Rejected at Birth

Grace Escapes

Deciding that I should use the time while I would normally be at school to plan my escape, I decided against going today. What was truly the point of going to class just to leave in the dark of night, never to be seen again. That is if it worked out the way I was planning. Otherwise, I would still never be seen again anyway, this had to work. I began to throw essentials into a bag that could be easily carried on my back since my wolf didn’t emerge as I had always hoped. I had no money or anything of value to anyone aside from the locket around my neck that held the picture of my mother. I never took it off and it had always been a reminder to me when I saw that picture that someone loved me at some point in my life even if I never got to experience what it felt like.

I cleaned the house as I always did picking up the shattered dishes and being careful not to cut myself on the tiny shards that scattered the kitchen. I scrubbed the cupboards and the floor wincing as my undoubtably broken rib bent in a way that was all too familiar and sent shooting pain whenever I took a breath. Finishing the cleaning I began to prepare dinner, careful to make it something of substance. Despite most alcoholics not eating that much my father was a glutton, he would eat and eat until there was not a crumb left.

I prepared a roasted chicken with potatoes and beans with the hopes that it would make him fall into a deep food coma that mixed with his drunken stupor would give me a twelve-hour head start. My father arrived a quarter after six as he walked into the house, something was off, he did not stumble, he did not slur his words and it was apparent that he was sober.

Why today of all days did he have to maintain a sense of sobriety. This changed so much, the food alone would not give me the head start needed to outrun his wolf. Father demanded his food as always and asked for a beer from the fridge to wash it all down as he inhaled the food, I made with little to no chewing. Animalistic grunts could be heard between each bite as he gulped down the food with ease. While my father ate, I was struck with a thought of pure genius, my plan was saved. Casually walking to the bathroom, I closed the door and locked it. Opening the medicine cabinet, I searched for anything that could be used as a sedative. Minutes passed and I began to worry, it was then that I spotted the sleeping medication given by the healer many years ago following my mother’s passing. They were expired and I could only hope that putting a few into his next beer would intensify the effect of the now only solution that I had. Taking a spoon, I quickly crushed up three of the remaining pills as my father barked for another beer calling me a string of obscenities for my slow pace. Slipping the powder into the beer, I quickly swirled it around before handing him the beer. I mentally said prayers to the moon goddess in hopes she could hear and take pity on me. This had to work. All I could do now was wait.

Hours passed and eventually he seemed to pass out sitting on the couch beer in hand. I very quickly grabbed my bag from under the sink and threw some bread and a few apples into the bag before tiptoeing and holding my breath anxiously as I made my way to the door. I was nearly out the door when I heard someone stirring and didn’t bother to look back.

Running and running as I looked behind me I kept up my pace in need of putting space between me and that place. I ran for what seemed like hours before I needed a break, my ribs felt like they were going to explode from my chest, taking my lungs with them. I had not seen any sign of my father since I left and felt like I Just might have gotten away, leaning against the tree I attempted to catch my breath before sinking to the ground and grabbing my bag. I attempted to force down a apple and some water so that I would not get dehydrated.

My eyes shot open and the sound of a nearby howl sent shivers down my spine. How had I been so stupid. How had I allowed myself to fall asleep when there was so much hanging in the balance. I could recognize the howl anywhere that was my father, and he was hunting. Did he know which way I went, I had to leave, and quickly. My father had multiple advantages, He had his wolf and I was weak, wounded and malnourished. I attempted to stand and quickly fell back to the ground as my rib throbbed. Forcing myself back up I began to try to run through the trees, not knowing which way was which was anymore made it much more difficult. Running seemed pointless as I tried to figure out which direction to go. Settling on the right, I began to run and ran into what seemed to be a dark shadow among the brush. Slowly, my dad’s wolf showed himself and he was terrifying. Lunging at me, we violently made contact with the earth's surface. My father attempted to get his bite around my neck, saved at the last minute by the sacrifice of my arm. I felt it break as his teeth clamped down on it, shattering the bone in one solitary bite. Shifting back, my father stood naked in front of me, angry and still as scary if not more than in his wolf form. He began screaming as he kicked me repeatedly, landing blow after blow. “It should have been you, ungrateful b***h” My eyes closed at the last words I heard. It went into one ear and out the other with a final blow to my head. It was lights out.