Say, Jim, are any of your farmhand’s women?”
My dad shakes his head and laughs. “Shut up, Ink,” he says, causing us all to laugh.
“Come on, man, you too?” Ink whines.
“One of these days, that dick of yours is going to cost you something major,” Chains tells him.
“Nah,” Ink leans back against the wall and crosses his legs. “This dick can never be leashed. Sorry for the language, mama Brick.”
“Oh, Ink. You know, my name is Sherry. Or call me mom.”
“I’m heading to bed,” I stand and leave the room. My family is one crazy messed up bunch. But I love them.
Before heading to my room, I stop by Jessa’s door and listen. She’s already taken her shower and must be in bed. Nothing I can do until tomorrow. With a longing look at her door, I walk to the next room, dress down to my boxers, and climb in bed.
Chapter Nine
Jessa
I can’t sleep. Every single time I drift off, I’m jolted awake. It’s been like this since I was found. They would eventually give me something to help me sleep at the hospital, but I refused a prescription to take with me.
The heroin cravings are the most severe at night. I remember the feeling of complete and total euphoria when my captors would inject me with the drug. I have never slept as deep or as peaceful as I did on those nights.
It’s hard to explain my cravings. I know that I don’t want the drug anywhere near me. I don’t want to subject my body to its control ever again. But the feeling you get when you do give the drug control is one of pure ecstasy.
If my life were like it was before I was abducted, I probably wouldn’t think twice about heroin. However, my life is not the same as it once was. I don’t think I will ever be able to get back to the person I used to be.
I’m always scared. I’m always in pain. My voice is broken. My spirit is broken. I would give about anything just to feel normal one more time.
To feel nothing.
Knowing that I need to get my mind away from the path it’s on, I decide to go downstairs and rest in front of that beautiful window. I make my way to the living room as quietly as I can. The house went quiet a couple of hours ago, so I assume everyone settled in and went to bed.
It’s the middle of the night, but the farm is lit up by the moon and so many bright stars. I’ve never seen the sky so beautiful before. I grab a blanket from the couch and sit on the floor in front of the window.
It was the middle of summer when I was taken. Now the air is cold enough for snow. I wonder how the animals survive out there when the snow comes?
“Can’t sleep?”
I jump at the sound of an unknown voice. I turn and see a man I’ve never met before. My first instinct is to scream for Brick, but I don’t think I could yell loud enough to be heard. I jump to my feet and back up against the window.
“Easy there, little one.” The man holds his hands out in front of him, palms up. “I won’t hurt you. I’m sorry I scared you. My name is Trigger. I’m a friend of Brick's.”
I remember Brick talking about someone named Trigger a few times. He’s one of his motorcycle brothers.
“I saw you while you were in the hospital,” he tells me, hands still up. “But you were sort of out of it.”
The man smiles and slowly lowers his arms.
“Have you heard of me?”
I nod my head and relax.
“Good girl,” he says. “What are you doing down here all alone?”
I didn’t bring my notebook because I wasn’t expecting anyone to be awake. I just shake my head.
“Not much of a talker?”
Not wanting to seem rude, I hold my throat and shake my head again.
His eyes widen with understanding. “That’s okay, neither am I. Do you mind if I sit with you?”
Feeling more relaxed by the second, I retake my seat and gesture for him to sit beside me. We sit in comfortable silence for about an hour. He was right about him not being much of a talker.
“Can I ask you some yes and no questions?”
We were quiet for so long that the sound of his voice made me jump. Again.
I smile at him and roll my eyes.
“Sorry about