Free Lucid Dreaming by Lisa Morton Page B

then, but I knew I could get to it when we were ready.
    I snuck back to the dormitory, opened the door, and tiptoed back to my bunk. I was just feeling pretty triumphant, settling back down under my sheets, when a voice hissed in the darkness:
    â€œWhere you been?”
    It was that bitch MaryKay .
    Fuck , I thought. How long has she been awake? Did she see me?
    â€œTo the bathroom. Is that okay with you?”
    She grunted, and I heard her roll over. So she hadn’t seen me after all.
    I’d dodged another bullet.
    Â 
    Two nights later, a sixteen-year-old kid named Jed was caught jerking off out behind the barn at sunset. Just before dinner, Mama had him brought out in front of everyone, stripped of his pants, and whipped twenty times with a riding crop.
    That was bad enough, but the real breaking point for me was when the rest of ’em applauded and started eating.
    I found Teddy, who was gripping himself and trembling all over. I whispered three words to him:
    â€œWe’re leaving tonight.”
    I didn’t care how risky it was, I wasn’t going to stay there any longer. They were bad and getting worse. Being shot would be better than staying there.
    I was about to fill Teddy in when he grabbed my arm urgently and looked past my shoulder. I shut up and turned to see that pinch-faced MaryKay sidling up to us.
    â€œSomething I can help you with, MaryKay ?”
    She leered, proving it was possible for her to get even uglier. “I got a message for you from Mama: She says you’re not to talk to that colored man anymore.”
    She gestured vaguely in Teddy’s direction, but apparently found him simply too vulgar a creature to actually look at.
    I almost decked her. But instead I swallowed back, and said, “All right.”
    I turned to Teddy a last time, and mouthed one word to him:
    Tonight.
    Â 
    As before I waited until it was the middle of the night, and everyone else was asleep. The weather was cooling off, and if anyone did see me leaving they wouldn’t question me being dressed.
    Getting the Prolixin was no problem. As before the window wasn’t locked, and slid up easily. I crawled in, shoved two bottles of Prolixin into my coat pockets, and then left again, being careful to close the window silently behind me.
    The next part of the plan involved me getting Teddy.
    For a change, I was thankful they kept him in a separate building. I ran over to it, hoping to see him ready and waiting, but there was no sign of him. I walked around and peeked into the dark windows—and nearly screamed when a face popped up in one, peering out at me. Fortunately it was Teddy, and he was pointing at the door and mouthing the word “locked.”
    Jesus, they locked him in at night.
    Fortunately it was just a simple slide-bar thing, so I slid it back and opened the door. Teddy stepped out, looking nervous but energized.
    â€œWhat now?” he whispered.
    â€œYou go wait for me behind the barn, where the cars are parked. Take these.” I handed him the bottles of Prolixin . “I’ll be right there.”
    â€œBe careful,” he said, and gave me a quick kiss that made me want more. As soon as we were away from here.
    We separated, and I headed for the kitchen door to the main house. I reached it and was about to step through when I looked in—
    â€”and saw MaryKay . She was seated at the kitchen table, a cup of tea in front of her, as if she was just waiting.
    Oh, and she had a gun.
    She must have heard me get up, and figured this was her big chance to be a heroine. Maybe she could even become Mama’s best friend, and they could whip adolescent boys together and reminisce about the good old days when the Home Shopping Network was still on.
    I was standing there trying to decide what to do when I heard a voice behind me:
    â€œSpike.”
    I turned, certain I’d been found out, and saw Colby standing there behind me. She suddenly reached out a hand