So Lila became the friend that I would dream read about in the books I used to read.

I never told her everything . We mainly would have fun talking and laughi ng. The step man was fine as long as they were there. But I still was restricte d and forbidden to engage in activities that included my enjoyment. Between puni shment and chores there wasnt much time for fun anyway. But when I was allowed t o steal a moment or two of fun , we did get a chance to laugh and giggle.. She reminded me of a character Verita from one of my favorite books ,Dreams die fi rst By Harold Robbins . The Main character Gareth was best friends With Verita . They remained friends their entire life time , so I did the same......and we still are. It wasnt until I came back years later that we would really become t he friends we are now and reminisce about those days. I was unaware ,but that wa s about the time I started to dream into real life......Like Gareth ,from Dreams Die First. Welcome I've Been expecting you........... In February 1981, just after my 18th birthday, a close relative arranged for me to stay with another family to be freed from my captor. We set a designated ti me and place to meet. I looked over my shoulder one last time at THE PINK HOUSE WITH THE WHITE PICKET FENCE. As we drove away , I watched the house get smaller and smaller.Part of me was glad I was leaving, but it wasnt enough to stop being afraid of getting caught for doing so. After brief goodbyes I was instructed to board the train and stay there until I reached my designated stop where the fa mily would pick me up and drive me to their home.They took me in and reassured m e that "he couldn't get me . Even though I was 600 miles away , I was still afra id he would come there . The Martins helped me to overcome the fear I developed over the earlier years of my life. For example, They had to actually stop me fr om going to stand in the corner. "We don't do that here. So I would go to my r oom. Mrs Martin would come into the room and ask me if this is what he made you do all the time ? I shook my head yes . 'We re not going to make you stay in he re". You are with us now he can't do any thing to you. ,But I was still afraid .Mrs Martin had to keep reassuring me that I didnt have to look over my shoulder . She told her husband "That poor child is so afraid." he wont come out of that room.He thinks that man is coming. Mr Martin had suspicions and heard rumors o f the step man . He had wanted to help before, but stayed out of it until it was time for him to spring into action. Now was his time. A few days later I was registered senior in school. The kids in school thought I was odd. I spoke different, dressed different looked different. I was differ ent. I listened to them laugh and snicker behind my back. So ate alone. I was a ble to get out of school one month earlier because I passed the competency test. I didn't have to go to class. A few months later , I graduated. Hmm, I said to myself. Earlier that year in January before I left , the stepman told me Hed see to it that Id not attend my graduation,but I did. And I had a High School diplo ma in my hand. It was the first of many dreams that would come true. I would stay in touch with Lila by mail. We would exchange letters back and forth t job at Mc Donalds and I got a paycheck y doing things that normal people do. We as life lived itself and we grew up. She was marching with The Color Guard. about what we were doing I got my firs . Mr Martin, got me a car. I was finall would continue to stay in touch by mail

The Martins would take me to Parson Grove Baptist church on Sundays. This is where I learned what prayer meant. I wouldn't know until may years later, how g rateful I was for being taught about God. Though church terrified me because I w as not used to seeing people jump and shout , I still sought out the truths tha t Rev Parson taught us. I challenged my self to explore the parts that were c ontradictory and I learned how to discern their meaning. I had blocked out alot

of what happened in my early life, and I really began to set my sights on things above. I wanted see the city . The big city that is . NEW YORK CITY to be continued......