The Angel Trumpet

17.

Ten months later

The air was humid, lacking the sun's kiss, ocean sounds fill the silence, the sand underneath me is in places it shouldn't be piling up as I shuffle to my feet. My skin is filthy with sea water, blood and oil stains from a ship I was a stowaway on. I look down seeing my clothes tarnished catching sight of bystanders fishing in the distance. I sneak by as they dig into their coolers for something to drink breaking into their car grabbing water, crackers and some clothes. In the far back there's a phone and a backpack filled with hiking gear which I grab running towards the open road. A few miles up there's a gas station where I go in and wash up in the sink, throwing the clothes I had on in the trash. I cleaned all that I could and threw on the black swim suit top with the pair of cargo jeans and hiking boots that were stuffed in the backpack tying my hair in a greasy slick back bun. On the inside there was a couple of dollars so I tucked it in the back of my pocket leaving the bathroom heading to the front. The cashier gives me a dirty look frowning upon my attire but in short notice I had to work with what I had and this was it. A truck driver, distracted by the gas pump not working, hits the machine with his boot not seeing me sneak onto the back of his vehicle awaiting my next destination.

Once he gets the gas attendant to help him he starts the truck and drives out of there. The drive went on for hours and by the look of it we were heading into a city. Reading a few signs and billboards I can tell we were in a place called Huntington. The breeze felt rich just like this town started to show with college kids cruising in their Bentley's and Porsche's. While admiring one car that looked like the one I used to own, a guy with sharp blue eyes, tattoos, blonde hair and jawbone that looked like it was sculpted with poise had a joint hanging in between his fingers as it's out the window. Once the light turned green the truck starts moving fast and his car faster. The truck driver heads to a gas station where the expensive cars stop at too. I hop out grabbing my things, putting on some sun shades that were lodged in between the tools in the back where I was. As I walk I hear cat calls from one blue Porsche but I keep walking and see a motel a few feet away.

My stomach growls so before I check in I go into a diner near by. A bell goes off and a woman with checkered shorts comes up to me smacking gum a mile a minute, "I'm Trina. Booth or table?" I say booth and she takes me handing a menu over. "Take your time." I nod already knowing what I want pushing the shades I have on to the top of my head. The boys from the blue Porsche are getting a booth right in back of mine. A handful of girls join in swishing their blonde hair back and forth as they flirt with the guys desperately.

Trina comes back with a small notepad. "Ready?" She asks by clicking the pen on about to write my order down. "The club sandwich and soda." Trina nods then heads to the booth behind me asking them the same but I just put my shades back on ignoring the looks people were giving me. They were probably wondering what hole I crawled out of, if only they knew. I tap my fingertips on the table passing time until Trina brings my food over. "Thanks." I say picking at the food then scarfing it down in minutes. I wipe my mouth and hands with a napkin then take out the money I stole from the fishers placing it on the table leaving a tip for Trina walking out the diners door.

As I make my way to the motel, blue eyes inhales from his spliff as he's pumping gas into his car a few feet away at the gas station. Our eyes connect the way a male lion and another male would when staking their claim. Not having time to have a stare off, I just kept walking wanting to keep to myself as much as he did. I enter the motel paying for a room with the rest of the cash I had on me. I get the key taking off to my room that's going to be my home for the twenty-four hours. Once I got in I locked the door and placed my switch blade on the tiny coffee table while throwing the bag I had on the bed.

My hair salty and dirty from the boat ride here, gets taken out from the bun I had, letting the blackened curls fall to my shoulders. I reach inside the bag grabbing the burner phone I stored away with me on the boat and call Misty.

"I just made it." I say as soon as she picks up walking over to the curtains near the window peaking through seeing blue eyes meeting up with some dude flicking his joint to the ground.

"I'm wiring you your money now. It'll be there by tomorrow morning just have to take it out at an ATM."

I close the curtains going into the bathroom examining the walls, flooring and sink.

"For this town being rich the motels are kind of like the motels back home."

I scoff but realize it's better then sleeping on a smelly boat with crates of dead fish everywhere.

"Pito and Leo said they'll try and be there soon. I won't be able to go since I'm handling the shipping and money transfers while you're there."

I sit on top of the toilet seat closing my eyes just embracing the slightest bit of fresh air.

"Aleya?" Misty asks concerned.

"Yeah, I'm here. Thanks mi hermana. I owe you like always."

She chuckles lowly saying something to brighten my mood knowing I'm having trouble with everything, especially my mental state.

"Call me if anything."

I sigh then check the time telling her she should get some sleep and I'll do the same.

But of course I wasn't going to sleep.

I just needed a good bottle of bourbon and a ceiling to look up to.

Thinking back on how I escaped only made me drink harder but being free and away from that place made sleep come faster.