We traveled for what seemed like days although the sun never seemed to rise. Verdy seemed calm and collected, and considering the circumstances, I was very thankful for that. I didn’t know what would happen to me or her, and I was scared. My stepfather was very smart and I knew we had to plan our moves carefully because if he caught us he would definitely kill Verdy and who knows what he would do to me. I wish it could be as simple as going to the police and turning him in. But it wasn’t that simple.

When I met Verdy she introduced herself as Ms. Strowe and she was my freshman English teacher. We became close, we just clicked. I hung out in her classroom at lunch instead of with kids my age. I didn’t have any friends anyway. She made me feel special, worth something. My stepfather did too, but in a very different way. But I didn’t tell her that secret. Not for a long time. The wall I built in my mind was too thick.