Fighting to be Free by Kirsty Moseley (3 page)

I made my way up the path and a young girl probably in her early twenties stepped forward, putting her hand on my chest. She looked awful, her eyes were bloodshot, her hair was wild and she looked like she hadn’t washed or changed her - almost non-existent - clothes in about a week.

“Hi handsome, you looking for someone?” she purred, trailing her finger down my chest.

“No thanks,” I replied quickly, trying not to turn my nose up as I shrugged away from her hand and made my way inside.

The place was even worse from the inside, and looked like it was about to fall down with all the cracks in the walls and ceiling. I made my way to the little reception and laughed quietly to myself when I saw the guy sitting there behind the big thick bars and what looked like bullet proof glass behind that. He had a hand gun sitting on the side of his desk.

He sneered at me, “Yeah?” he asked rudely.

“Hey, I’m Jamie Cole. I was told I had a room here,” I said trying to ignore the rude way he was looking at me, like I was a piece of crap or something he‘d stepped in.

“Cole? Let me see…..” He shifted slightly on his chair, rifling through some papers.

I turned slightly so I could see up the hallway, I didn’t want anyone sneaking up on me from behind or anything. I’d gotten pretty good at staying out of trouble in the last four years, as long as you see trouble coming, you can either face it head on or walk the other way. That was what I had learnt, and I planned on sticking to it even now I was out.

“Yeah, he you are,” he said ticking me off on some sort of list, he walked over to the little cabinet and grabbed a set of keys. He sat down at the desk and put a couple of forms into a little metal drawer, he shoved the drawer and it popped out my side of the bars. Wow, he’s not taking any chances at all. I could barely stop myself from laughing at how this place was really setting a good impression already. I dragged the forms out, looking them over, they were just registration forms.

“Sign on the bottom and it’s all yours,” he said nodding at the form, I scribbled my name and passed it back to him using the drawer. “Ok so there aren’t very many rules here, just try and stay out of trouble. If I were you, I would be careful not to go out in the dark too much, make sure you lock your door, even when you’re in the room. Take anything valuable out with you, or lock it in one of the safes here inside the office,” he said, nodding over his shoulder at a row of little safes built into the wall.

I nodded and he continued. “You have a front door key. The door gets locked at ten so after that you’ll have to let yourself in. Your room is 134,” he stated, shoving the drawer back through to me.

I grabbed the set of keys from the bottom, “You have your own shower, toilet and sink in your room. If you want to have a bath, there’s a bathroom on each floor, but I wouldn’t recommend it.”

He cringed subconsciously as he said it. I couldn’t help but laugh, maybe I should have just asked Brett to kill me after all.

“Right, thanks. Hey, do you know of anyone round here looking to hire someone?” I asked curiously, he laughed then I saw the smile slowly fade from his face when he realised I was serious.

“Oh right, sorry I thought that was a joke. Err…. I don’t know of anyone. What kind of thing you interested in?” he asked curiously. I smiled, the only thing I knew about was cars, I was good with cars but useless at anything else.

“I’ll take anything,” I said honestly. I figured I’d need to stack shelves for a while just to make some money until I found something else, obviously I needed to get out of this crap hole as soon as possible.

“If I hear of anything I’ll leave a note in your pigeon hole, that’s where you mail will go, so you’ll need to collect anything from here.” He nodded over his shoulder again, this time at the shelves with room numbers written on them.

“Ok, thanks for your help,” I said, looking around for the stairs.

“First floor, turn left at the top, and good luck….” he trailed off with a small knowing smile.

“Right,” I mumbled, as I headed up the stairs. I avoided touching the railings and walls on my way up, they looked like they were covered in years of grime and dirt. Wow, if Brett doesn’t kill me, then maybe I’ll die of some sort of gross infection or something that I‘ll catch from this place.

I found my room easily even though the number just said 34 instead of 134. I unlocked the three locks and shoved the door open, preparing myself for the worst, well, I thought I did anyway. Even I was shocked, there was literally nothing in here apart from a bed, a battered looking chest of drawers and a dressing table. Not even a closet, nice. I shut the door quickly, locking it from the inside like he suggested and dropped my bag on the floor. The bed didn’t look too bad though, which was a bonus. The mattress looked clean, and the sheets that were piled at the end actually looked new, so at least I wouldn’t have to sleep in other peoples filth.

