Chapter One
Brodie
“No way,” Angus exclaimed from the dining table. He was looking at his phone while speaking to my father and brother; they’d just finished the breakfast I made, and I was washing up the dishes. “Fergus says that he just passed through Beckenshire and saw them setting up for some Highland Games.”
“This time of year?” Joseph replied with a confused look. “Why?”
“I don’t know, but it sounds fun, yeah?”
“You two should go,” Paw encouraged them.
“You’ve been working so hard here and you deserve a little break.
” They’d just finished harvesting leeks and carrots, and had cut the autumn raspberry canes to ground level.
“Maybe you can find yourselves a couple of girls to spend the afternoon with; or better yet, the night.”
“I’m sure as shite not gonna turn that down,” Joseph said with a chuckle. “But what about you, Paw? You don’t want to come and see the events?”
“Naw, I think I’ll just take the day to relax.” He lifted up on his hip to retrieve his wallet, and tossed some money over to my brothers. “Bring me back a fifth of whiskey, though. Beckenridge has a good distillery.”
“You got it.” Angus pocketed the cash and he and Joseph quickly got to their feet to get ready to leave. My father stood up as well and gave a look of disgust at the sight of me cleaning dishes before leaving the room.
I wanted nothing more than to go to Beckenridge with them; not because I necessarily wanted to go anywhere with my brothers, but because I hadn’t been out of the house for the last year and a half, since I was caught looking at Hamish.
Paw said that I couldn’t be trusted not to embarrass him in public, so I was ordered to stay inside the house; I wasn’t allowed to go on deliveries or to town to help sell the crops. Hell, I wasn’t even allowed to go outside; he kept me hidden away from the world to conceal his shame.
While I longed to go literally anywhere but here, Beckenridge sounded particularly nice; I’d never seen Highland Games in person, and I’d never tasted whiskey.
I’d thought about stealing a sip of my father’s when he wasn’t around, but I was too afraid of getting caught.
I was of age; I turned nineteen several months ago, even though my birthdays were never celebrated.
But my father loved his whiskey, and if he saw me with it, I’d pay with my hide.
But maybe there was a way to get out; my father said he’d be relaxing, which meant he’d either be in his room or walking the grounds. Surely he wouldn’t notice if I was gone since he never paid me any attention. I had all of my chores done, so there shouldn’t be anything he’d need.
But even if he did notice and even if I caught hell for it later, I had to get out.
I couldn’t stand being cooped up one more day.
I’d slip out now and slip back in later.
..or not. My stomach fluttered at the idea of escaping forever.
I had no money, but I’d get a job. I had no place to stay, but I’d sleep on the ground if I had to.
Anywhere had to be better than this place.
The prospects alone were enough to make up my mind. I put the last dish away in the cupboard and, after making sure no one was around to see, slipped outside.
I couldn’t walk to Beckenridge; for one, I didn’t have the strength or stamina.
But also, I had no idea where it was. The only place I’d ever been was to the market in Hampshire.
I didn’t even attend school, though I desperately wanted to; my father filed paperwork with the district saying that I had severe mental, physical and learning disabilities, and needed to stay home to learn, though he taught me nothing.
It was another punishment; he said that I robbed my mother of her life, so I didn’t deserve a life beyond servitude.
I often wondered why he kept me at all instead of giving me to an orphanage.
But if he did that, he wouldn’t have control over me.
He liked to see me miserable. Bringing me pain made him feel better.
I had another problem with getting out of town; my father never taught me how to drive. Even if he did, my family only owned one vehicle. The others would hear me leaving, and they’d hunt me down. I’d get caught for sure and lord only knew what they’d do to me.
That left only one solution. I tiptoed to my father’s truck and took another look around.
When I didn’t see anyone, I quickly climbed into the bed.
There was a tarp inside that they used to cover the vegetables on their way to the market, so I slid under the thick, wrinkled plastic.
It was blue and opaque, so they couldn’t see me through it.
A moment later, I heard the front door of the house close and Joseph and Angus’s voice as they neared the truck. I held my breath, lay perfectly still, and said a silent prayer that they didn’t move the tarp for any reason.
