Hellbound MC 2: Gasoline and Glass Hearts

"Now open your eyes baby...Happy 18th  birthday."

I took a deep breath, allowing myself a moment before slowly opening my eyes.

I gasped at the sight before me.

My soulmate, the love of my life, stood before me, next to a sleek looking sedan.

"Suprise baby. Do you like it?" Eli asked anxiously.

"I love it Eli, I really do. But how? How did you afford it?"

"Don't sweat the small stuff babe. All that matters is it's ours. Just like we always dreamt of. We can finally get out of this shithole town."

The reality sunk in. After 18 years of living in this hell, we were finally escaping.

"Pack your bags baby. We're going on an adventure."

The smile he gave me made me weak at the knees. He'd had that effect on me since the very first time I met him, when he and his family moved into the house next door to mine roughly 5 years ago.

And we'd been inseparable ever since. What started as a crush soon turned into something much more. He became my everything, my reason to breathe. And I his, much to our parents disapproval.

You see, my parents were disgustingly perfect in the eyes of the public. God faring, upstanding members of the community who could do no wrong. But on the inside, they were the total opposite. Cold, unloving parents who saw me as an inconvenience rather than a gift. Who believed I should be seen and not heard, that I should be singing their praises for providing me with three meals and a day and a roof over my head, when they remembered to even do that.

So we made a promise to ourselves that no matter what we'd find a way to leave this place behind us, start somewhere new. And in the meantime, I did everything in my power to piss my parents off, as any good teenager should.

But this was it. Our escape. Freedom.

Snapping myself from my thoughts, I leapt into his arms, peppering his face with kisses.

"I love it, I love it, I love it. Let me go get my shit."

I turned and raced inside, knowing it wouldn't be much longer before my parents returned. I giggled to myself as I shoved things into my bag without much care as to what I was grabbing.

I wonder how long it would take them to even notice I was gone?

"We gotta go babe, you ready?" Eli called from outside the house.

Taking one last look around the place that had been my prison for the past 18 years, I walked out the front door, shutting the door behind me without a second glance.

Eli popped the trunk and I threw my bag in, noticing another black bag which I assumed must be his.

Sliding into the passenger seat, Eli shut the trunk and jumped into the drivers seat. Starting the car, he turned and looked me in the eye.

"You know I love you right Saskia?"

He grabbed my hand in his, and I smiled at him.

"Of course baby. Forever and always. Ride or die" I replied, using the words we'd told each other so many times before.

"Ride or die" he murmured before pulling away from the curb, and our old life.

This was shaping up to be the best birthday yet.

The second we got out of town I felt like I could breathe properly for the first time, like a weight had been lifted off my chest.

I stared out the window, watching the unfamiliar scenery roll by, when I felt the car slowing. I looked ahead to see we were pulling into what looked like a dingy little pub and my heart sank.

I knew it was too good to be true.

"Just a couple drinks for the road" Eli assured me as if reading my mind.

"Then I'm going to quit like I told you I would. Wait here, pack the last of our gear for us. We'll smoke it before we leave and be done with it all. Get sober and see the world like we always planned."

His mention of my own guilty habit had me instantly regretting my judgement. I nodded like the obedient little girlfriend I'd always been, and he rewarded me with that killer smile that melted my heart, and with one last kiss on my lips, he exited the vehicle.

"Gears in the glove compartment, see you soon doll."

He shut the door and disappeared inside the establishment.

After locking the doors behind him, I inspected my fingernails, trying to tell myself I didn't need it, before giving it to the familiar craving and taking the small glass pipe and bag from its hiding spot.

Once the bowl was loaded with the remnants of our stash, I placed it on the centre console before settling back in my seat, eyes fixed on the door as I waited for Eli to appear sooner or later.

But I knew him. He'd be a while. And the longer I waited, the more than tiny little pipe called me name. Begged me to pick it up and inhale its sweet contents.

Before I knew what I was doing, I had the lighter to the bowl as the crystals melted, then evaporated, leaving behind the beautiful white smoke that made me feel so alive.

Just as I'd inhaled my half of the product, the door to the pub slammed open, breaking the silence of the night and giving me such a fright I dropped the untensil, which fell to the floor with a smash, taking its contents along with it.

Oh shit. Eli was gonna be pissed.

My thoughts were interrupted by my boyfriend, staggering drunkenly towards the vehicle. Fumbling with the keys, it wasn't long before another figure appeared in the doorway, scanning the carpark before spotting Eli and sprinting in our direction, yelling something I couldn't make out.

Reaching over and flicking the central locking, I watched in horror as Eli threw the door open, diving into his seat before slamming the door behind him and shoving the keys into the ignition.

The car came to life with a roar just as the angry guy came to stand infront of us.

"Get out here you little fucking punk" he screamed. "Give me my wallet back and fight me like a fucking man."

He spat at the ground, clenching his fists at his sides.

"Eli what the fuck did you do?" I whispered, but he refused to look at me, keeping his gaze fixed firmly on the man infront of us as his knuckles whitened under his increasing hold on the steering wheel.

