Rescue Me: Escape From Reality series

by Sara Schoen

  They finally understood that being ‘just an EMT’ wasn’t so bad. He saved people on a day-to-day basis and came through in hard times. He’d have a job no matter what happened, and he’d be appreciated in it. I think they were still slightly disappointed he couldn’t live his original dream of being in the military, but they didn’t make him feel inept after every visit now. He was able to voice his opinions without backlash and even after our first visit he felt better. I think it helped convince them that the military wasn’t the best option when he explained that his foot had to be in a boot for the next two months. After the trekking he had done to get to me, he strained his foot and broke a few metatarsals. It wasn’t as bad as it could have been, but she wasn’t going to be running for a while. Deacon wasn’t pleased to lose his running partner for so long, but agreed to take it easy on him when he could rejoin their morning workout. Thankfully, Deacon had a sweet spot for me. Either that or he was scare of me. I hadn’t figured out which one it was yet, but I was glad he agreed to take it easy on Gage. That’s all I cared about.

  “Me oh Mia,” Deacon said, walking in with a large box from Gage’s. He elongated my name so it sounded like, “Me oh my-a,” and opened his arms to hug me. “You look lovely as always. How’s the ankle? Can I get you anything? I’m sure the others aren’t checking up on you. Too busy fighting over who can carry the most stuff. It’s like the time we had an actual dick measuring contest all over again.”

  I laughed, swatting him in the chest playfully as he pulled away from me. He’ll be hell in a hand basket for some girl. I wish her the best of luck dealing with these boys. “That’s not a mental picture I needed, but thank you, Deacon.” I paused; taking in the mischievous gleam in his eyes, which told me this wasn’t over. I chose to ignore the shine in his blue eyes and continued so I could distract him. “My ankle still hurts, but with an EMT on call twenty-four seven I’m in good hands. It has to stay in the cast a few months, but the doctors said it would heal nicely. No bike riding for now though. Maybe next summer.”

  “What are you going to do when your mom and dad come to visit? How are you going to take them anywhere?”

  “You don’t know my parents.” My words were laced with humor and a hint of sarcasm, which seemed to intrigue Deacon. “My mom doesn’t hike. She will have a car and since I’m injured, I’ll be babied and we will just drive everywhere we need to.”

  “What about when they leave?”

  “Gage can still walk to town to get what we need.” I joked. Gage didn’t slow down due to the injury. He just wanted people to think he do so he could rest. Me on the other hand, I wasn’t going anywhere for at least a month. “Don’t let him fool you, he’ll be doing most of errands.”

  He laughed loudly. “If he doesn’t take care of you. Call me and I’ll set him straight,” he said as the boys walked in with reinforcements. Joe and Harrison were each lifting a box while Justin and Gage were about to topple over with three stacked on top of each other. Joe and Harrison set their boxes down on top of one another before coming over to check on me. Gage gave Deacon a stern warning glare, which made me smile. So protective. Even with friends.

  Apparently, Deacon had been the heartbreaker of the group before something happened to a girl he loved. Gage said I had to wait for Deacon to explain that one to me on his own, but still the other guys felt the need to check on him when he got too close to a girl they liked. I could see why. He’s handsome in a rugged kind of way, but Gage is striking, pleasing to the eyes, understands me, and most importantly, makes me feel safe. Gage has nothing to worry about, but it was nice to see him worried about losing me. He’s very different from Wes. Thank God.

  “Hey, I’m just checking on Mia because neither of you assholes are. The girl has a broken ankle and you two are busy having a pissing match. Way to win boyfriend of the year.”

  “Coming from you,” Justin retorted, setting down his boxes and standing up to crack his back. “When was your last real relationship? High school? No one wants to date a Marine during boot camp! You fucked up.”

  “Says the one who never had a girlfriend because he fucked any chance by asking for a threesome.”

