“He said that he wants to match me with some wolf,” I told him. “Apparently this wolf is kinda special. You wouldn’t know what he is talking about, would you?”
“How should I know?” Sam shrugged. “The guy’s a freak. Who knows what he’s talking about.”
We walked amongst the trees in silence; the only sound was the leaves rustling in the wind overhead. Before the silence became uncomfortable, Sam glanced sideways at me and said, “Why did you stick up for Dorsey?”
“I had to,” I shrugged.
“But why?” Sam asked again.
“If I had stood back and watched Dorsey take another beating from that jerk, I don’t think I would’ve been able to ever look at him again without feeling ashamed,” I told him.
“Ashamed of what?”
“Myself,” I said back.
Sam looked thoughtfully at me. “Sometimes, Kayla, I just don’t get you!”
“I was bullied for years,” I blurted out.
“Why would anyone want to bully you?” Sam asked, sounding confused.
“They said I was ugly,” I mumbled, unable to look at him.
“Who said you were ugly?”
“Just a bunch of girls at this boarding school I used to go to before my parents died,” I said.
Sam stopped walking and looked at me. “Kayla, you are not ugly. I don’t know how anyone could ever say that.”
Still unable to look at him, I pictured those black bony lumps that had once jutted from my back, but I couldn’t tell him about those. “Thank you,” I said softly.
There was a moment’s silence in which I could hear Sam’s heart start to race again, as if he was nervous about something. Then, taking a deep breath, he said, “I don’t know how to say this, Kayla, but I think you are…” He paused and I looked at him.
“Are what?”
“It doesn’t matter,” he said, his cheeks flushed red with embarrassment. Then, changing the subject, he said, “C’mon, I’ve got an idea that will cheer you up!” That twinkle was back in his eyes again and glowing fiercely.
“What is it?” I asked.
“We’re gonna get outta this place and have some fun!”
“What do you mean we’re going to get out of here?” I asked, going after him as he dashed off through the trees.
“I’ve found a way out of here,” he said over his shoulder.
“But the Greys will notice that we’ve gone,” I said.
“We’ll be back in time for lunch,” he smiled back at me.
“But…” I started. Although my plan had been to leave the school grounds, Sam tagging along hadn’t been part of it.
“No buts,” he said. “I know what your problem is; you need to get outta this place. God knows I do, I’ve been here for months.”
I looked at Sam, and he had that wicked glow in his eyes again, as if his brain was burning inside his skull and the flames were licking at his eyeballs.
Trying to put him off the idea so I could go on alone, I said, “How we gonna get out of this place? Just look at it.” I then pointed at the high stone walls and search towers, which were just visible through the trees.
Grinning, Sam said, “Come with me.”
I followed him into a nearby clump of undergrowth. Branches and brambles reached out for us. I brushed them away. Sam crawled out of the bushes and edged his way along the wall that surround the school grounds. With shoulders rounded, I made my way after him. Sam came to a sudden halt next to a huge chestnut tree, and looked at me.
“What?” I asked him.
“What d’ya see?”
“A
“Not just any old
I looked up and could see that Sam was pointing at our bridge to freedom.
“You’re amazing,” I whispered. The branches of the chestnut tree were spread out like a giant web. One of the branches reached out further than the others and had worked its way over the top of the wall. Seeing this, I looked back at Sam and smiled.
“I discovered it a few weeks ago,” he explained. “But I’ve never had the guts to go over the wall.”
“Why not?” I asked him.
“I’ve been too scared,” he said sheepishly.
“So what’s changed?”
“You’re with me,” he smiled. Without saying another word, Sam turned and began climbing. I watched Sam shin his way up the trunk of the tree, then like a monkey, he took hold of the nearest branch and swung himself up. I glanced back at the school to make sure that we weren’t being watched. Through the shrubs and trees, I could just make out the search towers and the black outline of the school turrets that corkscrewed up into the morning winter sky.
“Are you coming or what?” Sam said from above.
Looking up, I could see him inching his way across the branch that draped over the top of the wall like a broken arm. I ran to the foot of the tree and began to climb. Hoisting my way up into the branches, I made my way towards my friend. By the time I’d reached the branch, Sam was crouched on top of the wall. Clenching my teeth, I placed one hand in front of the other and crawled across the branch.
Halfway across, the branch began to sway, then creak. I stopped and gripped the branch until my knuckles were gleaming white through my skin.
“What you waiting for?” Sam hissed, balancing on top of the wall.
I looked down, and the ground seemed miles away. “The branch is gonna break!” I said through gritted teeth.
“If you stopped swinging on the thing like some demented monkey, then you might get across without it snapping. Now quit messing about and get over here!” Sam moaned.
Closing my eyes, I crawled the last few feet, using my hands to feel my way across the branch. Then, just as I reached the end of it, Sam leapt into the field on the other side of the wall. I peered over the edge and could see him waving up at me, a huge grin nearly cutting the lower half of his face in two.
“C’mon! Jump, Kayla!” Sam said.
Shutting my eyes, I threw myself from the branch. I hit the ground and rolled onto my back. Air belched from my lungs and up my throat. Sam stood above me, his hand outstretched.
“C’mon, this way!” Sam said, pulling me to my feet. Then, holding hands, we charged across the field and headed towards a large wooded area in the distance.
Chapter Thirty-Two
We raced across the field, tiny white plumes of breath escaping from Sam’s mouth and floating like tiny clouds up in to the cold sky. As we neared the woods, Sam let go of my hand and disappeared amongst the trees.
I left the field and darted after him. The woods were dark, and slanted shafts of grey light cut through the branches overhead and formed patterns on the leaf-covered ground. The woods were quiet and the trees stood close together, twisted and moss-covered. The only sound was the branches creaking above and the odd flutter of
