Prologue

BYTE

My mother and her husband were fighting again. It wasn't surprising. They argued all the time, but it was always worse on the weekends. As soon as they got home from work on Fridays, they started drinking, and then they would spend the next few hours arguing until one or both of them passed out.

I'd gotten used to it and knew to stay in my room and out of their way. I didn't like it, but I tried to make the best of the situation by drowning them out with headphones and using the time to learn everything I could about computers. It took me several months to save up enough money to buy a laptop, and I had every intention of using it to get as far away from my toxic environment as possible.

It didn't take me long to learn how to utilize my skills to make money. I started out with small jobs, like hacking into the school's computer system and changing a few grades for paying students. Next, I discovered the art of forging IDs, which proved to be a more lucrative endeavor.

I was in the middle of creating a new ID for my most recent customer when I heard a loud noise, despite the music blaring in my ears. I removed my headphones and listened for another sound, but the house was eerily silent. I assumed I had been working longer than I thought and my parents had crashed for the night, but after a quick glance at the time, I realized it was far too early for that.

I started to put my headphones back on and resume my work, but something told me to go see what was going on. I pushed back from my desk and opened the door to my room, completely unprepared for what I saw when I looked into the hallway. My stepfather was standing at the top of the stairs, staring down at something with a look of disbelief on his face. I opened my mouth to ask what he was doing, but quickly shut it when I noticed the large knife he was grasping in his hand.

I took a few steps closer and saw my mother lying haphazardly at the bottom of the stairs. I inadvertently gasped at the sight, alerting my stepfather to my presence. He turned toward me with an evil smile on his face and raised the knife. "Your turn."

I didn't stop to think; I just reacted. With one fluid movement, I kicked my leg out and swept his feet out from under him, causing him to fall backward and tumble down the stairs.

After he reached the bottom, I continued to stand at the top, staring down at him in disbelief, exactly like he'd been doing only moments earlier.

I'm not sure how long I stood there watching for any signs of life before I snapped out of my shock. Quickly descending the stairs, I glanced between the two of them, unsure of which one to check first. The decision was made for me when Glenn let out a weak groan. He was clearly still alive, and I couldn't let that be.

A flicker of light reflecting off the metal caught my attention when he tried to move his arm. He was still holding the knife. Once again, I didn't hesitate or stop to consider the possible ramifications of my actions. I carefully lifted the hand holding the knife and plunged it into the center of his abdomen. His eyes shot open, and he opened his mouth to speak, but the words died on his lips as his body went slack.

I wasn't one hundred percent sure he was dead, so I stepped over my mother's body and crouched down on the far side of her to check for a pulse. Given the way her body was unnaturally twisted, I wasn't surprised when I didn't feel one.

I stood and stared at Glenn. I really didn't want to check him, but I couldn't leave the job unfinished. He never liked me, and he destroyed my mother by turning her into an abusive alcoholic, just like him. There was no way I was going to let him live and risk going to prison for attempted murder. While my initial actions were in self-defense, I doubted anyone would believe me. Especially if Glenn survived. He was good at manipulating situations to his advantage.

Inhaling deeply, I squatted beside him and gently pressed my fingers against the pulse point in his neck. The relief I felt at the absence of his heartbeat was almost overwhelming. I'd done it. I was finally free.

Even though I was planning on leaving and had been preparing for that eventuality for months, I never anticipated it happening the way it did. My original plans didn't involve death and murder, but I couldn't undo what was done and had to move forward with the hand I was dealt.

Adrenaline soon kicked in, and I had to remind myself frequently that there was no need to rush. No one would start looking for either of my parents until Monday morning, when they would expect them to show up for work. I had plenty of time to gather what I needed and disappear without a trace.

I didn't take much from the house—the cash my mother kept hidden from her husband, a few pieces of jewelry I could pawn if needed, my laptop, the money I'd saved, several changes of clothes, and most importantly, my new ID.

With my backpack stuffed so full it almost wouldn't zip, I walked to the bus station the next morning and used the ID I was working on to buy a ticket to the closest large city. From there, I used my new ID to purchase a ticket to a place I'd randomly chosen—Cedar Valley, TN.

It took almost twenty-four hours to get there, and I was exhausted once I arrived. The first thing I did was find somewhere to have breakfast, which ended up being a locally-owned diner right down the street from the bus station. I ordered enough food to feed three people and drank more coffee in one sitting than I ever had before. I'm not sure if it was my ravenous appetite or my disheveled appearance, but the waitress, who happened to be the owner, offered me a job. I took it but explained that I had just arrived in town and needed a day or two to get my affairs in order. Once again, she saved me a lot of time and trouble by telling me about a trailer she had available for rent. She said I could move in immediately. I jumped on the opportunity and moved in that same day. Even though I slept on the floor using my backpack as a pillow, that first night in my new place was the happiest I'd been in a long time.