3 and a half years ago. That's when Luke was 15. That's the year Luke went to a park alone and came home 'evile'. It all makes sense...
568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTnPJNr5Axt
I've got to get out of here. Time to get on my acting.
568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyKWjVmo3Jq
"Officer..." I say in a weak voice. "I'd really like to be alone right now. Could you and your people please leave?" And they obey.
568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiUZbZuOWff
So I wait for five minutes and 29 seconds. That's the new symbol of my life.
568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd8DYUD3rX5
I get up slowly and I creep to my door. I open it, stick my head out, and look both ways. The coast is clear. I ever so cautiously walk out and slowly try to get to the main entrance and LEAVE.
568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp2WipOrqNb
Once in the elevator, I feel safe. That is, until the officer walks in right after me. Crap.
568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5wugdHT9QP
I turn around so that my back is to him. The elevator goes down... and I know when we reach Lobby.
568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0qKk0A8TZY
"Uh... Miss? This is the ground level, if you're getting out on this floor..." he says to me.
568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqSI404h8lu
"Uh... No. I mean, yeah. No. Yeah. Ugh! Goodbye mister," I attempt to say in a deep voice, which ends up sounding like a blue whale in need.
568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ23pvSWEMY7
He walks out. I sigh in relief as the elevator closes, until I realize it's going up to floor 12. I desperately click the 'Open Door' button but it's too late. We're in motion. Up we go.
568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡisAFjfBFaT
~
568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz3nzE0BWBf
After a looong ride up, I'm finally going down. As I'm about to walk out when we reach Lobby level, the doors open and guess who's standing there? The officer with coffee in his hand, staring right at me, the girl who's supposed to stay in room 529 until she or someone else pays the charge against her.
568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡybaFMHvpdr
I run and push past the officer, spilling his coffee on his jacket. The main entrance is only a few yards away...
568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxEZwMx5t9I
And out I am! Along with maybe 100 people chasing me. Well that's what it feels like.
568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLUbmp3vjnJ
I push the valet guy out of the way and hopped into a Mercedes that was turned on and had the key in the ignition. I drive away from the hospital haunted with 529's everywhere: my hospital room number, the price for a pack of gum, and more. Where am I going? Of course. I'm going to stand up to my bully.
568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP5lSW2xHEe
As I drive to the school on this Saturday afternoon, I pass by Everest Park, The Park-That-Took-Away-Luke's-Humanity Park.
568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDfwKIi2D1S
... Wow I must be insane. I laugh to myself in this car. For a second I thought I saw Joey in the park beating up Lawrence. I glance one more time.
568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh0CH75T26D
I slam on the brakes when I look through my window at the park, causing the car behind me to slam into my trunk.
568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz57NdMja30
Luke may have somehow taken Lawrence from the lounge when he was with me, but he must have set him free and let me believe he had him all this time... Oh my god.
568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRXcbfC5lKL
Luke never said he had Lawrence with him... Did he? He may have said 'you'll hear the gunshot’ and things like that but he never said 'I have Lawrence with me'… He could have just shot a chair or something and have me mortified, thinking he shot Lawrence...
568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd7XYudAbrA
And I know that for a fact. Because the limp body in Joey's hand is Lawrence.
568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡStKkNm7twQ
Luke let me believe Derek works at Brandsmart.
Like let me believe he had Lawrence with him.
568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgVPlO85Ev6
Wait! If Lawrence is free... Why did he never try to contact me?! Oh! Stupid me! I took his phone...
568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmZNKFEB0YT
I rush out of the car to where Joey is with Lawrence.
568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtzSET3wFLn
"Joey!" I yell, and he looks at me with a gleam in his eye.
568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnDCqfINhf1
"Hey cupcake! What's shaking? You know, besides this pitiful freak."
568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsLiRo2IFrq
"Leave him alone!" I say, launching myself to him. He lets go of Lawrence, who falls to the ground. I stop abruptly and run to Lawrence instead. I study his face... blood blood blood.
568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM6doPxsW7A
Thank gosh someone had called 911 before I ever got here because I can hear the ambulance nearby. I look up to where Joey was but he's gone.
568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmV5M9RlT86
I grab my backpack and run to the only place he loves more than himself: the isolated alley behind the café he loves. 568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeKlzmNgOc6
