Állaxe //HOO x m.oc\\ (ON HOLD)

27

"Wake up sleeping beauty!" Madeline yelled into his ear.

They had crashed at a hotel somewhere in Indiana— someplace called States-something-something. It wasn't that comfortable, but it would do. They had to move towards New York, or at least that's what she'd said. According to her, they should get as far away from their parents as they could and into a place where no one would know who they are.

It sounded smart and was working so far.

They had a few close calls at the start when they hadn't gone all that far, but now, it was a lot easier. Jace had asked her where she was coming from and she'd told him she was from Nevada. He didn't know where Nevada was but probably far.

They had both traveled far, a few months since they left. Madeline always had money on her which was good. They got cabs, buses, and a few times they hitchhiked. Plus a lot of walking. There had been...weird things happening as well. Similar things like the dog looking animal and the hellhound. Things Jace had never even heard of.

Madeline had. She was an expert at everything they did. Except for fighting. But neither was Jace.

"We need to leave soon, the lady at the front looked at me funny and I don't want to see what will happen if we stay any longer." She was now packing her backpack with everything non-alcoholic that was in the minibar. They broke into it. It really wasn't hard. They also completely trashed the place. That was fun.

"'Kay." Jace knew to follow in her lead by now. She was older and definitely more experienced with the whole 'running away' business than he was.

Once everything was packed and both were ready to go back on the move, they left a note with some trashy doodles and left. They liked leaving behind a mark (Madeline liked doing it, Jace just followed after her.) that the owners would remember. Once they clogged the toilet with the sheets. And once they turned all the furniture upside down.

When they walked by the info desk where the mean looking lady was still sitting. She gave them a rude look, almost like she knew what they had already done.

"Hey! Sonnie!" She called out to Jace. He turned around and stopped walking. Madeline stopped a few steps in front of him to listen. "Are you okay? Do you know this lady?" She beckoned him closer with her finger. Jace glanced back at Madeline that tapped on her thigh. 'Go ahead.' in morse.

He walked over to her and she leaned down at the desk to reach his face. He could smell the pickles in her breath cringed at it. It smelled terrible.

"Are you safe? Has she hurt you?"

Madeline rushed forward and took Jace by the shoulder to pull him behind her.

"You say anything like that to him and I will kill you!" She yelled.

The woman sneered at her and reached for the phone at the desk. "I'll call the cops on you girl. And the boy will go back to his family you took him from." She threatened. Her finger pressed the numbers on the phone to call 911.

"Yes, there had been a kidnapping. I have the culprit in the room with me as well as the victim. Come quick! Address is Statesman Inn on North 3rd street in Terre Haute!"

Jace pulled at Madeline's hand to get her attention. She looked like she was about to hit the woman and Jace couldn't have that. The cops could be there any minute. He remembered seeing a station not that far away. "Mads. Let's go before the cops get here." He pulled on her hand even more to her attention and it seemed to work.

"Fine, Andie." She scowled at the woman once more before squeezing Jace's hand and breaking to a run towards the door. They broke through and the sound of sirens blared into their ears. The cops were already close. Madeline pulled him into a random direction and so they began running.

author's note

 I would like to say I  have never been to Indiana.