Withering Ivy: Chapter Seventeen (Patreon)

Ms. Winslet never seemed nervous about much but as we waited by the front door she fixed the cuffs of her suit jacket more than once, her head tilting every way before Grace could ask if she was alright. "I'm fine. I just want this to go well." Looking Grace in the eyes who stood next to me Amelia gave her a comforting smile before looking down at me. I didn't feel any sort of nerves I only wondered what Nina was preparing in the kitchen. "You'll be kind and share your things won't you?"

I nodded, I didn't care if they played with any of my stuff I was more excited to watch TV. I didn't get too much. Only on weekends when Amelia wanted to watch a movie. Both Grace and Ms. Winslet had an odd opinion on the matter. "It rots your brain." Grace would say. She patted my back to make sure I stood straighter and I looked up at her.

"Why am I not wearing my harness?" For some reason, I felt naked without it. It had become a safety net and I wondered if someone could ironically take me away too easily without it.

"You're in your house baby." Running her hand down my straightened hair I couldn't help but hold my breath as Tobby opened the door for the guest. Philip was the first to enter, of course, his wrinkled skin immeditiatlty making me cringe as I looked past him to his pet who looked the same as she did the first time I saw her. I had never gotten her name. Behind him and his pet was a woman around the same age as him, a boy behind her with the same sort of mask and harness. My confusion must have been written all over my face as Amelia greeted them individually.

"Phillip and his wife Camilla," Grace whispered into my ear. "His pet is Angie and her pet is Andy." She poked me when I scrunched my nose. "Hide your thoughts better." I smiled at the couple who came over to me after her correction.

"So polite." Camilla gawked at me and winked at Grace who exchanged kisses on each other cheeks. "She is darling. Phillip dear I am jealous! Look at this little one." I became uncomfortable as they stared at me until Grace laughed and put her arm around me, much like Amelia had done the first time I met him.

"Don't let her smile full you, she has us upside down most of the time."

Another eruption of laughs made me step back into Grace but luckily another man entered after making their attention finally leave me. Ms. Winslet greeted him first, a younger man good looking and well dressed hugged her before greeting Grace. He didn't pay much attention to me but it made sense when his pet came in behind him. A cute boy around my age with a suit that most likely cost the same as my earrings. "It's been too long James," Grace said. His deep voice agreed before he hugged the other couple.

"My apologies." He whispered. "This is Oliver."

"What happened to the other one?" Phillip must have said what the others were thinking because they all glanced over at him before looking back at James to see how he would react.

"Didn't work out."

"You change pets like some do cars." Camilla made it seem like a joke but it must not have been one because Grace broke the tension by grabbing my hand.

"We have a room set up for the pets in the lounge. Games and all." She grabbed their leashes from the guest and I gulped as we left the room. I was the smallest out of all the other pets, their serious eyes not even looking over at me as Grace undid their latches as we got to the room. "Nina will bring food in a bit but just have a good time together alright? I'll be in to check on you four soon."

"Where are you going?" I asked as she let go of my hand.

"I have to go eat with them. Would you rather be in there?" Remembering Phillip I shook my head and she winked at me before closing the door behind her. Suddenly I was alone in the room with the other pets who stood staring at me for a few seconds.

"They said we could watch anything we want." I picked up the remote and turned on the TV but they weren't interested they began taking off their jewelry and expensive accessories. I wanted to ask what they were doing but they didn't give me a chance. They began taking out things they had hidden and whispering to one another. I wondered if the camera was watching us but I couldn't see it as I looked around.

"Which way is town?" Oliver asked me. His bright green eyes caught me off guard as he undid his tie.

"I-I don't know." I hesitated. "What are you doing?"

"We could hide in the forest for a few days." The girl Angie said ignoring me, the boy next to her Andy looked over at me. "Do they beat you too?"

I was going to shake my head but the girl was quick to answer for me. "She can't come with us. Her Ankle bracelet would go off."

"You're escaping?" I whispered almost in awe as they practically worked together like a well-oiled machine. They had been planning this for a while. Oliver was obviously their leader, he was older than the rest of us and seemed more tired. "They don't treat us well Ivy."

"Well?" Andy laughed. "They treat us like shit. Worse than dogs. I had to sleep outside in an actual doghouse when Camilla first bought me. She thought I had to earn the chance to sleep at the feet of her bed."

"She knows." Angie met my eyes before she brought out a knife from the seams of her dress. "Will this do?" Oliver nodded. "It should be able to cut through the skin." He picked it up. "The microchips aren't too deep."

Looking at my own arm I swallowed the knot in my throat. "Behind the pond, I've seen a dirt road. I don't know where it leads." The three looked at me and I held my breath. "Toby And Jonathan do rounds every night but they don't go past the pond." There was a minute of silence before I looked down at my hands. "Will you go back with your parents?"