There was a little sink in one corner, I went over to the door near the sink and opened it to find a tiny little wet room and toilet. It was barely big enough to shower in. I laughed quietly to myself, looks like I could kill two birds with one stone and shower while I’m taking a leak, now that’s a time saver! I couldn’t stop laughing, this place was awful, I kind of wished I was back in juvie, at least that was clean and comfortable.

I flopped on the bed and stared at the ceiling, all I could hear was the sounds of shouting and fighting from outside, people banging around in the room next door. I closed my eyes and thought everything through, I needed to get a job, and I needed to get a car, then I could get the hell out of this place. One job for Brett and my Mom would be safe and then I could move on.

I changed into a blue shirt, grabbed the photo of my little sister out of my bag and shoved it into my pocket. It was the only thing that mattered to me, and I couldn’t chance leaving it here, just in case something happened to it. I shoved my bag under my bed and headed out to try and get a job, might as well start now.

I actually left the bedsit in quite high spirits. I managed to get out of the building with no hassle from the girl again, thankfully, I just didn’t need that kind of attention at all. I headed to the nearest stores and started asking around. A couple of them were interested, until I told them where I was staying and then they backed off straight away. It was obviously common knowledge what kind of people lived at that place, scum of the earth, murdering wasters, just like me. By the third place I asked, I was lying and telling people I was in the process of moving house, but still didn‘t even manage to get an interview.

I spotted a scrap yard at the end of the road so I thought I would go for my second task and try and get a car. I’d need one for when I eventually got a job, I couldn’t keep using cabs, my money wouldn’t last very long if I did that.

I headed to the little office, “Hey, what you looking for?” the guy asked politely, as he wiped his greasy hands on a rag.

“Oh hi. Err… I’m not sure…. you have any cars that need work to get them running that you want to get rid of cheap?” I asked hopefully.

He smiled “You know about cars?” he asked, looking me over in my shirt and jeans, I guess I didn’t look like I knew too much about cars at the moment.

“Yeah, I know a thing or two,” I answered amused by his assumption. There wasn’t much I didn’t know about cars actually, he looking a little disbelieving.

“Ok, well I’ll show you what we’ve got, none of them run though.” He shrugged and headed out of the door. I followed behind him excitedly, I hadn’t had my hands on a car engine for over four years and I actually couldn’t wait.

He led us round the back of the office, “These are the ones we use for parts, the others we crush but these ones are ok, except they don’t run. I mean, none of them are complete now, but you could make a car out of the parts of the others and what we have around the yard,” he stated, nodding to about ten beat up, scratched and rusted cars parked there. I laughed, wow ok lots of work needed, but that’s ok it just takes time, and I’ve got plenty of that.

“Can I have a look?” I asked, heading over to the first one in the row. I instantly dismissed it, the chassis was rusted to hell and I hated welding. After looking at a couple I settled on a pickup that I think at one point was green. It had no wheels and no bumper but I bet they had those lying around here somewhere. “This looks good. Can I turn it over?” I asked excitedly. He grinned and nodded, looking amused, obviously thinking I was crazy as I jumped behind the wheel excitedly.

The keys were already in it, I pumped the gas as I turned the keys hearing the whine and slight ticking noise. This was perfect, sounded like the alternator to me, easy to fix, I could replace some of the parts. I popped the hood and went to look at the engine, it didn’t look to bad at all, little clean up and new cables. I shoved my hand down the side and pulled out the Alternator cable, “You have a rag I could borrow?” I asked.

He was watching me, his smirk growing wider as he threw me the rag he was wiping his hands on. I cleaned it up and grabbed a stone off of the floor scratching the inside of it slightly to give some friction before putting it back.

“Can you try it again for me?” I asked hopefully.

He burst out laughing. “Look man, this car’s been here for almost a year, it’s probably rusted solid.

I’ve tried to get this one going, it’s not just gonna be the alternator,” he said, shaking his head as if I was stupid.