My prayers were answered when I heard both doors of the truck cab close, and felt the engine roar to life beneath me. I bit back a happy squeal as the truck lurched forward and rolled down our drive. This is actually happening!
The ride was bumpy, and my head slammed against the bottom of the metal bed a few times. Even though it was cool outside, it was hot, sticky, and hard to breathe under the thick tarp. But I didn’t mind. If this was the cost of a new life, I’d gladly pay it.
I smiled as I listened to the music floating from the speakers in the front of the truck. It’d been so long since I heard music; I wasn’t allowed to watch television or listen to the radio at home. After my chores, I was locked in my room, which held only an old mattress on the floor.
Sometimes if I pressed my ear to the door, I could hear a faint murmur of whatever my family was watching in the other room.
But this was even better; I could clearly hear the words and the strum of the guitar, and I imagined myself dancing freely in a field to the tune. Soon, Brodie; soon you’ll be free.
When the truck parked and the engine turned off, I could hear people all around me talking excitedly and shuffling about; I wanted to climb out of my hiding place and join them, but I held perfectly still.
The truck doors opened and closed again, and I heard my brothers’ voices.
They talked about where they wanted to stand in the crowd before going silent.
I gave them a couple of minutes to walk away, waiting until it was even harder to breathe under the tarp without any wind going by.
When I couldn’t wait any longer, I popped up and sucked in a huge breath.
..and saw Angus and Joseph still standing by the truck, each smoking a cigarette.
Well, shit. This isn’t what I planned at all.
“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?
” Angus roared. He gripped me by the collar of my t-shirt and as he pulled me over the edge of the truck bed, the hem of my shirt got caught on a spot of rust and ripped the fabric up to my navel.
Damn . It had been the only shirt I owned that didn’t have holes in it.
“What were you thinking, pulling a stunt like this? Swear to god, I’ll-”
“Angus,” Joseph cut him off before looking around us. People were wandering about, and several of them had stopped to stare at us.
“Not a fucking word,” Angus warned me in a whispered growl. I nodded my understanding; I wasn’t dumb enough to cause a scene. Angus released me and the people stopped staring to go about their business. “Now what the hell are you doing?”
“I wanted to see the games,” I answered with a half-truth.
“Yer a fuckin’ liar,” Joseph argued. “You were trying to run out on us.” He looked at Angus to say, “He can’t even manage to run away when nobody wants him.” The two of them snickered, but it gave me an idea.
“If you don’t want me, then let me go. Paw will think I ran away and you’ll be rid of me.”
Angus gripped my shirt again and leaned down into my face.
“All you are is a little bitch, put on this earth to do what bitches do. The moment you stop serving us is the moment you stop breathing.” He raised the hem of his own shirt to reveal the butt of a gun peeking out of the top of his jeans. “Do you understand?”
I nodded, swallowing hard to keep my tears at bay. I was not only terrified by his words, but crushed; I was never getting away.
“We’re not missing this because of you,” Joseph joined in. “You are to stay within our sight, do not try to run, and don’t speak a word. Then we’ll take you home and remind you where you belong.”
I was torn; on one hand, I was going to get the shit beat out of me later. On the other hand, I got to stay and enjoy the games and the outdoors. Since the first hand wasn’t uncommon, I decided to count the day as a win. What else could I do?
Angus shoved me in front of him and I beamed at the sight around me; people of all ages, shapes and sizes were pouring into the makeshift arena in the field. I’d never seen so many people in one place; the air was electric with their excitement and enthusiasm, and it made my heart race.
Joseph roughly steered me into a spot in the crowd by the back of my head and I gasped; we were only two rows back from the action. We were right behind another group of three men who appeared to be friends because of the way they were laughing and teasing one another.
They seemed close even though they looked incredibly different; one had short brown hair and was wearing a long sweater over his jeans, one had messy dark blond tresses and wore black clothing from head to toe, and the third was lighter blond and had on a cropped tank top even though it was chilly outside.
My heart ached at the sight of them; I’d give anything to have friends, and to have the freedom and courage to wear what I pleased.