Accidental Surrogate

Ella

“Cora, this is exactly what I needed!” I exclaim, raising my voice over the pounding music. “When was the last time we went out just for the fun of it?”

“I can’t even remember!” She shouts back, beaming as multi-colored strobe lights flash over her lovely features. “When was the last time you weren’t working or stuck taking care of that prick, Mike!?”

I don’t need to know the exact date to know it’s been ages – we haven’t had the freedom or money to go out in years, not that it had been much of an option beforehand. Cora always offered to pay my way of course, but I never felt comfortable accepting money from her, not to mention Mike would have accused me of trying to meet another man. Looking at my sister now, dancing without a care to the thumping bass, I’m transported back to the first night we ever snuck into a club.

We were fifteen years old, and it was our second summer living in the streets rather than suffering at the orphanage. We couldn’t survive the elements in the fall and winter, so we always ended up going back – but these summers were quickly becoming our escape from all the troubles of the broken system, and this night was our first foray into the world of grown up night life.

We befriended the bartender, convincing him we were much older than our true age and bribing him with the little money we could spare from our jobs at a local daycare center. He let us in without complaint, even offering us our first drink for free. It was the first taste of alcohol we’d ever consumed, and the only amount we’d consume that night. We were determined to save our money so we could afford an apartment together one day – even if that meant sleeping in cardboard boxes in the park, or crashing on the floor of the daycare center in the meantime.

“This is amazing!” I cried, dancing without any inhibitions, raising my arms over my head as I swayed to the hypnotic beat.

“I never knew it could be so fun!” Cora replied happily. “Why isn’t dancing around in the dark at home this great?”

“Because we’re not allowed to have music,” I laugh, “or do anything even remotely resembling fun!”

to figure out when

I throw out, “The last night of summer! Before we go

out precisely the same way, with us changing in the children’s restroom at work, trying our best to look grown up, and bribing our way in through the back door. It soon

Cora from the start, but I didn’t truly panic until he began dragging me towards the bathroom. The music was so loud that no one could

depths of my past – specters I have no intention of resurrecting now.

a handsome man who hit on her at the bar, looking as though she’s having the time of her life. Still, she takes

“You stay

The bracing cold is an utter relief after the writhing heat of the dance floor,

happens, when I’ve been doing so well staying in the present – and then my waking nightmares rise up at the most inopportune moments. I drag a hand through my hair, trying to clear my mind, to get myself back to that happy haze of a little while ago. I haven’t wished for a drink since

contemplating how long is too long to spend out here and distractedly wondering why I never seem to feel the elements the way others do – the sound of clinking glass shatters the silence. I whip around, startling at the sudden sound. I’m

of the rough, ragged looking men is twice my size, and I immediately turn for the door to the club. I yank on the handle, once twice, then over and over again when it doesn’t

haven’t thought about wolves, shifters, Sinclair or the campaign even once. I finally felt like I was clearing my mind of all the chaos, but now that’s all

to sound braver than I feel. “If it’s money, I’ll give it to you, but you should know

laughs, a cruel, humorless sound. “You think