I shrugged, “Worth a shot, right? That’s just a temporary fix, I’ll have to change most of the fixings and gator joints but it should be ok.”

He rolled his eyes and got in the cab, not expecting anything by the look on his face. The truck roared to life for a few seconds before cutting out, it was loud as hell but it was perfect. The guy got out looking at me shocked.

I laughed “You think I didn’t know what I was talking about?” I asked, laughing at his face.

He smiled, “Sorry, you don’t look like the sort that knows about cars.” He shrugged, looking at me apologetically.

“No probs. So, how much you want for it? I’ll need the parts too, wheels, bumper, I’ll replace all of the plugs, clips and cables as well,” I stated, taking another look into the engine.

“Call it….. $200?” the guy offered, looking at me hopefully. Two hundred? That’s freaking awesome! Ok, poker face Jamie, he obviously wants the sale.

“$200 is a little steep, you said yourself you can’t get it going. I’ll take it and the parts for $150,” I offered, knowing I would pay the two hundred and it would still be cheap as anything.

He rolled his eyes, “$175?”

I nodded, “Sure, why not. You think I could maybe fix it up here? I won’t be any trouble, I’ll stay out of the way I promise. It’s just I don’t have anywhere to do this….” I trailed off looking at him hopefully. That was a little lie, I could easily get this to Brett’s warehouse, but I didn’t want to be owing him anything.

“Sure, why not,” he agreed

“Awesome. I’m Jamie by the way.” I stuck out my hand to him.

“Connor,” he replied, shaking it.

I paid him a deposit and arranged to come back tomorrow morning to start. I grabbed a sandwich from the nearest store and headed back to the crap hole I now called home, avoiding the drug dealer and the two prostitutes that seemed to have set up camp outside the door.

The next couple of days passed quickly, I was down at the yard near enough the whole time and was doing well with the car. Connor was awesome and really friendly, he was actually a lot younger than I thought and was only twenty three. His dad owned the yard and Connor ran it for him most of the time. When I finally fixed my pickup I was more than a little proud of myself, it needed a new paint job but it was now in perfect working order.

Connor brought me out a coffee and looked over the car a little shocked. “I can’t believe you did this. I tried with this one, I’m pretty good with cars, but this one was dead,” he said, looking at me appreciatively.

“You know, I could have a look at the others if you want. Maybe fix them up and you can sell them?” I offered, I’d been thinking about this a lot recently.

He frowned, “Yeah? And what would you get out of that?” he asked sceptically.

I shrugged, “What would you sell them for in the state that they’re in?” I asked curiously.

He thought about it, “I don’t know, hardly anything. No one’s crazy enough to buy a car that doesn’t work, present company excluded of course,” he joked, laughing.

“Ok, well how about this: I fix them up, you sell them and I get half of the profit,” I suggested.

He frowned, “Half?” he asked, obviously thinking about it.

“Only half of the profit. So, for example, if you buy the car for $100 and sell it for $200 then I get fifty. That way you’re still making more than you normally would right and I get some too. Plus they won‘t just be worth $200 when I‘m done, you‘ll probably sell them for a good four or five hundred,” I suggested hopefully.

“Um… I’m not sure Jamie. It sounds like a good idea, I’ll speak to my Dad and see what he thinks.

We’ve never been into selling working cars, only parts,” he said nodding.

Oh God, that would be awesome if he went for it. I’d still get to fix cars and make money at the same time, the only trouble was they didn’t know about my past, I had a feeling that no one would want to buy a car from a convicted murderer when they found out.

“Connor, if he wants to go for it man, I can start as soon as you want. You already have all the parts lying around, it wouldn‘t cost you anything. It’s worth a try, right?” I nodded to the scrap yard behind me, this was actually an awesome idea and I’m surprised they haven’t thought of it before.

“I’ll ask him and give you a call,” he said happily, “Wanna go for a drink tonight?”

“Sure, I’d like that,” I said honestly. It was nice to have someone to talk to, and I could certainly use a drinking partner.

Just as I was about to arrange the details my cell phone rang. Shit, the only ones that had the number were Brett and Ray. I grabbed my phone from my pocket roughly, hoping for it to be Ray, it wasn’t.