Chapter Five

Joey continued to run and pressed the button on the side of their legs. They sprinted through the two and half hour drive in about thirty minutes when they reached the entrance to Rikar. They ran into their house, and dashed for their room. But, they were stopped.

“Where have you been, young man?!” Ms. Blazer said as she stepped in their way. Joey tried to step around, but her frame stopped them. Joey gritted their teeth and glared at Ms. Blazer.

“Move out of my way, bi-” He was smacked off his feet onto the fancy rug. Ms. Blazer belly laughed.

“I’ve wanted to do that for so long.” Joey felt the side of their face and recoiled from how hot the bruise left on their face was. “A miserable brat like you deserves a good smack!” Ms. Blazer stepped over the shocked Joey. She made sure to “accidentally” step on their stomach. “I’m going to alert your father as to your whereabouts, he’s been worried sick. Rodsworth and him have been searching all over Rikar for you.”

As she left, Joey got back to their feet and stumbled back to their room. They slammed it shut and put their back to it. They slid to their floor with their hands gripping their hair, and near silent sobs escaping their mouth. Today has gone so off course they didn’t know how to process it. They’re getting sent to a military camp, their best friend’s sister was dead, and two out of three of the adults in their life have laid a hand on them.

“Fuck all of you!” Joey screamed as they curled into themselves. Tears streamed down their face as they hugged themselves. “Fuck me.” They whispered to themself.

Thoughts of how much trouble they’re gonna be in seep into the their mind. They gasp in pain at the thought of being dragged away from Jaxson. Of being forced down into a military camp because of a mistake they made. No-- it wasn’t a mistake-- they killed someone, how could they even think it’ll be seen as that. They took away some innocent girl’s life. They’ll be locked away. Jaxson will grow up without a sibling. Jaxson…

Joey lifted their head up and thought about their little brother. If they're going to be dragged away from him, they want to say goodbye at least. They rose from the floor, their face covered in tears and snot, and made their way to their little brother’s room.

They opened the door and could see that Jaxson was asleep, sound in bed. Chest rising and falling slowly. Still alive. If Joey stayed around for any, they doubted that’d be the case. They’d end up killing him with their stupid mistakes.

“Hey, Jax,” They whispered. “Jojo’s leaving for a while. Somebody else is gonna have to watch your cartoons with you, walk you around your room, pass your dirty diapers off to Rodsworth, paint your room.” Joey brought their finger to trace the edge of Jaxson’s chubby cheek when they heard a name escape from his small tiny mouth.

“Jojo,” He said.

“Yea, Jojo’s gotta go now.” Joey left Jaxson’s side, and went into the bathroom to freshen up. They could hear Levi’s nagging voice in their ear about going out in style. They splash water on their face, and nearly start crying again but stop themselves. They had to be brave now. They looked at themselves in the mirror, and eyed their brown hair in their bun.

They took the hair band out of their hair to redo the bun, but felt the sensation of their long hair falling down their shoulders. It felt nice. They looked in the mirror, and saw themselves. They looked…just like the woman off of the show they were watching earlier. And, that made them…happy. 

“Look at me. I look like a girl.” Joey smiled at themself as they played with their hair in the mirror, and tossed the hair band aside. “If I don’t want to be a boy,” They said to themself. “Let me see how being a girl turns out.” She said to herself. “Joanne Marks has a nice ring to it.”

Joanne sighed in content before the reality of her situation weighed on her again. She was going to be taken away from everyone she loved. That wasn’t going to fly in her book. She thought about what she could say or do. Then, it hit her. Her eyes steeled with determination as she raced back to her room and grabbed her school backpack. She dumped out her school books and filled it with clothes. She raced to the kitchen and stuffed it with several snacks for the road.

She ran into Jaxson’s room and kissed him goodbye, and walked to the door. She wished the different things in this mansion goodbye as she walked out of the front door, and looked down the road. About twelve miles outside of Rikar was a port that surely would take her somewhere she would never have to face what’s happening in her life.

She looked down at her new legs and the button gleamed in the night light invitingly. She sighed and breathed in the night air.

“Alright, Joanne,” She said to herself. “Let’s go for a run.”

The End...