I forgot, for a small fraction of time, I forgot we were the bad ones. A cop puts his foot in the middle of my back and pins me there while he cuffs me.

“Fuck,” I whisper. Yelling will make this worse, but fuck. We were so close. I cry out that they need to help us. Fuck, I beg them to help us. But there is no help for kids like me.

Before I can think right, I’m shoved into the back of a cop car with three other guys. The drive to the nearest police station isn’t as far as I thought it would be. That’s the most disappointing thing of all. I thought we were in the middle of nowhere this entire fucking time and had no chance to get to anyone who could help, and it turns out they were right fucking there.

“Call the parents,” one of the cops shouts over the noise inside the car. Some of the other kids are trying to explain. They’re begging. Begging. I don’t say anything. “We need to get in contact with the parents here.”

My dad. Please for fuck sake, let me talk to my dad.

“That won’t happen,” the officer behind the desk says. “Protocol is to send them back. You’re in the custody of the program.”

What the fuck? They have a protocol for if kids escape that hellhole?

It’s then the stench of fear fills the cabin of the parked police car.

“You’ll stay here until we have eyes on all of the minors. We’ll charge the ones who started it with assault,” the cop tells us, pointedly looking into our eyes. “Was it one of you little shits?” he asks and I’ve never felt hopelessness like I do now.

The other kids scream out what they’re doing. The kid on the far right won’t stop crying. And I sit there, knowing what waits when we get back. I could fucking throw up.

“I think we need to call the parents,” the first cop argues, standing outside the car. It’s too fucking hot back here, I need to get out. I need out of here.

“The school will contact their guardians. We need to get them back.”

“Please,” one of the kids shouts. “Contact our parents, please! Let me talk to them!”

“Protocol,” the cop who’s seemingly in charge says. “We have to release you to your custodians.”

The kid to my left, the one who’s been blabbing says he’s got to throw up.

At least they let him out for that.

Fuck… I need to find a way out. We’ve got to get the hell away from this place and hide. I’ll hide forever to never have to go back.

HALEY