What the Wind Brought Me
I walked along the highway that night. I didn't stop. I didn't sleep. I hitch-hiked with a few different people and in about a week, I was in New York City. I lived among the streets.
At this point I was five months pregnant, five months on the streets. I carried everything I owned with me because I wouldn't stay in the same spot for two days in a row. I felt I had to keep walking, no matter what.
The sky fell to a twilight, the clouds luminous. An orange and yellow color painted into them. The sky, behind the clouds were a darker blue and turning a very light purple. I decided to rest for the night in front of a shoe shop. The store was closed but it didn't matter. I didn't need any light.
I sat, slowly getting to the cold cement of the sidewalk. I put down my stuff on my right side. I laid down, using the bags as a pillow. I partially curled my feet under me. Then, I moved to get the sheet that was inside one of the bags and put it over me.
About three hours later, I woke up--even though I was barely asleep-- to the wind rubbing against me. My face felt numb from it being uncovered from the sheet. I rolled around so the sheet wouldn't fly away, the ends now being under me.
Then, I felt someone sitting next to me, on my left side. It was a man, leaning over to look at me. I looked to him.
"Are you okay?" He actually sounded worried.
"I'm fine," I said quietly. The wind probably took my words from the whistle it had sounded.
"Come here, I'll keep you warm," he said. His voice sounded calming to me, it was almost beautiful.
I propped myself up on my right hand, my elbow locking to support my weight. I moved next to him and a laid the same way I had before, now against his ribs.
In a way, he was right. He would keep me warm.
