The Shadow (Camren) [ON HIATUS]

Chapter Two

I drove nonstop until the sun went down. As hungry and as tired as I was,I decided it was better to drive for as long as I could before finding somewhere to stay for the night. If there's something I learned with the League, is that there's nothing more relaxing than punching something as hard as you can, and riding a motorcycle. The wind blowing on my face was what would keep my nerves under control most of the time before a mission, and now it's what's keeping me from pulling the handle and driving back to my parents and Sofia. I knew running away was the best thing I could do to protect them, but somehow leaving them for the second time was harder than the first. The last month reminded me what it was like to be normal, and running now made me realize that wasn't a possibility for someone like me. No matter where I was or who I was with, danger would always follow up. I should have thought about that before escaping Nanda Parbatand taking the danger right to my parents' doorstep. 

I found myself in a small roadside motel. I still had no idea where I was going, but in one way, driving without a destiny was probably the best way not to be predictable and leave a trail. In the front desk, I was greeted by a smiling lady who booked me in a room for the night and gave me fresh towels for a much needed shower. The bathtub was cleaner than most of the motels I have been through in my lifetime so I decided to relax there for a while. I thought about many different things but mostly where the road would take me. I was heading north, and that got me thinking of something my father told me about an old friend of mine that got a full music scholarship at Hudson University. New Carthage is a rather large city with a lot of people, so maybe paying them a visit and trying to blend in wouldn't hurt.

After getting out of the bathtub, I put on some comfortable clothes and closed my eyes to try and rest for a while. Contrary to what people must think, I never had trouble sleeping. I don't have nightmares or any kind of dreams. My nights were always calm and free - thanks to one of the things I learned with the League. Sleeping is a form of meditation, when you know your mind, you can clean it and even control it while you sleep. When I meditated for the first time, I remember feeling like all the weight had been lifted from my shoulders and I had never felt so calm. We used to meditate every morning before training, and I haven't done that ever since I left. Maybe that's what I need to help me deal with the nerves.

I woke up in the next morning and surprised myself when I looked at the alarm clock on the nightstand. It was past nine in the morning. I quickly got up and changed my clothes, putting on a simple tank top, ripped jeans and my signature leather jacket, before leaving the room and giving the key back to the same lady from last night. She asked me if I didn't want to wait until lunch time but I thanked her and said I was already late on my schedule, so I paid her and left. I got on my bike and immediately started to drive, sighing at the feeling of peace again. After driving for most of the day, only stopping for lunch and bathroom breaks, I passed through a sign that indicated I was close to the state of New York and I sighed on relief. After that, it didn't take me long to get to New Carthage. When I got there, it was already late and I easily found a cheap motel to spend the night at. Unlike the previous motel, this one wasn't so clean, so I decided to just wash myself as quick as possible before getting some sleep.

On the next day, I was up early, even before the sun. I checked out on the front desk and drove until I found a Waffle House and ate some breakfast. Then, I decided to drive around and get to know the city a little bit. I passed through a few familiar places from when I came here with my father once and couldn't help but smile at the memories. I decided to park my motorcycle and take a walk around a small park, but ended up in a bookshop at the end of the street. I got lost between the many books and I only noticed how long I spent in there when I heard my stomach growl. I went to a Big Belly Burger I saw a couple blocks away from the store and quickly got my lunch.