Control (On Hold)

Chapter 8

We stop at the next town to eat. I can't wait to finally eat something warm. As I go to the bathroom to clean up, I ask a waitress for directions.

"Excuse me miss?" I ask.

"Yes, darling?" The waitress asks.

"How far away is the town Forum?" The waitress looks me up and down, and then back at the booth I just came. Destiny is scribbled on her name tag.

"Are you walking?"

I give her a skeptical look. "What makes you think that?"

She looks at my boots and my grimy clothes and skin. Then, she looks back at Wyatt sitting in our booth next to our two backpacks. "I think it's pretty clear how I know."

"Sorry," I reply, "we're just taking a little hiking trip. Could you give us directions?" Destiny looks at me skeptically.

"Why don't I drive you?"

"No, thanks. We have strict rules during our hike. We're already breaking one by coming here, and we can't afford to break another." I slip a fake smile at her.

"I see." Destiny scribbles on her little notepad and hands it to me. It reads:

Meet me after my shift at noon. ~Destiny

I look up to tell her I can't, but she's already gone.

I walk into the bathroom and scare myself as I look into the mirror. My hair is even darker than it was before I had all this dirt in it. My face is a light brown and my finger nails are caked with dirt. I splash water on my face and it instantly goes back to being as pale as a ghost. I scrub my nails and pull my hair in a pony tail; I can't exactly wash my hair in a public restroom.

I walk back to our booth after I clean up. Wyatt goes to clean up while I watch our backpacks. While he's gone, I order us both water to try to conserve our money.

I notice Destiny talking on the phone. She looks determined and serious. I try to make out what she's saying, but I'm too far away.

Wyatt disrupts my thoughts as he sits across from me. I forgot how light his hair was with all the dirt in it.

"You clean up nicely," I say as I smile at him.

"You do too," he says as we kiss across the table.

"The weirdest thing happened, I asked this waitress, Destiny, for directions and she gave me this." I hand him the note.

"We're not actually meeting her are we?"

I shrug. Destiny walks by and places something on our table. Wyatt and I look at each other. I pick up the item she left and feel myself black out again. The memories come back clearer than before.