Lost

3

Beatrice Prior, July 8th, 2005
I shouldn't be trusting a stranger I met on the street. But it's the only option I have.
We were walking for about an half an hour, my calves aching from the long hike.then we reach our destination. The "information center" is just a store.
A random store.
Are you kidding me?
He walks up to somebody, and begins to talk with them, as I stand with my hands folded in the background.
I don't listen to what they say. I'm too worried about what will happen when I get home.
I'm doomed. Dead.
I lost my wallet, and my iPod.
My iPod fell out of my pocket while I was running, of course. I couldn't go back. I didn't take the time to memorize the street paths.
"You sure you want to get to Broadway? At eight? New York can be scary at night. May be you should wait until it's later"
"Later? My family is going to a Broadway musical. They'll freak out if I don't come back" I cross my arms, "Why did we walk all this way to simply talk to a store owner?"
"This guy can get us a free ride" he says, "Was your hotel called Double Tree?"
"Yes" I say excitedly, "Yes it was"
He grins, "Roberto, Double Tree, please"
The Latin man, whom Im assuming is Roberto, tips his hat and leads us in a certain direction.
"Are you sure you can trust this guy?"
"Of course"
I chew on my bottom lip as we follow the suspicious man.
"Come on in" he says, in a thick Spanish accent.
The car is small; the size of a small taxi cab. And it sure looks like a taxi cab.
He opens the door to the car, and I slide in quickly.
"Not that bad, Princess?" Tobias asks, sliding in next to me.
I cross my arms, "Don't call me that"
The car starts.
Tobias Eaton, July 8th, 2005
We should've been there in one hour. It's been five hours, and Tris has her head on the cushion; her eyes are closed and her breaths are steady. She's sleeping.
I ask Roberto, "Are we there yet?"
He shakes his head.
"Where are we, exactly?"
"Ouaquapa" he says.
My eyes widen, "What?"
That's near Birmingham. We're not closer to her hotel; we're farther. Much much farther.
"Turn around!" I whisper-yell.
"Que?" He asks.
"The Double Tree Hotel in Times Square!"
His face pales, "Sorry Señor"
I roll my eyes, "Just get there quick"
Then we hear sirens. Coming after us?
I look in the rear view window.
They're going to find me. And her.
I shake her awake as I call out to Roberto, "Pull over"
"But Señor-"
"I SAID PULL OVER" I yell, awaking Tris. He complies, turning the wheel to the right.
"Are we there yet?" She groans.
"Get up, and crouch down. Don't say a word"
If they find me here, they'll bring me back to my father and accuse Roberto of kidnapping the girl and I.
"Roberto" I whisper, "Get out of the car and distract them"
He nods, without looking back.
We crouch down, in hopes of avoiding view from the window.
"What are we-"
I press my hand to Tris' mouth, and she stops talking.
Her eyebrows draw to the center of her forehead.
I take my hand off her mouth, and press a finger to my lips, signaling her to be quiet.
Roberto's car door opens, I hear the 'click' of it as it closes.
I reach over to the door handles and as quietly as I can, click it open; luckily it makes no noise.
Since the side we're exiting on isn't facing where Roberto and the police officers are, we slip out easily. Thank God the ground isn't gravel, but concrete. There is a fence; looks like we can't hide after all.
I chew on my bottom lip.
A place to hide, a place to hide.
I gently close the car door, without a single noise. She follows my every step. I haven't emerged from the shadow of car yet, until I spot something: a small shack across the road.
We can make it, wait until Roberto is done, and drive back to New York. I motion to the police car, but she only furrows her eyebrows. I bite my bottom lip; the officer looks away. I quietly sprint to the other car and motion for her to follow.
She looks hesitant. But looks and sees that they aren't looking. And her sneaker makes a short squeak in the paved sidewalk.
She keeps going, nonetheless.
The officers heads turn in our direction.
I walk around the car so that when the officer walks towards where we exited the car, he couldn't see us. I took this chance to run across the road, towards the shed. She follows closely.
And we're unseen. Once we're okay to whisper, I breathe out a sigh.
"To the shed" I whisper.
She nods.
I quietly open the door, which surprisingly doesn't creak when I open it, and slip in.
"We'll wait here until Roberto is done"
"Im tired" she complains.
I sit down in the dusty shed, which has nothing unless you count gardening tools, and pull her into my lap, "Rest. I'll wake you up when"
She mumbles, "Okay"
She leans into my chest and something warm fills my heart.
It's a few minutes later when I find sleep too.
I shouldn't have, though.