Evangeline In Borderland: Book 1

READ MY MIND ARC

Previously: But for some reason, she felt as though she'd wasted her effort. All that running was for nothing if something worse could happen. She hugged a pillow for comfort but it didn't feel right. She sighed.

We Continue...

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Evan couldn't make herself get out of bed. And therefore decided to rot in this room alone for the day. Falling asleep and out of sleep repeatedly. Spread out in an x on her stomach on the mattress.

         The day had come and gone by now, she thought as she peeked at the clock. She wondered if he was doing ok. I mean she could just walk into the other room and check, but it seemed her legs were increasingly sore from all the running she'd done the past few days. She whimpered into her pillow. So that was really not gonna happen. As she had said before, she had never been a runner. He was just staring at the ceiling. He was still pretty exhausted... 

                It honestly made her feel useless lying in bed like this so to do something helpful she rolled off her bed and did sit-ups on the ground. Her goal for this day was 100 but she might not make it too far. She lay on the ground after 80 and stared at the ceiling. It had been a while since then and her legs were starting to feel better. She decided if she was staying at Ivon's she would still need some supplies of her own. She was going to go back to Costco and bring back a bag of stuff she might need. She walked into their unit and told Atokaru and Ivon she would be back soon. As she made a walk to the Sacramento streets.

   A man is just asleep on the side of the road. He seemed.. comfortable. Though, due to his rough exterior, it's obvious that he's been through quite a lot. She walked calmly along the streets as she had done many times now. Walking past the man as she hummed you are my sunshine once more. Basically skipping along as she did so. "Huh..?" He sits up, rubbing his head as he glares at the girl skipping by. "Can't get any decent fuckin' sleep 'round here, can I..?" She paused turning around as she heard a voice. "Oh, I'm sorry. I'll be going then. I hope you sleep well, sir." She turned back around. And continued her trek to Costco. More quietly this time.

          He just lets out a groan before moving somewhere else- somewhere not as close to the sidewalk- and going to sleep once more. She reaches Costco humming once more. Her mind was a mess at this point. She had been through a lot in the past few days, her memory was getting worse. She sighed and walked in. Seeing the blankets she had left behind the days before. It had been so much easier then. She solemnly grabs the extra supplies and stuffs them in a bag before heading back out. Into Sacramento streets.

                    She starts walking again, talking to herself this time. "Why can't it just go back to how it was." She rambles on this way as she walks. Holding the bag. "I wish I could go back in time." She was starting to genuinely believe that if she hadn't met him he would be better. "It's all my fault." Forgetting the encounter from before she screams. Feeling as though she needed it. Throwing a bit of a fit but feeling better. She sighed in relief as she walked back towards the apartment. Playing with the straps of her backpack as she walked. He awakens with a start. He hops up, looking around for whoever screamed. Though, having no luck, he just kicked over a nearby trash bin and let out a shout of rage. His anger was immeasurable, and his day was ruined.

                 She hears a scream and a bang. And immediately takes off. Running without looking where she was going and ran into a bin of her own. Making a loud crash. She fell back rubbing her head. This was two times she'd gotten hurt there now. "Ow.." "Heh. Serves 'em right..." He laughs quietly to himself before lying back down. Hopefully, he could actually get some sleep this time... Instead of getting up she just lies there. It really hurts. She cries a little, soft sniffle echoing through the alleyway. Before she gets up and walks slowly. Dragging her feet. Still crying, though it was a lot quieter this time. Holding her head as she did.

                  She brings her hand down from her head, feeling a bit of blood then tracing where it came from. The bin had left a bit of blood on her forehead. She wiped her eyes and stopped crying, heading into the Sutter green apartments. She slowly makes her way up to Ivon's unit. It hadn't been bleeding too hard so she wasn't worried. "Ivon!" She called softly so as not to startle Atokaru. "I need a band-aid." Ivon grabbed her crutches and called out, "Come in then!" She headed to the bathroom where she kept her medical supplies and opened her cupboard. She walks in with blood running down her forehead and a straight face. She was over it at this point. At this point, she would rather be struck down by the evil guy upstairs than have to deal with her own emotions. "I ran into a trash can." She said. Standing in an awkward spot in the room. The look on her face saying don't ask. She didn't want to acknowledge that Atokaru was in the room. So she stared at a random wall pretending he wasn't there. Before walking into the bathroom.

                      She looked in the mirror and saw the cut on her face. "God damn." She said neutrally. Her eyes had started to look dead. She looked into the mirror and as she noticed diverted her eyes to the floor. It was happening again. How they had looked before she got here, she was losing herself all over again. She sighed as Ivon grabbed the stuff and helped her with it. "I'd rather die than be this way." She said, thinking out loud. "Sorry. I didn't mean to tell you that." "Look, from here on in I will scout and gather supplies, okay? You need to work on your mental health," she said as she cleaned the wound of blood so that she could see it clearer.

            Ivon began to disinfect the wound. It wasn't as deep or severe as her hand wound but it would bleed more due to its location. When she was done disinfecting it she grabbed a butterfly bandage and placed it carefully on the wound. "If it's still bleeding in three hours come back here so I can give you stitches," she said before asking, "How exactly did you get that wound?" "I ran into a trash can." She repeated. Looking up at Ivon. "Even you aren't that short," Ivon said somewhat factually. She wouldn't press the issue from here on out, but she had to know if something was dangerous. She felt like it was her responsibility to keep everyone safe and cared for.

            "I was running from someone and I didn't see it in front of me," Evangeline stated factually. "Why were you running from them?" She asked. If there was a new threat then she would have to find a way to safeguard the apartment. She had a few ideas on how to do it but no matter which road she took it would be gruesome and best avoided. "He was yelling and kicking things. He had been just sleeping on the floor before but I forgot he was there. And I screamed and he sounded angry. So I ran, straight into a metal trash can." She said kinda robotically. Going through the motions.

                  Evangeline was a bit heartbroken today. Feeling extremely neglected. "But I'm perfectly fine in terms of my mental state. Never been better." She sighed. Pulling out her notebook and pen from her bag. "I've gotta go. Thanks, Ivon." She ran to her room and wrote in her notebook for most of the night before sleep. 

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