Free The Escape by Hannah Jayne

start treating you normally again?”
    Avery picked up her own rock, palmed it, then sent it on a line drive past the pitcher’s mound. “They didn’t. The way they treated me became the new normal.”
    “People never paid any attention to me before all this happened, but I think that was better.” He dropped his rock. It rolled over his bandaged fingers and plunked onto the ground at his feet. “I think being ignored is better than everyone watching me. I—”
    “Wait.” Avery reached out for Fletcher instinctively, her hand circling his wrist.
    There was a light rustling behind them.
    A prickle of nerves shot down her spine. “Did you hear that?” She yanked him to the ground. “There’s someone here.”
    Avery knew every covert tactic, thanks to her father’s love of spy movies, but she was sure the thundering beat of her heart would give away their location at the edge of the baseball diamond. Her heart only thumped harder when the bushes across from them shook and a figure stepped out. They could see it was a person from the glow of streetlights, but that was it.
    The person swiped something against a tree trunk. A flame caught on the tip of the match, which glowed fluorescent orange, illuminating the hard angles of the man’s face. His thin lips were bared, and he held a cigarette between his yellowed teeth.
    “What do we have here?” The guy jutted his chin toward Avery and Fletcher, and then took a long drag from his cigarette. He squinted, cupping his hand over his eyes as if there was glare from the sun. Then he rolled back on his heels, satisfied.
    “Huh! You that kid on the news? The one that got all beat up. The little bitch that ran away. Is this your little girlfriend, faggot?”
    The guy shifted. His cheeks were pockmarked and still spotted with acne. His hair was greasy and plastered hard against his forehead.
    “Jimmy Jerold?” Avery asked.
    Jimmy Jerold was the stuff that nightmares were made of—the high-school dropout who still hung around, selling pot and pills in the school parking lot. He was always getting arrested. His two nicotine-stained fingers gripped his cigarette, and he blew out a long, white pouf of smoke.
    “Your little girlfriend knows me.”
    Avery could see Fletcher stiffen beside her. He took a small step forward toward Jimmy, effectively stepping in front of Avery. “Dude, we were just talking,” Fletcher said, his voice calm. “We’re cool.”
    Jimmy moved like a flash and was nearly nose to nose with Fletcher. “We ain’t cool, dude .”

Ten
     
    Avery’s stomach plummeted as the glare of the streetlight caught the blade of Jimmy’s knife pressed against Fletcher’s neck. Fletcher was on his tiptoes, with Jimmy gripping a fistful of his shirt.
    “Leave him alone, Jimmy!”
    “This pitiful son of a bitch? Maybe I should gut him. Finish him off. You were supposed to die out there, you know. You and your little bitch boyfriend.” Jimmy blew a huff of smoke into Fletcher’s face, and his lips thinned as he grinned sadistically.
    Fletcher just stared straight ahead as if he wasn’t seeing Jimmy.
    “Fletch—” she started.
    Blue-and-white lights cut through the darkness and Jimmy let go of Fletcher’s shirt, shoving him backward. Avery grabbed Fletcher’s arm to support him, and they both started to run. Avery could hear his breath straining as he kept pace with her, his weight balanced against her shoulder until her house came into view. They doubled over in her driveway.
    Adrenaline crashed through Avery’s system and she blinked, her throat tightening. “Oh my God, that guy is a psychopath.” She could feel tears forming. “I’m so sorry, Fletcher.”
    Fletcher stood in front of her, his eyes hard and dark. “He said I was supposed to die out there.” His voice was little more than a hoarse whisper. “What do you think—”
    Avery stepped backward, her lower lip trembling. “Fletcher.” She gestured at his chest, unable to push the