  He gave Justin a once over as he approached us, stopping a few inches from me and leaving me in the middle of their fight. Justin was sweaty, hot, and very out of breath. I could only image where this would go since Deacon still had the mischievous gleam in his eyes and the boys weren’t exactly nice to each other. Actually, they were awful to each other. I still don’t understand how they were friends.

  “Maybe I’ll become an EMT. It must be an easy job since fat ass here can do it.” Deacon couldn’t say it with a straight face—he had an impish grin the entire time he spoke.

  Justin flipped Deacon the bird. “Anyone can fix a car, but it takes skill to be an EMT. Go back to the Marines, maybe they’ll make a real man out of you this time since you couldn’t handle it the first time.”

  “You don’t know the difference between a shock absorber and the suspension. You couldn’t do my job if you tried. At least I can tell if a wound is bleeding and get someone to the hospital. So you can suck it.”

  “No thanks, I’ll leave the sucking to Mia.” Justin dipped his head toward me with a playful smirk.

  I should have known I’d be dragged into this somehow.

  My eyes widened as his words hit me. It took a moment before I slapped him across the face, leaving a red handprint on his cheek. The guys acted like teenagers, it’s how they were with each other. Well, two could play that game. If Justin wanted to use high school insults, then I’d use high school comebacks. “You better watch your mouth or I’ll let it slip that you went to a gay club last weekend by accident and got a lap dance from a dude. Oh, wait…” Sarcasm dripped off my words and an evil smirk curled at the edges of my lips. “Who’s sucking now?”

  The guys hooted in laughter after a chorus of “ohhhs”.

  “Good play, Mia. I can appreciate a girl who can stand up for herself. I’ll take that insult proudly.” He smiled before leaning in and whispering to me. “Just do me a favor and never tell anyone else that, okay?”

  I laughed lightly, nodding my head in agreement. “But I can’t promise you they won’t tell someone, so good luck with that.”

  He gave me a half-smile before glancing at Deacon. “Don’t worry, I have years of dirt on everyone in this room. If you need something against them just call me up and I’ll help you out.”

  Deacon cast a knowing smile that made me curious on what he knew about his friends. “Yeah, if you need help. I’ll tell you whatever you need to know about anyone here. It will be worth it to watch them squirm a little bit.”

  “I may take you up on that.” Deacon and I laughed together in a small huddle, drawing the attention of the others in the room.

  “What’s so funny?” Gage asked, pulling Justin and Joe with him to get more boxes. “I don’t like you flirting with my girlfriend, man. Can you get your own for once?” His tone had a hint of humor, but I heard the serious undertone. Maybe Deacon really would be trouble for some girl, especially with these boys around.

  I got up, crutches placed just right, to walk over to Gage. He immediately broke out of his protective instinct to come to me and pull me into a hug. I relaxed instantly in his arms and caught myself thinking about how great it would be to stay like this forever—safe and protected in his arms. It’s amazing just how fast he healed me. Maybe this town did have a way of healing people…it sure helped me.

  “Don’t worry, Gage, I was just asking Mia when the big wedding day is. I can’t wait to watch you get hitched. My ass better be invited.” Deacon’s voice sounded resigned. I could imagine him with his hands help up in an ‘I surrender’ manner, but his usual impish smile at the edges of his lips. “Justin and I are starting the next pool. I think I’ll put fifty dollars on it being in three months.”

  I laughed into Gage’s chest, but he tensed. His heart rate sped up and I could feel his hand
twitching on my back. Poor Gage, always under some kind of pressure to do something. I turned around to look at Deacon. “It won’t happen until I’m at least out of this cast so you can start the betting pool for about six months. I want to be able to walk comfortably and without any help.”

  “I better win this time and if those invitations don’t have ribbons and wax seals then I’m sending it back until you get me a proper one,” Justin stated with authority in his words.

  Gage groaned, giving me on last squeeze for our hug before gently pulling away. “Come on, we only have a few more boxes left and then we can go to Ellie’s diner for lunch. I’d offer to pay for helping me out, but you’re all giving me shit so you’re on your own.” He kissed the top of my head before leading the way back to his cabin.

