knew when she would be able to try to get away again?
She walked over to one of the windows. Her pulse was on fire as she looked for a way to unlock the window. It was unlike any window she had ever seen. There were ropes at the top, which were obviously used for opening and closing it somehow. She would have to open it and hope for the best. The window only needed to be opened enough for her to squeeze out.
Macy saw a knob and twisted it around. Something clicked. She turned around to make sure that he hadn't returned. She was still alone. She put her fingers in two grooves at the bottom and pulled up. The window opened!
She pulled it further, but not much because it was surprisingly heavy. That's when a loud, high-pitched screaming sound surrounded her.
The alarm.
He came around the hallway, glaring at her. The look on his face was scarier than it had been at any other point. Macy backed up and looked at the window, which still wasn't open wide enough for her to squeeze through.
"I…I was just—"
Eyes narrowed, he grabbed her elbow, squeezing painfully. He dragged her to the front door where a coat rack stood. He pushed it aside and punched buttons on a white box. The alarm finally stopped.
"The alarm is set. If any of the doors or windows are opened, that horrible alarm you hate so much will go off. It looks like you figured that out already, didn't you?" He squeezed harder, his eyebrows coming together.
He grabbed her other arm and shook her so that her head hit one of the hooks on the coat rack. He shoved her back, digging her back into the wooden rack. Jackets pushed around her face. "I thought we had an understanding. You were going to obey. We need to get the house cleaned before your grandparents get here, Heather." He yanked her back and threw her against the opposite wall.
She hit her head again. "I thought we could use some fresh air. Look at the window. It's only opened a crack."
He grabbed her shoulders and pushed her further against the wall and lifted her so that she wasn't able to touch the floor. "No fresh air! We're already out in the country. We couldn't ask for better quality air. Don't do anything to change the house—ever again! Do you understand me?" Spit flew onto her face. Macy couldn't wipe it away.
She nodded.
His angry eyes came closer to hers. "It looks as though I'm going to have to do the cleaning myself. You're going to spend some time in your room and think about what you've done. When your grandparents get here, you need to be on your best behavior. Do you understand?"
"Yes." She squirmed, hoping he would let go of her.
"When they get here, you're not to try anything funny. Nothing! The only reason I'm not sending you back to the barn is because they're so close to arriving. Keep that in mind." He shoved her and then let go.
Macy fell to the ground and then stood up. At least she had tried to get away. It hadn't worked, but she had tried.
Discovery
The bedroom door closed behind Macy. She could hear something slide against it, keeping her inside. She sighed, looking around the room.
She needed to calm down. Obviously, there was no texting or online games, but maybe Heather had some books. Then Macy could at least escape into her mind for a little while.
She couldn't see any books, but there had to be something. Macy would even take classic literature at that point, as much as she would have preferred to read about some hot vampires or werewolves.
Where would books be? Maybe near the stuffed animals. Macy had all but ignored that part of the room. There was a small shelf underneath the little hammock holding the toys. She sat down and looked at it. The top row was full of DVDs, which she wouldn't be able to watch.
Macy scanned the books on the next shelf. Most of them were literary—things teachers forced kids to read. One had an interesting title that she had never heard of. She grabbed it and noticed that it felt odd.
What was that? She narrowed her
She walked over to one of the windows. Her pulse was on fire as she looked for a way to unlock the window. It was unlike any window she had ever seen. There were ropes at the top, which were obviously used for opening and closing it somehow. She would have to open it and hope for the best. The window only needed to be opened enough for her to squeeze out.
Macy saw a knob and twisted it around. Something clicked. She turned around to make sure that he hadn't returned. She was still alone. She put her fingers in two grooves at the bottom and pulled up. The window opened!
She pulled it further, but not much because it was surprisingly heavy. That's when a loud, high-pitched screaming sound surrounded her.
The alarm.
He came around the hallway, glaring at her. The look on his face was scarier than it had been at any other point. Macy backed up and looked at the window, which still wasn't open wide enough for her to squeeze through.
"I…I was just—"
Eyes narrowed, he grabbed her elbow, squeezing painfully. He dragged her to the front door where a coat rack stood. He pushed it aside and punched buttons on a white box. The alarm finally stopped.
"The alarm is set. If any of the doors or windows are opened, that horrible alarm you hate so much will go off. It looks like you figured that out already, didn't you?" He squeezed harder, his eyebrows coming together.
He grabbed her other arm and shook her so that her head hit one of the hooks on the coat rack. He shoved her back, digging her back into the wooden rack. Jackets pushed around her face. "I thought we had an understanding. You were going to obey. We need to get the house cleaned before your grandparents get here, Heather." He yanked her back and threw her against the opposite wall.
She hit her head again. "I thought we could use some fresh air. Look at the window. It's only opened a crack."
He grabbed her shoulders and pushed her further against the wall and lifted her so that she wasn't able to touch the floor. "No fresh air! We're already out in the country. We couldn't ask for better quality air. Don't do anything to change the house—ever again! Do you understand me?" Spit flew onto her face. Macy couldn't wipe it away.
She nodded.
His angry eyes came closer to hers. "It looks as though I'm going to have to do the cleaning myself. You're going to spend some time in your room and think about what you've done. When your grandparents get here, you need to be on your best behavior. Do you understand?"
"Yes." She squirmed, hoping he would let go of her.
"When they get here, you're not to try anything funny. Nothing! The only reason I'm not sending you back to the barn is because they're so close to arriving. Keep that in mind." He shoved her and then let go.
Macy fell to the ground and then stood up. At least she had tried to get away. It hadn't worked, but she had tried.
Discovery
The bedroom door closed behind Macy. She could hear something slide against it, keeping her inside. She sighed, looking around the room.
She needed to calm down. Obviously, there was no texting or online games, but maybe Heather had some books. Then Macy could at least escape into her mind for a little while.
She couldn't see any books, but there had to be something. Macy would even take classic literature at that point, as much as she would have preferred to read about some hot vampires or werewolves.
Where would books be? Maybe near the stuffed animals. Macy had all but ignored that part of the room. There was a small shelf underneath the little hammock holding the toys. She sat down and looked at it. The top row was full of DVDs, which she wouldn't be able to watch.
Macy scanned the books on the next shelf. Most of them were literary—things teachers forced kids to read. One had an interesting title that she had never heard of. She grabbed it and noticed that it felt odd.
What was that? She narrowed her
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