Runaways by V.C. Andrews

of the garage. He even left the vehicle unlocked. Quietly, carefully, I opened the door and got in behind the wheel. The others rushed around, Raven getting in front, Butterfly and Crystal in the back. All the doors were closed with a soft kiss of metal on metal. I inserted the key into the ignition, my fingers trembling just a bit.
    â€œIt smells like a musty cellar in here,” Raven said, holding her nose. “Ugh.”
    â€œHere’s one reason,” Crystal said, showing us a bottle of cheap wine that had probably spilled on the floor.
    â€œWe’ll have to clean it up before we sleep in here,” Butterfly said.
    â€œAre you really sure you can drive this thing?” Raven asked.
    â€œYou know I can,” I said with a confident smile. “I did really well in drivers’ education class. Didn’t I get the highest mark on the exam?”
    â€œThat’s an exam. This is really doing it and without an instructor at your side all the time.”
    â€œStop worrying, worrywart,” I told Crystal. “Ready, girls?”
    They all mumbled yes and I turned the key. The wagon started immediately with a rumble that shook the whole vehicle.
    â€œThe fuel tank’s full,” I announced. “Good old Gordon,” I said, “keeps his vehicle tuned up and ready.” I gazed back at the large, dark house. “Thanks, Gordon.”
    I put the car into drive and accelerated just a bit too fast. The tires spun some gravel, but I held the wheel firmly and drove down the long driveway to the street. I didn’t want the others to know, but I was amazed at myself.
    We continued down the highway, now spreadbefore us like the road to Oz, a streak of silver pointing to the unknown. Everyone was quiet. It was so late it felt like darkness had turned to stone.
    â€œI wish I was there to see his face in the morning,” Raven said.
    â€œNot me,” Crystal mumbled.
    â€œHe’ll blame Louise,” I said. “He’s always accusing her of being too soft with us.”
    â€œI feel sorry for her,” Raven said. “I don’t know why she ever married him.”
    â€œShe’ll be wondering the same thing tomorrow morning,” I said. Suddenly, I broke into a loud laugh.
    â€œWhat?” Raven said.
    â€œI was just thinking about Megan. She’ll give him the phony map in the morning so she can be his little hero and then he’ll go off in the wrong direction.”
    â€œSo?” Raven said. “That’s what you wanted to happen, right?”
    I looked at Crystal and she smiled. She turned to Raven.
    â€œHe’ll think she did it on purpose, that she was part of our plan.”
    â€œOh. Oh, that is funny. Maybe not,” she said after a moment. “He’ll kill her.”
    We were all silent again, contemplating Gordon’s rage.
    â€œMaybe we should go back,” Butterfly said a few minutes into the silence.
    â€œBack? Back to what? There is no back. There is only forward,” I said. “Don’t worry, Butterfly. We’re all together, all with you.”
    No one spoke. No one could disagree.
    â€œWe did it,” Crystal said, amazed. She kept her eyes forward on the road ahead. “We really did it.”
    â€œI always knew we could,” I said. Above us, the sky blazed with stars.
    â€œTurn on the radio,” Raven said.
    I leaned over and did so. We found a rock station and Raven turned up the volume and began to sing along, filling the car with her melodious voice.
    I grew more confident behind the wheel and accelerated.
    Our journey had truly begun.

4

The Road Less Traveled
    H igh on excitement, none of us noticed how tired we really were. The tension was enough to exhaust any of us, and the late hour just made it more difficult to stay awake. Driving at this time of night had one big advantage: there wasn’t much traffic. I knew the roads that would take us to the main highway, but