  I found my seat back at the kitchen table and looked out at Crystal Lake. The sun shining on the water relaxed me and let the happiness and new hope I had take over. I no longer had anything to worry about except day-to-day things. The dark cloud hanging over my head vanished, the monster of my nightmares had been slain, and I could actually start over now. Most of the townspeople knew what happened that night, and thankfully no one asked about it. The girls from the wellness camp had asked for me to teach another aquarium class so I could get back into my job. David had offered for me to come back as soon as I wanted and promised there would always be research to do. Ellie and Lottie checked in on me daily, as did their friend, Mama Sandra. They were, “The grandmothers of Escape,” as Gage called them.

  And then there was Gage. When I first moved here, I feared the emotions I had for him and how easy it was to be with him. He’d been supportive, kind, loving, and funny from the moment I met him. I rolled my eyes when he told me he talked to me at first to prove a point to Justin. I could believe it. Though it worked out. With his persistence, he managed to break down my walls and worm his way into my life until I wanted him to be there. Without him, I’m not sure I’d be here today. I don’t know what would have happened if Gage hadn’t been there with Joe, Harrison, and Justin to rescue me. I don’t even want to think about the possibilities.

  I shook my head to get rid of those thoughts and let the good ones back in. The lake glittered in the sunlight, easing me again, and reminding me of all that Escape had to offer. I knew there was more in store for me and I couldn’t wait to take on life and all of its challenges with Gage by my side.

  Escape, Colorado...what a fitting place for someone running away…and looking for something more than they could ever have expected.

  ***Sneak Peak***

  PHAT

  Escape from Reality Series, Book #2

  Releases June 15, 2017

  Taylor Henderson

  Chapter 1

  The bus bounced and rattled as we headed down a worn dirt road. According to the greasy looking redhead in the seat in front of me we were on the final stretch of road before we made it to camp Fat Fuckers. I was grateful for that, because I was willing to bet all of the cash in my wallet that the bus was going to fall apart if we drove over one more bump.

  In the seat in front of me the redheaded whipped her head from left to right, trying to get a good view out of each window. Unlike everyone else on the bus—me and the two girls who were actually sobbing in the back row—she seemed excited to be there. Her excitement was only making me more annoyed, if that was even possible. I did my best not to look of the window. I had even stacked my duffle bags up on the seat next to me so that the window was partially obscured. I didn’t want to see the rolling mountains or the picturesque scenery that the brochure had bragged about. I didn’t even want to be on the bus, but here I was. I made a mental list of all of the things I could have been doing at this very moment.

  1. Watching a movie with Buzz, my dog.

  2. Ordering Chinese food from the little place around the corner from my house—they recognized my home phone number and knew my usual order.

  3. Hanging out at India’s house, even though we had had a huge falling out just a week ago. I wasn’t ready to forgive her yet and I know she wasn’t ready to forgive me, but honestly anything would be better than being here.

  The worst part about it all was that being here wasn’t even my idea. It was my parent’s idea. Because of them, I was being sent away to a camp for fat girls. To this moment it still baffles me that they thought I’d be happy about spending my summer at a fat camp in Escape, Colorado. Just knowing that they thought I needed to go was enough to make my eyes prickle with tears. I bit my bottom lip to keep it from quivering as I tilted my head down. I didn’t want to be like the two Debbie Downers in the back of the bus. I didn’t want to be here, but that didn’t mean that I was going to be a baby about it. I was going to suck it up and get through these two months. I needed to prove that I wasn’t the fat slob that my parents so obviously thought I was.

