Little Lamb

48 ❦ shades of cool

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"You sure you don't need a hospital, sweetheart?" The woman asked.

"I'm okay," I replied quickly, giving her what I hoped was a convincing smile. "Really, I don't need a hospital. But thank you for the ride."

She frowned, clearly unconvinced, her eyes flicking down to my hands. Blood, dried and crusted clung to my skin like a second layer, staining my fingers and the edges of my shirt.

I had no shoes, just bare feet covered in dirt and scratches from running through the woods.

She sighed, clearly worried sick, but didn't push the issue. "If you're sure..."

We drove for a while longer before she pulled into the parking lot of a small bus station. She parked the car and turned to me. "I can't leave you like this." she said, reaching into the backseat and pulling out a bag.

She rummaged through it for a moment before pulling out a soft, hand knitted cardigan. It was oversized and pale blue, with a faint floral pattern stitched along the edges.

"Here, put this on. It'll cover you up a bit," she said, handing it to me.

I hesitated but took it, sliding it over my shoulders. It smelled like lavender and something faintly herbal.

She reached into her purse and pulled out a few crumpled bills. "Take this too. It's not much, but it'll help."

I opened my mouth to refuse, but the look on her face stopped me. She wasn't going to take no for an answer.

"Thank you," I whispered.

She gave me a small smile. "You take care of yourself now, okay?"

I nodded, unable to speak as I climbed out of the car.

Inside the bus station, I bought a ticket with the money she gave me. The woman at the counter gave me a strange look, her eyes lingering on my bare feet and the cardigan draped awkwardly over my bloody shirt, but she didn't say anything.

As I sat waiting for the bus, I could feel the stares from the other passengers. Like I was some stray animal that had wandered in off the street.

But I didn't care.

The bus ride itself was long and quiet, three hours of nothing but the hum of the engine.
I rested my head against the window, watching the world blur past, trying not to think.

I didn't want to think of what happened this morning. I couldn't, it just hurted too much and I wasn't ready to break down again.

When the bus finally stopped. I climbed off, The streets here were unfamiliar, gritty, lined with cracked sidewalks and stray dogs that barked from behind rusted fences. It looked like a poor neighborhood.

I walked down the street, the address playing over and over in my mind. Burns had scrawled it on a note, and though I'd lost the slip of paper somewhere in my escape, I still remembered it.

Finally, I found the house. It was big but faded, the paint peeling off the sides, with a porch that looked like it might collapse if you breathed on it too hard.

A dog barked loudly from somewhere nearby, making me jump and shriek. My heart raced as I darted a look toward the source, a large mutt behind a chain link fence, growling and baring its teeth.

I muttered under my breath, trying to calm my nerves as I turned back to the house and knocked on the door.

After a moment, the door creaked open, revealing a man. He was tall, wearing a tank top that showed off his tattoo covered arms. His dark, curly hair was messy, and his eyes scanned me with sharp curiosity.