The Runaway

Chapter 10

The woman led them to a shabby looking apartment block. Looking both ways, she let them into the building, telling them to be quiet and quick. The shag carpet had long ago lost its original colour and had since been littered with debris from the crumbling plaster roof.

“Inside, quick.” She muttered, opening the door.

She seemed to be quite the hoarder, bits and bobs scattered everywhere. A fluffy white cat was perched on the kitchen table and hissed when it saw them.

“Hey kitty.” Robyn hobbled over, plunking herself down next to it. It hissed again and she hissed back.

“Don’t tease Billy. He’s old.” The woman chided, dumping her keys in the bowl by the door.

 She looked around the room, frowning. “I would have tidied up if I had known I would have visitors.”

Mabel shivered. Valerie led her over to the couch- pushing aside a collection of vintage newspapers and books to make room for her. “Careful with those- they’re priceless!”

Robyn glared at the crazy woman when her back was turned.

Valerie joined Robyn on the adjacent stool. “If it’s not too much of a hassle, we could really use some medical attention now.”

“Yes, yes. I’m getting there. Now where did I put those pills- by the way how bad are your injuries?”

Robyn tested her ankle and winced. “Sprained ankle –I think. Burns, scrapes. Um- just everything really.”

The woman went back to her muttering as she scrambled through her cupboard. “Why do I get myself into these things?”

You should be grateful, anyone else would have turned you away, left you to die. Remember that.

While waiting Valerie looked around the room, surprised at all the junk. There were piles upon piles of books and newspapers everywhere. No sign of a tablet of any kind, just old fashioned paper. Another thing that didn’t escape Valerie’s notice was the collection of deadlocks that resided on the door. Apparently this woman either didn’t trust others very much or was hiding something that she shouldn’t. An outlaw. Perfect.

“What’s with all the stuff?” She said, playing cool.

“Bah- you mean my collection? Some of the finest books and articles ever made. All rescued solely by me. Good literature in its original form is hard to come by these days. I’m sitting on the most valuable treasure in the whole state.” The woman cackled, finally cracking a smile. “Billy here guards them. Try taking one and he’ll scratch you up real good so don’t go getting any ideas.”

This woman is beyond crazy, thought Valerie. Her cat jumped onto the raggedy sofa and sat by Mabel’s head, licking its paws. Mabel sniffed and the cat started purring. It was the woman’s familiar – like her it must have thrived off human misery.

The woman scampered off into another room, letting them have a private conversation.

Valerie leant over to Mabel, crinkling her nose. “We get help, we get food, we get a bed, and we get out. Clear? No looting or light fingered swiping. This woman is bat-shit crazy. One wrong move and she could get us turned in. Okay?"

Robyn nodded, rolling her eyes. “Please. You’d have to reach Preacher levels of crazy to be able to want to pull a fast one by her.” She snorted.

The woman returned with a handful of items, a bottle of milk and a bowl.

"Now who's the poor girl with the burns?"

Valerie showed the woman her hands, palms upwards. The skin was a swollen, red mess in the places where she had grasped the metal and already blisters were starting to form. The woman made a clucking sound and poured the milk into the bowl, placing it on the table in front of Valerie.