Strictly Forbidden

Strictly Forbidden (5)

Chapter 5

At first it had not sunk in. But now, as I walk down this lone street in the pouring rain, I knew. Father had canceled my credit cards and my bank account, so I could not get a room anywhere for the night.

My biggest fears are coming alive within the very depths of my soul, and there is nothing I can do about it. I do not have the slightest clue where I would sleep tonight, or any other night for that matter, and that thought alone gave me an unbelievable feeling of terror. In the course of twenty-four hours I have became homeless. I never thought it would happen to me, but here I am. Alone in the silence, with only the rain as company.

These are the times when I find myself at a loss. Is there even love in this world? I have grown believing in it all my life. But, as I walk the alleyways in search of a place to rest for the night, I think otherwise. I'm not even able to tell what time it is, but from the looks of things it's late. The rain seems to increase forcing me to seek shelter in a nearby playground.

As I find my bed in a tunnel of a disserted playground, I cry. The fact of not knowing what may happen next taking over my body in frozen silence. A horrid, unbearable, intense silence.

It is cool as I come to, realizing where I am. My eyes are crusted together from my cry last night and I try to wipe away the sleep from them without causing more irritation. My mood drops again, if that is possible, when I notice that it is still raining. At that same moment, my stomach rubbles and I groan in frustration. I'm hungry, wet, homeless, and in the comfort of utter silence. Father's words ring though my ears, "There are more important things than your happiness, Emma." I sigh, I can get through this, I have too.

Crawling out of the tunnel, I turn to walk down a street now busy with traffic. Searching for a hair tie, to tame my unruly frizzy hair, I spot a donut shop. The smell coming from the opening door nearly undoes me, and I stand here, at a loss of what homeless people do to eat. I have yet to eat since my birthday party and that is now two days ago.

I set out just walking, with every thought running through my mind. My father may have become heartless, but he did not raise a fool. I will find a job, a place to stay, and I will make it on my own. Not that I want to have to do it this way, but what other choice do I have?

I catch people staring, which is nothing new. It's only that this time, they look at me with confusion, not knowing why I am walking the streets, alone, wet, and in yesterdays clothing. I was never one to care so much of what people thought, my father had done enough of that for a whole country of people, but their gawking make me uncomfortable and my pace quickens.

The day passes slowly despite the late hour that I woke up. Worry starts to overcome me as the night sets in, and I, yet again, have no place to sleep. Passing a rather familiar area, a gas station along with a small rode along side it. Duke's house.

I practically run up the long drive. My breath comes in short gasps as I sprint to his front door, only to realize that what I am doing in completely foolish. How can I just storm up to a man's house and plead for a hot shower and a warm bath? I can't.

The rough growl of Duke's dog, Cheeko, rumbles through the house. I turn into the misty rain to make my quick escape. I can't bring him into this; I just can't.

"Emma?" My breath locks in my lungs and my joints freeze in mid step. "Emma, what are you doing here?"

I turn ever so slowly, not knowing what to say. I know I'm a sight to see, with ran dripping off in every place, and mud caked on my flats. I have never, in my life, been as incredibly embarrassed as this moment.

My mud-caked flats become the most interesting thing this side of the planet as Duke's voice rings out my name again. "Why are you wet? And covered with mud? Are you all right?" Heart speeding, I'm unable to come up with anything to say.