  The bus bounced again, shaking and rattling. My head bobbed and from the corner of my eye I could see a flash of blue. Without thinking, I turned towards my window and leaned around my tower of duffle bags to see outside. To the left of the road we were on was a steep slope that descended into a placid blue lake. I clenched my jaw to keep it from dropping as my eyes widened. The lake was surrounding by trees and in the distance were mountains peaking in the sky. I could feel my anger beginning to dissipate so I averted my gaze quickly. I wasn’t ready to stop being mad at my parents for springing this on me and ruining my summer plans—no matter how miniscule they were.

  I kept picturing my parents when they told me they were shipping me off. They had been sitting in the living room when I got home from school on the last day. I had known something was wrong instantly. The tension in the air was so thick I felt like I could barely walk through it as I made my way over to them. As if it wasn’t strange enough that my workaholic parents were both home in the middle of the day, Mom was also refusing to look at me. She was tenser than I had ever seen her before. Her hands were folded together on her lap and her back was as stiff as a board as she sat on the love seat with my dad, her eyes averted as Dad asked me to take a seat across from them. A feeling of pure, unadulterated terror had washed over me as I took a seat, my butt sinking just a little too far into our plush sofa. All of the bad stuff I had done in my lifetime flashed through my mind. Did they know about the time I had smoked weed with India in her tree house? Did they know about the time I had let Bobby Garrison from down the street feel me up in his car? Did they hear me in the bathroom two nights ago?

  I bit into my bottom lip as my dad began talking. It had all been a blur. I wasn’t even listening anymore once they handed me the brochure for the Escape Reality Wellness Camp. All I saw were the words “Exercise” and “Camp” and I knew what it was. They were sending me away to get back the athletic daughter they once had. The fatter version of myself was an embarrassment.

  I read the brochure cover to cover until every word was practically engrained in my mind. My dad was still blabbing on and on about stuff I didn’t care about as I looked at every picture and read the five star reviews on the back page. I didn’t care how “relaxing and wonderful” the camp was or how much weight one reviewer lost without even trying. Nothing could make me want to go, but apparently I didn’t have a choice.

  “It’s for the best,” Mom had muttered at the end of Dad’s speech on why this was a good thing. She hadn’t even looked at me the entire time. Now, thanks to them I was stuck here and they were probably enjoying life without their horrendously overweight daughter who eats all of the leftovers in the middle of the night and looks like a stuffed sausage in family photos. I felt like I was going to be sick at the thought of them living it up and enjoying my absence.

  It was hard to ignore my idyllic surroundings when the chick in front of me wouldn’t stop squealing. Thankfully her excited yelps had brought me out of my thoughts. If I thought about my parents anymore I would probably end up crying after all. I was supposed to make friends while I was here, but I had already decided I didn’
t like this girl and if everyone was like her then the idea of making friends at all would be nearly impossible. How could someone be so happy to be sent away to a hellhole like Camp Fat Fuckers for the summer? And from the looks of it this wasn’t even her first time going. She kept mumbling the directions under her breath just before each turn.

  “And a right at the end of this road,” she’d murmur just loud enough for me to hear, as if she thought I would be impressed by her memory or sense of direction. Instead all I wanted to do was choke her with her own greasy tresses.

  I resisted the urge to lean forward and hold her still as the bus made a turn and pulled into a gravel driveway. The bus sputtered and squealed as it jerked to a stop. In front of me Grease-head stood up and grabbed her bags so fast I could see sparks flying from her body as she slid out of her seat and hurried down the aisle toward the front of the bus. I followed at a much slower speed, taking my sweet time as I hefted my two duffle bags onto my shoulders and trudged after her.

  “Enjoy your vacation, sweetie,” the old bus driver said to me in a chipper voice as I passed by. I forced a smile at her as I nodded in response. Enjoy my vacation my ass, I thought as I stepped off the bus, my feet hitting Colorado ground for the first time in my life. Yesterday my parents had driven me to a bus station on the outskirts of Arizona, nearly a day’s drive from our home in Tucson, where the camp’s bus stopped to pick me. There were certain bus stops that the bus could go to and we had to pay extra for the bus to come and pick us up and whichever bus stop was closest to us.