Lonely

Chapter 16, Sadie

Finally, I heard cars in the distance. Another road! Maybe there was a small store or something. My stomach grumbled, and I patted it. I swore to god, if this was just another road to cross I was gonna eat my own hand. I looked over my shoulder. Hanger had his hands shoved in his pockets, trailing along behind me. He was so annoying. He never just gave me any information, not even the slightest thing. It was awful. The sound of cars grew louder until we popped out on the edge of a small highway. Hanger came up behind me, gazing quietly at the passing cars. I looked past them and saw the best thing I had seen for days.

A store. A small, run down, store with a broken window. But it was open. A small light was on that I guessed was supposed to say “open”, but the “e” was out in it. I smiled and waited for the seemingly endless line of traffic to end. As soon as the last car zoomed past us, I darted across the road, hanger jogging behind me, and dug the wad of cash out of my back pack. Hanger trotted across behind me.

“This is a store?” he asked, glancing down at me. “Well, not a normal store. It’s small, and old, and dirty, and gross, but it’ll do.” I said striding across the gravel to pull open the dirty glass door. The rusty hinges creaked a bit as I opened it, but I barely noticed. Right in front of me was a shelf, with all sorts of food. Twinkies, beef jerky, dried fruit, candy, trail mix. I grabbed two of everything and then moved to the next one, which had various assortments of chips. Then the fridge in the back with water and ice teas. I grabbed a bunch of stuff and shoved some in Hanger’s surprised arms. I saw the clerk, a six teen year old girl with black hair, black lipstick, a nose piercing, an a choker necklace with spikes on it. She was watching us with bored eyes, following Hanger with her eyes. I dumped the stuff on the counter and gestured for Hanger to do the same. The girl’s eyes never left him, raking up and down him. It took me a minute to figure out why, and a tight feeling of possessiveness welled up in me, and I quickly brushed it off. He wasn’t mine to posses. She quickly checked all of our stuff out and then pushed it back towards me wordlessly, holding her hand out for money. I quickly paid and then opened my back pack, shoving everything off the counter into it. It was so packed I was surprised it closed. The girl winked at Hanger as I pulled him away. I started going back towards the road, but Hanger pulled me the other direction.

“No, this way.” He murmured. I followed him then opened my back pack and pulled out a bag of chips. “What is that?” Hanger asked, eyeing me. I smiled around a mouthful of salty goodness. “Potato chips. Try some. It’s part of your learning experience.” I said, holding the bag to him. He took one out and shoved it in his mouth experimentally. “Mmm. How many did you buy?” he asked. Typical.“A couple bags.” I said. We continued sharing the bag. “It’s so much better out here.” Hanger said through a mouthful of chips. I smiled at him, and the corners of his mouth tugged, but he didn’t smile. I hadn’t seen him smile once.

We kept walking, going in and out of the trees. WE never really left the town, because every time we came out of the trees there was always a couple little buildings. We walked pretty much all day, only stopping for lunch, which consisted of chips, water, candy, beef jerky, and Hanger discovered the wonders of Twinkies. The sun had set, and it was pretty dark, but not to late. Hanger was getting touchy. Rex had been coming and going all day. He would come back for a while, and then leave for a while. Finally, we broke through the trees again and there was the perfect thing. A small hotel with and some other buildings. Like the store, these buildings were also run down, but open. I handed Hanger the wad of cash.

“You know math?” I asked. He nodded slowly. I guessed it was one of his books. “Okay, go tell who ever is behind the counter you’re checking in. Give them the money and wait for me. I’ll be right back.” I said. “Where’re you going?” he asked. “Just checking on Rex, and there’s a phone over there. I’m gonna, uh, call my dad.” I said. He searched my face before nodding and walking off to the hotel. I turned and headed for the small phone booth, hoping it would work, and hoping it wouldn’t work.

Fortunately/unfortunately, it did work. I slid the change from my pocket in and dialed the number. It rang a few times before my mothers voice answered.

“Hello?” she said. I was surprised she was home already. Must have been later than I thought.“Hi, mom.” I said. She didn’t answer right away. “Sadie?”

“Yeah. How’re you guys?” I asked. “Honey, come home. I believe you.” She said tensely. My throat constricted, and I wanted to so badly, but I knew it wouldn’t change anything. I would never see her still, and my father still wouldn’t believe me. I couldn’t just leave Hanger.

“I can’t, mom. I need to help Hanger. Dad doesn’t believe me. You guarantee me that this will change everything, that you’ll be home, that Dad’ll believe me, that Hanger can stay around, I’ll come home someday sooner that I thought, but until then, there’s nothing for it.” I said. I heard her take a deep breath. “Your father told me. I knew that boy had corrupted you. He’s no good, Sadie. He’s just using you, and nothing good comes of boys like him. There is plenty of suitable young guys at home for you.” She said, sounding more like her usual self.

“See, mom, that’s where you’re wrong. Three is none, and second of all, I’m not with him for the romance. I’m with him to help him. He doesn’t know where to go.” I said, a hint of pleading coming into my voice. “You don’t know anything about life. He’s going to hurt you.” She said, still not believing me. “I don’t know anything about life? Coming from the women who cant even raise a child? Coming from the women who can’t stand her husband to the point of never coming home? Coming from the women who can’t even deal with the every day stresses of life? I’m not a child anymore, mother. Stop treating me like one.” I said, hanging up. I was enraged. I put my head in my hands and shoved my fists into my eyes, trying to stop the tears that threatened to brim over. I lifted my face and stood there for a moment so I could act normal, then strode off to the office nearby where Hanger was.