Chapter 3

I ended up giving an impromptu concert. I had to break frequently, partially to eat my lunch, but mainly because my new body had not developed any stamina for violin playing. The music teacher started talking about the orchestra and what she would like me to do. I tuned most of it out while seeming to agree and nod my head. I needed to get away from here and having a violin meant I could earn some money busking.

I did feel a little guilty. My intention was to take the violin and go on the run, which felt a little bit bad. I would try and send back either the violin or money for a new one when I could, but that didn't mean I wasn't stealing this one. I needed to protect Cindy and that meant running away. I did decide that the music teacher deserved a note if I could get her one. I wrote it in my next class which was an English class. I folded it up and addressed it. I was blunt and honest figuring she would forgive me if she knew the truth. I was also aware that it would cast suspicion on the rapist, but no evidence. I gave it to my best friend and made her promise not to read it, but give it to the music teacher tomorrow. I tried to impress on her how serious it was.

My original idea was to disappear during lunch break, but that was blown out of the water after I started playing the violin. Logically, the best time was the middle of the night, but then there was the possibility that I might get attacked again and at my age, I couldn't just get on a bus at night without someone wanting to know where my parents were. Escaping school without someone noticing was possible but it wouldn't be long before the search began.

I figured I needed to get into the centre of Sydney to have any hope of losing any pursuit. The only options for that were car, bus or train. The bus was probably out as the bus driver would report me. I was a little young to be driving. I did know how, but I wasn't sure I could even reach the pedals. The only option was the train. Most of the train system was automated, I just needed to get to a train station.

My best friend, whose name I found out was Jess, but only after someone else called her that, had a phone, so while we were waiting to be picked up, she let me borrow it and I used google maps to find the train station closest to my house. I did my best to memorise it.

Although I hadn't been challenged in any of my lessons that day, I had noticed that Cindy's brain was more intelligent than Eric's with a better memory. I practised hours on my violin every day when I was Eric to learn each piece of music. Long hours and repetition was the only way I could do it. If it was a minor difference I probably wouldn't have noticed it, but Cindy's memory was much clearer and it only took a glance to memorise my route.

I was picked up soon after, so I didn't have time to do any other research and I thought that was probably a good thing. If someone looked at the history on Jess' phone it would show that I looked at a map around my house and that was it. By that time, hopefully, it wouldn't matter as I would be in hiding somewhere in the city centre.

The woman who I presumed was my mother noticed the violin case and asked me about it. I told her I was borrowing it from school because I wanted to learn and had been offered free lessons at school. That ended that conversation apart from a suggestion that I don't play when my step-father was home. Now I knew he was a step-father.

When my mother wasn't watching I went to the kitchen and searched for a sharp knife. I wasn't sure I would have the courage to use it and he was unlikely to attack me two days in a row, but I wanted to have options. I spent most of the time in my room, trying to stay unnoticed. My room had a sliding window with a flyscreen in it, but I worked out how to remove it and would be able to climb out easily.

I was called down for dinner. The man wasn't back from work or from drinking with his friends. Whatever the reason, we had a quiet, non-stressful dinner. I was sent to bed at nine and he still hadn't returned. I waited until my mother had checked on me, then took off my nightie and changed into my jeans, T-shirt, denim jacket with socks and trainers. My backpack was full of clothes and the violin. I took the flyscreen off as quietly as possible and opened the window, climbing out carefully and shutting the window behind me. My heart was trying to beat its way out of my chest. I took deep breaths to calm myself. My way to the street was blocked by a water tank, but I was small and skinny enough to be able to squeeze past it. I had to take my backpack off and hold it in my hand to get past.

I walked as quickly as I could towards the train station, ignoring any cars that passed, hoping that they would ignore me. At the train station, I worked out my route and then hid in the shadows.

Getting on the train was a non-event, despite my worry and due to the lateness of the hour, there were only a few people who came near me. One woman in her twenties sat near me and asked me if I was running away. I laughed and told her I was running towards. I touched her energy with mine and told her I didn't feel safe with my step-father so I was going back to the mother of my heart. Everything I said was true and I realised that I couldn't lie when speaking to someone and touching their soul at the same time. It was like there was something in me that told me that would be a major wrong.

She was concerned about my safety and again I couldn't lie, so I told her that what I was doing was safer than anything else I could think of. I then told her that if she reported me I would be sent back to my step-father and would likely be raped again.

There is something about touching someone else's energy. I think at a fundamental level you connect and then you can't be dishonest and somehow the other person knows that. It even draws the truth out of you when you would rather stay quiet. It was the first time I noticed that effect, but it wouldn't be the last. On the plus side, she knew I believed what I said and couldn't in good conscience report me and by staying by me and talking to me, no one else bothered me. She gave me her phone number by writing it on my hand, telling me to contact her if I needed help. She wanted to bring me with her, but she was staying at a friend's house and the parent of her friend was a policewoman who would immediately report me.

I could tell that she was reluctant to leave me on my own and listening to her emotions could feel herself building to somehow taking charge of me. I thanked her, promised to contact her when I could and got off at the next stop before she could make her mind up. I then had to wait for the next train to continue my journey.

The last part of my trip was a bit of a nightmare. I got on easily enough, but there was a guy in his twenties who immediately noticed me and his emotions were revolting. I touched his energy and found a damaged aura with evil elements. I think that the only thing that stopped him from attacking me was the presence of another passenger who had headphones on and was oblivious to the world around him.

I had been to Sydney as Eric, but only remembered Darling Harbour and Circular Quay. We had travelled once for a cruise that went to the pacific islands. We very rarely could afford holidays, so that event was very memorable to me. I knew that near Circular Quay there was a place where performers entertained the public, so I was hoping to go there to earn some money, and I thought there would be somewhere around Darling Harbour where I could sleep for the night.

However, with that man watching me I was frightened enough that I got off at Central and didn't try and find another train, I just started running away. I kept an eye on his emotions and felt his joy of the chase and anticipation of dominance. It was horrible and I could barely think clearly. I ran into the park and tried to hide.

I had two ways of keeping track of him. One was his emotions that had a nasty flavour, but I think everyone experiences their emotions slightly differently so I could pick people out purely by their emotions. The other was more short-ranged but also more accurate and that was touching their energy with my own. When I did that I got a much more complete feeling for their personality.

Following him by his emotions I could feel him approaching my area, but it looked like he was going to walk past my hiding place. When he got close enough, I then used my soul energy to touch his, but that was a mistake. He immediately changed his direction and started heading directly towards me. Scared I withdrew my energy probe knowing that he got as much information as I did when I used it. I pulled my energy in, which took some effort now that it was used to being so spread out. Then I pulled it in even further so that it was below my skin and most of the way to my heart again. I could still feel his emotions. I didn't want to move because the noise I would make would give me away, but he was still heading towards me although less confidently, which meant he was about to find me. I felt despair, there was no way to win. If I stayed still he would find me, if I moved he would catch me. I looked up at him from inside the bush I was using to hide, expecting him to say something, do something, but all his emotions registered was confusion.

I was right in front of him and he couldn't see me. He couldn't see me.