Hit and Run

Chapter 7

As the day grew tired and the sun began its beautiful goodbyes, I told Reese that I was hungry. He nodded and took a left onto the next exit we encountered. I hadn't eaten all day and the thought of food began to consume my thoughts, which was nice given their current nature. We made our way down the streets of a nice little suburban area while the sky got darker. I felt my eyelids getting heavy. I just wanted to fall asleep again, but wake up safe in my bed. I figured it would probably be best to stop wishing for things that wouldn't happen.

After about ten minutes of exploring the area, I was drawn to a giant green sign that read WALMART. Reese pulled into the parking lot of the Walmart, as if reading my mind, and parked as far away from the building as possible.

"Stay here," he said. He reached behind his seat and grabbed a grey hoodie and tossed it over to me.

"Put this on and try to cover your face while I run in and come back, okay?" He said, maintaining the stern expression that hadn't changed since we ended our conversation. Normally, I would have countered a direct order with a snarky retort, but my hunger and exhaustion forced me to reply with a simple nod and I proceeded to pull the thing over my head. It was huge on me and fit me almost like a dress. I figured it must have even been big on him despite the fact that he was taller than me. It wasn't my best look, but I appreciated that Reese was beginning to understand the importance of making sure I went unnoticed. He opened the driver door and a gust of wind made its way inside the car until he shut it quickly behind him and locked the car with a beep. I pulled the hood up and laid my had back against the seat and away from any window.

I let my eyes shut and pushed the seat back so that I could lay on it like an uncomfortable bed. I heard the wind getting louder outside the car and imagined I was in my childhood kitchen where I always saw the big trees sway outside the window when it was windy. The marble counter top was always white and shiny and the wooden floor had a way of reflecting the light from outside. I looked down at my feet and I was wearing light blue fuzzy socks like the ones I collected as a child. They were my favorite because they let me slide across the shiny floor easily and imagine I was Elvis Presley. The light was hitting everything in the room and I saw my reflection in the window. I was little again. I was smiling. I had a braid resting on my shoulder and I was wearing a pink shirt and blue jeans. I looked like a flower just beginning to bloom, feeding off of the sun. I saw myself start dancing in front of my own reflection, not caring who might see me. It was a pure moment and I laughed at my own innocence. Next, I saw a shadow creep up behind me. It didn't bother me at first, I was used to having people in the house, but this shadow kept growing until I realized that it was a grown man. My thoughts were replaced by intrigue. He was so much taller than me, but I was too young to feel small in his presence. I looked up slowly to identify the person who was just standing still. It didn't take long for his face to form into somebody I knew. Jerome. I felt my heart begin to race. Alaniz, I heard him say.

NO! I shouted at myself through my reflection, but it was like my own reflection couldn't hear me and I just stood there. I was watching the scene like an audience member and there was nothing I could do.

Analiz, I'm here he said. I felt him place a hand on my shoulder. I screamed again.

I was alone. Powerless.

I just kept screaming NO! NO! NO!

ANALIZ! I heard and I was woken up by Reese. I was back in the car. I saw him hovering over me, his hand on my shoulder. 

"Analiz, you're okay," he said. I felt water on my cheeks. It was just a dream. He must have been gone for no more than twenty minutes and in that time my mind had managed to show me just how much danger I was in. Worst of all, Reese had to witness the whole thing. I wasn't that kind of girl, the one who cried in her sleep and wasn't capable of facing reality. I refused to be. I especially refused to allow Reese to think I was.