The Drifter

Chapter 12: New Friends

As I walked inside, I slid my beanie off to hopefully give the wrong impression to whoever may be waiting inside. As soon as I was inside, I knew the mother would ask why I was out there on my lonesome, so I went ahead and began to form an excuse early, but quickly. It didn't work and I was forced to decide to wing it when it came up. I entered a very fancy marble dining room and saw a woman sitting at the opposite end of a dining table.

"Hello," she said with a smile. Sure enough, guess what she said next? "What are you doing out there in the cold?" I paused, then opened my mouth. "My parents are on a business trip, and I was on my way to get groceries, but got caught up in the snow," I spoke. I was surprised at how easily the response came, and I realized just how good I got a lying over the past months. At least, I thought I was good. There was a pause, then the woman spoke. "Oh." She raised her hand to one of the chairs. "Are you hungry?" she asked. I turned to the girl, then to the door. It was pretty warm in here, and unnerving, but I wanted to take advantage. So, I turned to the woman and slowly nodded my head. The woman got up and pulled out a chair, then passed down a plate of beef stew. It was so nice to have a home cooked meal for a change. I hadn't had one since I ran away from my uncle, and especially not beef stew. "Thank you," I said in kind of an awkward tone. When I sat down, I realized my pellet gun was visible at my side and quickly hid it behind my jacket hoping she hadn't noticed. "I'm Carol," the woman said. She turned to her daughter, who was maybe seventeen or eighteen. "This is my daughter Crystal." She introduced her daughter proudly. "Uh... Joel," I stammered.

I noticed there was no father, which had me naturally curious, but I said nothing. I remembered what Joe had told me once at the base camp before he passed away. A home is not a home without family. That's why we aren't homeless. We may not possess a home, but we are family. Joe wasn't particularly fond of the coined term homeless. "How old are you, Joel?" Carol asked. "I just turned sixteen a few months ago," I answered, trying to sound as comfortable as possible. I took a bite out of the beef stew in my bowl. Looking back on it, I probably ate that beef stew like a slob. But who could blame me after everything I had been through?

I quickly scarfed down the entire bowl of food and sat back, stuffed and relaxed. As Carol finished her food, she returned to the subject that was me. "So, where do you live?" she asked me. I paused, then Crystal and I exchanged quick glances. Thankfully, Crystal saved me. "I think he just moved here. Down on the street next over. I've seen him at school every now and then," she said. Carol turned towards me. "Is that true? Are you new here?" she asked. She wasn't saying it in an interrogative voice. More like an excited voice, which was strange. "Yes ma'am," I finally said with a quick gulp. "Well, that's good," she said. "We never get anyone new around here. All we have is the old lady down the street," Carol added.

"Well, if you ever want to come over again, you are more than welcome," Carol said with a smile. "Thank you," I said. I was actually comfortable this time. And after an early dinner, Crystal showed me the door, and I was back on the street. Nice to know there are still nice people in this world. I took one last look at the house before walking down the street and disappearing into the snow, searching for my next move.

Eventually I found another dry alleyway, and it was getting dark, so I pulled out my lighter desperate to light a few sticks I had gathered, but nothing was working there. I had no warmth as the snow was beginning to roll in, and I realized a store down the street was open twenty-four hours a day. I realized I could exploit this and decided to get my sorry self up on my feet and down the street, which as cold as it was, was more of a chore than I had thought it would be.

Eventually I made it to the door and walked inside. It was warm and bright, and I wondered how long I could get away with staying inside of here. On the other side of the store, I could hear someone chewing out someone, and I figured it was some mother or something getting fed up with their little child causing mischief in a store. As I strolled down an aisle, something caught my interest.