Something about Vermont

Chapter 3

Vermont had just sped past the sign that said her own name back, initially welcoming Vermont to Vermont. She smiled at that, thinking back to the only memory that brought her here.

13 years ago...

"Why's my name Vermont?" Vermont asks Mrs. Kelly; the woman Vermont's young brain had begun to realise was a worker at the orphanage. The older woman smiled at the young curly haired girl, understanding why she would ask a question like that.

"Well, a little birdie told me that before you came here to Charlotte, you were born in Vermont" the woman says, her smile creating crow's feet at the corner of her eyes "and I think whoever had you knew the beauty of the place you were born and saw it in you".

"You mean I had a home?" Vermont says, her dark eyes wide and almost glittering at the prospect of maybe having a home. Somewhere to return to.

"You can find home anywhere little one, home doesn't always have to be a place" the woman explains, Vermont noticed her smile had gone a little bit tighter, almost like she didn't want to have to explain to the little girl who had never had a home what the word meant.

Back to present time...

She decided she would stick to the I-91 as long as she could before she needed to stop. Maybe by luck or by pure fate Vermont turned off when she saw the sign for a small town off the interstate, deciding that the unlikeliness of being found in a small town when she was more of big city girl would be a good cover whilst she healed, as well as knowing she would find somewhere to fuel both her bike and her somewhere along the way.

The speed limit decreased the closer to she got to the heart of the town, and she slowed with it, letting herself take in the outdated town whilst searching for a gas station to stop at. Red brick buildings and white painted wood panels lined the streets of the town, bars and restaurants covering most ground with a few shops and a small shopping complex sitting off to her left. A couple churches and older heritage buildings created what Vermont could guess was the small towns centre and she grinned knowing that this would be one of the last places they would check to find her.

Only minutes later the leather clad girl was pulling into a diner that sat beside a gas station where she would be able to pump up her stolen Harley after she got a hearty burger. The parking lot was quiet but that was to be expected for a town this small, she kicked the stand down and got off the bike before she walked toward the glass door of the small shack, the tiles were a classic black and white checker with red leather which from the use and wear of the leather she assumed hadn't been changed since they were put in during the 50s.

She didn't bother to ring the bell and ignored the people who sat in the booths and behind the counter staring her down, instead she helped herself to a table and a menu, slid her helmet across the table and began scouring for a burger that could make her forget her shaky hands and itchy skin that she wanted to pick at. Vermont was sure that she probably looked like a mess, her dark hair was dried red and felt crusty at the ends as if she had put too much gel in it, she was sure that she still had blood peeking from outside of the leather jacket she didn't dare undo, at least not until she found a private shower, but she was so hungry that she didn't care.

"Hi darling, anything I can get for you?" an older woman asks, her hair a lovely shade of sandy blonde that was peppered with grey.

"Uhm, can I have the bacon burger and the triple cheeseburger with a large chips and a large sprite?" Vermont said to the waitress who had a notepad out in front of her and was scribbling it down, she smiled up down at Vermont with kind eyes, "my my, you must be very hungry" she says before looking down at the rest of me and back to my eyes, her expressions drops just the tiniest of bits before she resumes her soft smile, "and a tough few days too" Vermont gives her a half assed smile unsure how to reply. She nods as if knowing of the curly headed woman's shortcoming of words and instead picks up Vermont's menu and puts her pen back in her pocket, "you know what I'll bring you something sweet too, that's what my boy always likes to have after he's had a long day" she tells Vermont and before the younger woman can tell her not to worry about that, the waitress has turned on her heels and walked off toward the kitchen.

It took the short span of ten minutes before all the food Vermont had ordered was placed in front of her, the burgers were bigger than she expected, and her stomach grumbled at the sight of them. The waitress had delivered her promise and had given Vermont a dessert, a lovely large slice of what Vermont could only assume was a homemade apple pie.

Vermont would be lying if she said she didn't inhale the food like there was no tomorrow.

The apple pie was heavenly and if she could kiss the chef she would, but she was certain that it wouldn't be taken as appreciation but instead harassment, so she refrained from showing her love in such a way. Instead, as she got up from the table, she made sure to make eye contact with the waitress that had been so nice, and she gave her a rare smile that didn't make Vermont look like a complete bitch but instead made her look soft and grateful. The same waitress ended up ringing Vermont's bill up and instead of paying the cheap bill of $20 she offered the woman a crisp $100 dollar note that she had stolen from the big man from a few days back. And just like the pie she had walked away before the woman could refuse, leaving her no choice but to accept the tip and move on with her day.

As Vermont left the shack and made the sharp left around the corner to where her bike was parked, she was met with a very large chest that towered over her 5'8 height. Rubbing her nose as she backed off, she looked up to find a very large man with long dark brown hair that hit his shoulders and a chiselled face that held a medium length beard with the same chocolate colour.

His eyes were a bright blue that was icy and she could tell held a hint of the same insanity that he could probably see floating around in her eyes. She followed his frame down, noticing the black leather riding boots that matched his leather cut, her eyes lit up in recognition. A biker. Her eyes travelled to his left pec where she would find his gangs logo, 'the devils advocates', she gave it a pleasant nod showing her unnecessary approval for the name.

"You smell like blood" he said in a cold and extremely baritone voice that she was almost sure she could feel the earth vibrate with it.

"What are you? Part hellhound?" she questioned with a scrunched face.

She could see his lip twitch as if he wanted to smile, however he refrained.

"Something like that" he said to her, and she nodded in understanding, she had a feeling she knew exactly what he was talking about.

"Well, it was nice meetin' ya, I recommend the bacon burger" she said before she attempted to walk around him, and just as she passed him his finger slipped into the bottom of her leather jacket and pulled her back.

"Sorry crazy, can't let ya do that. Boss man wants to meet you" he tells her and she raises an eyebrow, "and why would he want that?" she questions, he gives her the most dead panned look and she huffs.

"Look mister, I ain't got the time or the energy" she tells the huge man whose at least 6'6, her fingers begin to clench, and her face begins to get sweaty as a new wave of chills flows through her body, his eyes track her movements, and he frowns staring at her which causes her lip to curl.

"I can't let you walk away, you come into our town on a bike that we know isn't yours" she raises her eyebrow at this, "and you reek of blood, not to mention the blood splatter on your neck that you must've missed when you cleaned your face. So yeah, you need to come with me just so we know you aren't a threat to the club" he explains, and she rolls her eyes, "I haven't tried to kill you yet, isn't that enough" she asks and his mouth once again twitches.

"Sorry Kid, you're coming with me" he says and when she tries to make a run for it toward her bike he catches her, swinging her up and over his shoulder making her leather jacket scrunch up uncomfortably, she pounds at his shoulders and tries to kick his stomach but he barely flinches which inevitably makes her give up to the point where she just flops down onto his shoulder like a dead body.

"For fucks sake" she groans.