Innocence and Telekinesis

Part Two: Richmond

Amy was jolted awake as the rear roll-up door suddenly opened. She had no idea how long she had been in the back of the truck, as the rocking of the vehicle coupled with her own exhaustion had caused her to slip into and out of an uneasy sleep. She stood and looked out onto a dock that was similar to the one she'd just escaped from, and as she felt the truck slip into reverse she ran and jumped out onto the concrete ramp before the truck pressed up against the cushions of the waiting dock-bay. She slipped beside another truck, and marveled at its sheer size, which easily dwarfed the ambulance that she'd ridden in earlier. She walked up to the top of the ramp and realized that the twin-door dock she had escaped from was nothing compared to the massive dock on which she now stood. There were trucks for as far as she could see, and each was backed up to the same dock. She walked out into the lot, and turned to see a sign above the multiple docks that read Del-Co Canned Goods Distribution Center, Richmond, Virginia. Since she could never see the outside world, geography never interested her, but she did know that she lived in Virginia, and that Richmond was the capital.

She looked around and realized that Richmond had to be massive. She could see several skyscrapers off in the distance, and the road next to the building had more cars pass by in ten seconds than she saw during her entire trip from the ambulance to the supermarket.

She was scared, but also full of amazement and wonder. Amy was standing in the real world, and she liked it! She began walking out of the lot full of trucks and out onto the sidewalk.

Amy wasn't aware of the current homelessness problem in America, and although she was aware how dirty she was, she was not aware of just how homeless she actually appeared. She continued walking merrily down the sidewalk until she realized that people were going out of their way to avoid her.

At the facility, everybody loved Amy. Every researcher, lab assistant, intern, nurse, guard... if they had been there for at least a week she had gone out of her way to not only introduce herself, but to insert herself into their lives. She always made sure that she spoke with the entire staff over the course of the workweek, and she felt bad if she had ever missed anyone. But here, in the outside world, she was an unknown girl with shoeless, filthy feet, sloppy clothes and messy uncombed hair, and passersby viewed her with disdain and disgust.

As she walked, she tried to hold her head up high, but for all of her age and intelligence, she was still just an innocent twelve year old trapped in an adult body. She fought back tears, and began to wish she was home, but she was afraid that she would be held responsible for the crash of the ambulance and the escape from the two men at the grocery store.

She reached a street corner, and stood back as several people stood at a pole and waited... apparently for the cars to stop so they could cross the street. She stared at their feet, which were adorned in everything from dress shoes to sneakers. As a single tear streamed down her dirty cheek, she heard someone speak.

"Miss? I'm sorry to bother you, but you seem distressed and out of sorts. Is there anything I can do for you?"

Amy looked up to see a woman about Jennifer's age, with sandy blonde hair and wearing a business-style suit. "I just..." Amy struggled with the truth, and inventing a believable lie. "I don't have anywhere to go."

"Oh, you poor, poor dear," the woman replied with genuine concern on her face. "There is a shelter down the street that can help you. You can get a shower, a hot meal, and maybe some clean clothes. My church sponsors the meal there occasionally."