Running From the Devil

Chapter 3

Laney

As soon as I was in the car the driver, Lisa, revved the engine and shot us back into the street.  I grabbed the handle above the door as we screamed around a corner trying not to vomit from the sudden motion.  

"How close is he?"  She snapped out. 

"Um, I don't know, I saw some of the guards at the Greyhound Station.  They could be anywhere." 

"Shit!" Cursed Lisa, then "Guards?" 

"yeah," I said "I usually have two guards but tonight I only had one and he had to go to the bathroom and I ran away and all I want to do is get away but they are fucking EVERYWHERE!" 

I was screaming by the end of it.  Screaming and shaking so hard that I thought my bones might shatter from the force of it. 

"All right," she soothed in a softer voice, "calm down.  We are going to get you out, it will be ok, you just have to calm down." 

"okay... okay"  I trembled, clutching the seat, seeking an anchor in my chaos. 

My eyes hit a crack on the dashboard.  Desperately I threw all my attention at that crack, trying to pour my entire mind into contemplating its existence in the faded gray material.  Each little jagged edge stood out in sharp relief from the worn down surface around it.  As light from the street lights filtered in the car I noticed the dust that had settled in the crevice.  Seven.  It had seven lines with an odd little curl upwards at the end of it.

I rubbed my hand on the seat, feeling the tattered leather beneath my fingertips.  Three.  There were 3 rips in the seat covered by something, maybe duct tape.  There were four flaps on the air vents.  There were nine buttons for radio stations. Counting, touching, examining the things around me gave me the space to clear my head. My breathing came back to normal and the panic started to soothe itself away.  I was doing all I could to escape, it wouldn't be worth all the effort I had made if I had a heart attack on the way. 

Seeing that I was calming down Lisa told me to grab the cloth shopping bag and a coat out of the backseat.  When I opened the bag I saw a newer wig in a plastic bag, a bag of toiletries and a disposable cell phone.  The wig was auburn and shoulder length, way better than my current one. I managed to find a coat in my size.  It was a simple fleece in forest green but it looked warm and I put it on immediately. 

"Do you wear makeup all the time?"  Lisa asked. 

"Yes, I have to" I sniffled, trying not to start crying again.  

"Grab the wipes out of the bag and wipe it all off. Makes a world of difference if they're used to seeing you all dolled up." 

After I wiped my face I took off my crazy wig, brushed my hair and put the new wig on.  I had grabbed the wig, well stolen it, from a costume shop a few blocks from the bathroom I'd left Tough Guy in.  It was one of those shops that you went into when you wanted to dress like a sex kitten but didn't actually want to go to the sex store.  It had itched horribly and I really wanted to throw it out of the window.  I put it in the bag just in case I needed it later. 

By then we had slowed down to a more appropriate 25 miles an hour going through tiny little backstreets.  I don't think we went in a straight line more than half a mile at a time.   I expected Daniel's SUV's to come screeching in behind us or block us off at any second and my eyes were darting everywhere. 

"Where are we going?"  I finally asked. 

Lisa looked sideways at me and said "Let's talk about the rules first.  One, don't tell anyone your real name at least until you are out of the state, maybe further if you think he'll chase you further than that.  Two, you will not ask any of the women you meet at the safe house for their story.  Most of them are very traumatized and don't like to talk about what they've been through.  Three, If he does find you, you will never ever mention that you ever called our number, that you ever got in this car.  Four,  you will never reveal the location of any safe house you go to.  Being invisible is our only method of protection.  It's as much for your protection as it is ours. Five, you pay it forward.  Once you get settled you will at least be open to the idea of being a safe house for women like yourself.  If not that you'll find a battered women's shelter and volunteer, or buy supplies like you have in that bag, or work at an orphanage or something ok?"