"They haven't told you yet?" Andy seemed sincere but Angie was already done, her fingers trying to open the window.

I was confused by that but they didn't seem to want to answer my questions as they all lifted. "I don't want to get in trouble," I said as Oliver raised the volume to the TV. "If they see you guys gone and I didn't do anything I'll-" I paused. "They'll be mad at me." I didn't want to stop them, I was happy for them in fact. I wanted them to be able to get away but the thought of Amelia and Grace mad at me again was too much to bear.

Oliver understood. He thought for a minute before bringing Angie over. "This might hurt but just pretend we did worse when they come in. Let them shake you awake and then tell them we ran away. They won't be mad at you."

I looked at Angie who seemed too eager to let out her anger. I had never been punched before. "I'm sorry for what they did to you."

"I'm sorry we can't take you with us."

I nodded and straightened up, the commercials on the TV playing louder than I would have liked as I looked at Angie in the eyes. She did seem to have some sort of hesitation. "Will you tell me what you meant? About what they haven't told me?" She shook her head before a fist met the side of my face. She had more strength than I gave her credit for. I barely had to pretend to be knocked out as I opened my eyes to see rain falling in from the window they had escaped from. Grace had barely entered the room as I winced from the pain.

"Oh my god Ivy!" She looked out the window before seeing me on the floor, her relief taking over her surprise as she picked me up and held me against her. Pulling me away she looked at my eye that probably swelled. "Oh, you poor baby." Holding me in her arms we left the room and I watched the window become smaller until we turned the corner in the hallway. "Amelia," Grace called out. She recalled what she saw and Ms. Winslet looked at my eye.

"Shit." That was all she said before telling her guest. I watched from Grace's arms as they all rushed to the lounge and I couldn't help but smile as Philip and Camilla called out for their pets and James kicked a tray. Their anger made a spark in my little heart happy.

We went to the dining room where they had been eating and I sat in Grace's lap as she gave me some of her food. In all honesty, the situation had worked out perfectly for me as all the masters surrounded me waiting for Amelia to sit down.

"I called Joaquin," Phillip said. "They'll be here shortly I'm sure."

"What happened Ivy." Ms. Winslet was worried but I wasn't. I bit into the roll. "Tell me what you know."

Grace took the roll from my hand and I chewed slowly trying to waste time. "They wanted to escape. I told them if they did they would get in trouble and they hit me."

"What else baby," Grace whispered.

"I don't know anything else."

"The little shit is lying," James said.

I had never seen Amelia move so fast, her face inches from his. "Say that again and see what happens." He didn't seem surprised by her reaction but Phillip got in between them.

"Stop it you two. This won't solve anything. Get your phone out James and track them. We are Winslets we don't let pets outsmart us."

My jaw had dropped so low that Grace had to cover it by giving me back my bread. She was related to the people she claimed were so bad? No wonder she had let them into the house and tried so hard to please them. They were her parents and brother.

"I'm sure they haven't gotten far." Camilla sat down next to us. "I'm sorry about your pet's face. We will pay to replace her."

Grace squeezed me tighter as Amelia laughed while rubbing her forehead. "I'm not replacing her mom."

"Scars aren't pretty to look at dear."

Suddenly self conscious I held onto my bread and watched as James angrily threw his phone across the room. "They took out their fucking microchips."

"Get a hold of yourself, boy. They will find them." Phillip said.

"I'm not going to sit here and wait for them too." Walking out the front door where it poured rain Phillip nodded. "He's right. get your coats. And put that one on a leash just in case." Amelia nodded and waved us over. My raincoat and leash were put on me by Grace who listened to Amelia talk on the phone with who I assumed was Joaquin again. They were calling the names of the three but I didn't contribute. I only followed Grace to the back of the house and held her hand tightly as I watched my step in the slippery mud.

"This is not good" Grace whispered. "When they find them there's no telling what the organization will do to them."

"You mean if," I said as we stopped underneath the edge of the house. The rain poured down harder as she looked down at me, her knees bending so she could meet me lower.

"It won't be good Ivy." She shook her head and pulled me as close as possible. "If they find them tonight it won't be as bad." I didn't say anything as her eyes searched mine. "If you tell me which way they went I'll let you sleep with me tonight baby." She smiled and I thought about what Amelia had said about the organization. She warned me about what could happen if I wasn't with them, I didn't want them to suffer that fate even if they did end up with the likes of James or Phillip. Closing my eyes I slowly shifted my sight to the footprints in the mud.

Grace followed my eyes and stood up. Her lips met my head as she kissed me sweetly and took my hand. "Let's go tell Amelia. So we can fix up your face baby."