Free End of the Road (Ghost Stories Trilogy #1) by E. J. Fechenda Page B

brick building, facing us.
    “So what do you think?”
    “I’m in,” Johnny said.
“What about you Georgia, dare to sneak out?”
    I peered into Johnny’s
blue eyes which were barely visible under his brown, shaggy hair. My stomach
flipped and a fluttery sensation returned further below. The three of us were
smoking in the alley between Woolworth’s and Smith’s Barber Shop, our favorite
hangout after school. Brett and Johnny were planning on going to an abandoned
farmhouse on the outskirts of town. The secluded location provided a great
place to drink, smoke and fool around. I wanted to say yes and spend the night
with Johnny, but I’d have to sneak out and risk the consequences if I got
caught. This move would get any girl my age in trouble, but my parents were
devout Mormons and my punishment would definitely be severe.
    “I don’t know,” I said
and took another pull off my cigarette.
    “Come on, it’ll be fun.”
Johnny moved in closer to me and his lips brushed my neck, sending a warm flush
over my body. The fluttering in my stomach increased.
    “Okay,” I breathed. “I’ll
sneak out, but I can’t until my parents are asleep.”
    “That’s real ace!” He
kissed me; a wet, smoky kiss. He stepped away and touched a forefinger to my
chin.  “Later.” His lips curled up on one side in a crooked grin, revealing the
slightest impression of a dimple.
    Johnny and Brett picked
their school books up off of the concrete and walked out of the alley. I stayed
rooted in place and watched Johnny walk away, admiring how his Levi’s fit just
right.
    I shook off the lingering
sensation of Johnny’s lips on mine and popped a piece of gum in my mouth,
hoping it would be enough to cover up the smell of cigarettes. My mom was home
when I got there like she was every day. She was serenely folding laundry with
the same fake smile glued to her face. I didn’t understand how she could be
happy being a housewife. She married my father right out of high school and seemed
content washing his dirty underwear and cooking him meals.
    “Hi Georgia, how was your
day?” She set a towel on top of a stack and glanced up at me.
    “Okay.”
    “That’s nice dear. Are
you hungry? I can make you a snack.”
    “Nope, I’ve got a ton of
homework to do.” I held up my armful of books as evidence and beat feet down
the hall to my room. It wasn’t only my room, I had to share with my younger
sister, Emily, which was a drag, but at least she wasn’t home yet. I tossed my
stuff onto the floor and flopped onto my bed. My thoughts weren’t on school,
but on how to escape later without Emily finding out and snitching.
    We had one window in our
room and a desk was placed directly underneath. I stood up and walked over to
check the sturdiness. Not even a creak could be heard when I kneeled on it.
Next, I tested the window. It got stuck about halfway up and I had to use my
full body weight to shove it the rest of the way.  The air conditioning wasn’t
running and it was a warm spring day, I could get away with keeping it open. I
loosened the screen so it would just pop out with a light touch.
    So far so good, I thought
and stepped back to observe my work. Nothing seemed unusual. All I had to do
was act normal.
     
     
     
     
     
     

Chapter Seventeen
     
    Rage and frustration
coiled up in my stomach and I unleashed my emotions with a loud, “Fuck you!” My
mother blinked her eyes and took a step back, stunned by the force of my words.
My father didn’t, instead he grabbed my upper arm and squeezed.
    “I will not have you
running around town making a spectacle of yourself! Smoking? Kissing
delinquents? Do you want to bring shame onto your family?” He squeezed one more
time, hard enough to cause pain. There was a burning sensation under my skin as
blood vessels burst, caving underneath the pressure of his grip. Finally he let
go and turned around. He started pacing the room and I knew from the seventeen
years of living under his