring into action once more. I don’t think I make it two steps before I’m hauled back by a fist in my hair.
I let out a pained shriek and the guy growls impatiently, like dealing with a disobedient child. “Fuck this.”
A sharp jab plunges into my arm. Then the darkness beckons me in with open arms.
CHAPTER 2
ELODIE
“What you gonna do with her?”
“Fuck knows. Her dad was useless in giving me any tips. Says she only works and that’s it.”
“Well, I’m sure you’ll find some use for her, if the rumours are to be true. Some wet, warm use. Plus, if she’s crazy, you two will get along great, aye, Alf?”
“I don’t need crazy. I need someone to keep me grounded.”
There are a million voices around me. My senses are awake enough to warn me not to move. To try to filter through these voices and identify them. I am also acutely aware of how unbelievably soft the thing I’m lying on is. It’s not stone, cobble, brick. It’s a bed. Yuck.
