The lights from the main windows are far enough away to leave us in shadow among the trees.
No one can see us. A rush of air leaves me along with one sharp burst of laughter. “No one can see us!”
Father Daniels reaches out to me for help.
After everything he’s put me and all the other girls through, he seriously thinks I’ll help him?
I start to laugh uncontrollably until my stomach hurts then quickly stop as I realize someone might hear. I can’t get too ahead of myself. I’ve not got away with it yet.
What would they do to me for hurting a Father?
It wouldn’t be a caning like I got for taking a second helping of pudding last week. That was worth it though. The banana pudding is one of the few good things here.
I can’t imagine what horrible punishment they’d carry out. And I refuse to find out.
It’s too risky to go back inside and collect the few things I own. I’ll have to leave right now.
I start walking away, but this place refuses to let me go. Father Daniels grabs my ankle and sneers up at me. “Walk away from me, and I’ll make sure you don’t go a single day without feeling pain!”
With a sharp kick of my heel, I manage to free myself and move away from his reach. My hands are shaking, and I look down at my white-knuckle grip on the rock.
“This is never going to stop,” I think out loud.
“Chloe Rivera, you will regret this if you do not help me up this second!”
I must have hit him harder than I realized as he’s shaking on his hands and knees, struggling to stand.
Everything becomes clear in my mind. The fearful veil I’ve lived under for years has finally lifted. I no longer need to spend my life locked up behind these walls. I can be free.
Stepping toward him, he spots my feet in front of his face, and says, “Good. You’re finally listening. Now take me to the infirmary. My head is spinning.”
With both hands, I raise the rock above my head, holding it there as I stare at one of the monsters who chose to make my world hell rather than help me find peace.
I bring the rock down on top of his head.
Once.Crack.
Twice.Crack.
Three times.Crack.
Four times.Crack.
Five!Crack!
Crack! Crack! Crack!
He stopped moving after the third or maybe fourth blow, but I had to make sure he’d never tell anyone he saw me here.
As I catch my breath, I watch him closely to make sure he truly is dead. His eyes are open, but they’re glazed over. The back of his head is caved in. He’s gone.
I did it.
I can finally leave.
With a smile on my face, I give the convent a last fleeting look before running off into the woods. I’m leaving the other girls behind. But it’s not like they ever tried to help me. No one ever said a word when it came to the selection. We all knelt in silence and accepted our fates. If they truly want to feel this freedom, they’ll have to fight for it themselves.
After what could be hours of running, and countless wrong turns, I finally find a road. I don’t stop until my feet hit the asphalt.