Before I knew what was happening, the car lurched forward, colliding with the man before us. I screamed as his body flew up onto the bonnet, over the windshield, and then disappeared.

But Eli kept his foot firmly to the floor.

We screamed out of the carpark and onto the road, weaving through what little traffic was around, while silent tears streamed down by face.

Yanking the steering wheel, I was thrown against the side of the door as we turned onto another road. All of a sudden an oncoming vehicle slowed, pulling over before a set of red and blue lights flashed.

"Fuck!!" Eli roared as we passed the patrol car and it turned around to follow us, lights and sirens blazing. I looked at my soulmate, and for the first time in my life I was scared of him.

"Stop the car Eli" I whispered.

"No fucking way Sass. This is our fresh start remember? I'm not letting anything get in our way. I can fix this" he slurred, before yanking on the steering wheel once more, sending the vehicle flying in yet another direction.

We made turn after turn in a pointless attempt to ditch our company, and Eli was getting more desperate by the second.

Finally, he turned to look me dead in the eye.

"Ride or die, baby" he shouted at me with the look of a crazed man, before yanking the steering wheel one final time, sending us careening down a bank and colliding head on with something solid.

Regaining consciousness, I groaned at the pain pulsing through my body. Sirens blared in the distance, and as I rolled my head to the side, I screamed at the sight before me.

Eli, staring back at me. Eyes unblinking, mouth agape as blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.

I screamed again.

"Sass...Saskia wake up!"

I was snapped from my nightmare.

Sitting up, my singlet clung to my back as the sweat induced by my nightmare stained my body. Trying to get my breathing under control, I took in the familiar sights of my small cell around me.

"Rough night eh?" my cell mate Tammy asked, and I could only nod.

Suddenly, there was a loud banging in the metal door.

"Holt, get your shit. You're out" I heard a voice I knew belonged to one of the guards, Peters.

Huh? I was confused.

"Out where?"

"They're letting you out on good behavior or something" he replied.

Tammy snorted and I shot her a warning glance. I couldn't believe my luck. After two and a half years I was finally getting out of this dump. And six months early at that.

I leapt from my bed, throwing my shirt and pants on, not bothering to grab any of the belongings I'd acquired during my time here. They didn't mean anything, and I didn't want any reminders of my time here.

"Well shit" Tammy said looking at me, and I swear I saw a tear in her eye which she quickly blinked away.

"If I knew it was our last night together I woulda made the most of it."

I laughed, slapping her on the ass before pulling her in for a hug.

"I'm gunna miss ya bitch" I told her.

"You too you dirty slut. Go out there and raise hell for those of that can't."

I laughed, pulling away from her. Despite everything I really would miss her.

"Are you coming or should I lock the fucking door and leave you to rot for another six months?" Peters barked, early dirty looks from both Tammy and I.

Holding my head high, I strode out the door and straight past him. More guards waited outside to escort me out, and my mind raced a million miles an hour as I went through processing.

As the cranky guard behind the desk poured the contents of a brown paper bag before me and monotonously asked if they were mine, I was relieved to see my wallet amongst the heap. I snatched it up, turning to walk through the doors as a free woman when the guard spoke again.

"Is there anyone you want to call?"

I thought about the question. Was there? What was I going to do with this new found freedom thrust upon me.

I made a decision in that moment.

"Actually there is" I replied, turning back. She handed me the phone, and I dialed the only number I knew by heart.

Just as I was about to hang up, my call was answered.

"Hello, Roger speaking..."

I hesitated.

"Dad..."

There was a sharp intake of breath on the other end of the line.

"Saskia? What do you want?"

I bit back the sarcastic remark that danced on the tip of my tongue.

"I want to come home Dad."

Silence.

"That's not possible Saskia. Do you know how your actions affected us? How they made us look? The things people said?"

I hung up, no longer interested in listening to his bullshit little pity party. I don't know what I expected.

Handing the phone back to the guard, it was obvious she'd heard every word and had chosen to take pity on me.

"There's a free bus that comes past every half hour. It'll take you into town. The rest it up to you."

I nodded a silent thank you before turning and leaving the building behind.

It wasn't long before I was seated on the bus heading straight for civilization. A newspaper on the empty seat next to me caught my eye.

Reaching across for it, I leaned back in my seat and mindlessly flicked through the pages when a particular ad caught got my attention.

FANTASY - NOW HIRING

Dancers and Stage Girls Needed. No experience required. Must be comfortable with nudity. Let your body do the talking and earn some serious cash. Do you have what it takes to be every man's fantasy?

An address ended the ad, and I re-read it several times, before acting on impulse. Slamming the stop button on the bus, I climbed off as the doors opened ready to find this 'Fantasy' place.

If everybody thought I was a piece of shit, why not prove them right. I had nobody to love me, nobody that cared. But at the same time, that meant no one to let down. No one to disappoint.

The thought brought the first genuine smile to my face in a long time.