AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Jess?”
I looked up when I heard Momma call my name. I was surprised that she was out of the house, but more than that, I was worried.
Daddy would be extra angry if someone saw the bruises on her face. They were worse than mine and Jentry’s. And I needed to do what I could to keep my Momma safe.
“Hey Momma,” I said when we got closer, trying to keep my voice quiet so neighbors wouldn’t know she was outside.
“Jess, it’s time. It’s finally time. We’re leaving. We’re leaving this place. We’re getting out of here.”
I turned toward Jentry and found him watching me with a look like how I felt.
Had she heard us talking?
“Uh, Momma . . .”
“Come on, honey. I already have the car packed up. We need to go now. We can’t wait another minute.” She looked around quickly, like Daddy might jump out at any second. “Let’s go. Now!”
She grabbed my arm and started towing me behind her toward the car, and it was then I realized that this was really happening.
No, I must be having a dream.
But it felt real because she was holding on to a place where Daddy had hit me and it hurt.
Momma let go of me when we neared the car and told me to get in, and I turned to reach for Jentry who was right behind me.
“Momma,” Jentry said. “Where are we—?”
She turned when she realized Jentry was following me, her scream as loud as when Daddy was hurting her that I had to slap my hands over my ears.
“Get back,” she screamed and shooed him away. “Why would I try to save you when you’ll only turn into your daddy?”
“Momma,” Jentry whispered and reached for her.
“Don’t you touch me. It’s inside you,” she said, her voice as soft as his now. “You can’t escape that evil. Any good you touch will be tarnished.” She pointed at Jentry then pointed at the house. “You’re just like him.”
I stared at Jentry when Momma turned from him and didn’t look away even when she opened my door and tried to push me inside.
“We can’t leave him,” I cried out.
“Get in the car,” she screamed, pushing and pulling on me no matter how hard I tried to get back to my other half. “You’re being weak. Stop being weak, Jessica.”
“Jentry, come on!”
“See nothing,” he whispered to me as fat tears rolled down his cheeks. “Hear nothing.”
“Jentry, no.”
Momma shoved me into the car and slammed the door behind me, and I turned in the seat to look out the back window as she lifted her shaking hand in Jentry’s direction again. “Everything you touch you ruin . . . everything.”
He dug his hands into his eyes to wipe away his tears when she turned from him, then looked at me.
“Be nothing,” he mouthed.
I nodded as I s
obbed. I hated that I wasn’t strong like my brother.
I made a promise that I would come back for him.
