Lying to Survive

Chapter 7

Purple Pajama Pants

It didn't take you long to get packed. Your tío Mario dug out a backpack from the back of a hallway closet and said you could only take what you could fit in there. You asked why and he said anything bigger would be too suspicious.

You packed and decided to try and sleep.

Cute that you thought that would work.

Your brain couldn't just unwind. You were leaving tomorrow. You would be separated from your father, your family, for the first time in your entire life. The only time you had slept somewhere outside of your house was when you were four and on a family vacation. Now suddenly, you would be leaving and living completely on your own.

Your heart was racing and a million emotions were being felt at the same time. You were scared of this new experience, you were excited at something new, you were confused about what to expect, you wondered if you were up to the task. Above all these emotions, one was the strongest: you were absolutely terrified of failing.

You didn't know what would happen to you if you did.

There was one small emotion in the back of your head. One that you kept secret, and had been since that day in the study all those years ago. You ignored it most of the time, but not always.

And what was the name of this little nuisance?

Hope.

You hid it deep in your heart, because it was dumb at first. But now maybe it wasn't so bad. Maybe, just maybe, it was okay for you to have hope to get out.

After a while you decided one thing before you slept, you would be out soon. If things went well, you would finish your mission and push your feelings down and stay here. If things didn't go right, then maybe, somehow, you could run away.

You had another thought as you drifted off, why was everyone being so secretive? Why did it matter how you left? Or how much you took? What weren't they telling you?

Unfortunately, you weren't awake enough to play conspiracist.

You fell asleep.

Your rest didn't last very long.

You heard yelling outside your window and gunshots. You were glued to your bed and stuck under your sheets. You kept telling yourself to move but you couldn't.

After what seemed like an eternity, you slowly got out of bed and crept over to your window. The creaks from the floorboard were the only sounds in your room.

Suddenly, more yelling. More gunshots. The screeching of one set of tires. The screeching of another.

You were shaking. You slowly pulled open your curtain so that a sliver of the outside world was revealed to you. All you saw was one of the many sleek black cars your father owned speeding off after someone else.

The door to your room burst open. Your tía Maria ran in, trying to catch her breath and yell orders at you at the same time.

"Grab your bag! Get the phone your dad gave you! Put your shoes on and go! Leave through the basement exit and get in the car! Now!"

As soon as your heart started again, you started moving. You grabbed your bag and put on the nearest pair of tennis shoes. You grabbed your phone that was still in its box and quickly checked to make sure the charger was there. You paused as you were about to sprint out of the door.

The next time you would be back in this room, you would either be a hero or a shame.

Or, maybe, just maybe, you would never be back here again.

A far away gunshot snapped you out of your nostalgia. You dashed out of your room and practically jumped down the stairs three at a time. You stopped at the basement. It was pitch black down there and you couldn't turn on the lights. Your dad always told you if anyone ever broke in to never turn on the lights in a room you went to, wouldn't want to make their job of finding you and killing you any easier. You felt your way around the walls and counted doors as best as you could. You finally got to the last door and walked in it. It led to a garage in a different part of your house that wasn't visible. The garage was open to show a small blue car with your aunt and two bodyguards desperately signaling you to get in. You jumped in the back seat and we sped off.

You turned to your aunt who was sat next to you.
"What was that?" You asked.
"The Canales Family."

Of course, it all made sense now. All the secrecy behind you leaving, all the precautions they were taking, all the things you had to before you even started your mission.

Let me explain, as your dad had told you that day all those years ago, your family wasn't the only one involved in mafia activity. Some were willing to help us and themselves make money. Others put a price on yours and every other important family member's heads. Not many did, though. Your father was not a man to create unnecessary hostility with. That's why your family was at the top after all. But power is a dangerous thing. People get too hungry for it and they do dumb things, like try and take over. It's currently the Canales family that's been causing all the trouble. They're powerful too, obviously. They wouldn't try anything if they weren't.

That's why you had to basically sneak away. If they did manage to trace you, they would have a record of things you had done and bought before making it seem like you're no one suspicious. Records like that were all they could use to find out you were you. They didn't have a description of what you looked like to go by because your dad had made you wear a cap and mask before leaving the house since this all started. But if they found you, you were dead.

With that all figured out, you decided to lean back and start panicking.

First things first, worry about the present.
RIVAL GANG MEMBERS ARE AFTER YOU AND COULD FIND YOUR CAR AT ANY MINUTE, SHOOT YOUR TIRES, AND YOU'D DIE IN A FIERY WRECK.

Next, the future.
NOW YOU HAD TWO FAMILIES TO WORRY ABOUT FINDING YOU. YOU HAD TO LIVE BY YOURSELF WHICH YOU'D NEVER DONE BEFORE. YOU HAD TO GET A JOB AND TALK TO PEOPLE. YOU DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO TALK TO PEOPLE. THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO WAS THE CASHIER AT A GROCERY STORE. HE SMILED AT YOU AND YOU JUST STARED BACK.

Okay, that's enough. You took a breath and slowed your heart rate. You checked your bag to make sure you had everything. You definitely did after making sure for the third time. You looked down at what you were wearing. An old t-shirt and purple pajama pants.

You were speeding through a forest road to avoid being potentially shot at, about to leave your family for the first time in your life, and you were wearing purple pajama pants.

Nice.

[A/N] IM SORRY ITS VERY UNEDITED but anyways I haven't posted much lately. SCHOOL. so yeah that's it.