Monsters

Chapter 1

Chapter 1

"Fuck." I say as I look in the mirror at all the bruises on my ribs. I can't do this anymore. He's going to kill me if I don't leave. I pick up my phone and call my best friend back home. "Hey doll. What's up?" she asks. "Molly, I need your help." I say. She knows something's wrong. "What do you need?" she asks. "I need a place to lay low. I can't handle Chris hitting me anymore." I tell her. "Do you need any money?" she asks. "No, I have the money. I'm packing my things now." I tell her. "You can stay with me until we figure things out." she tells me. "Thanks Mol. I owe you." I tell her. "Just be safe and check in once in awhile." she tells me. "I will. Love you Mol." I tell her. "Love you too Gypsy. Just be safe." she says before we end the call.

Twenty minutes later, I am out the door and headed back to Georgia. I made it from San Diego to Oakland before needing gas. I stopped at a gas station and as I get out of the car, I see someone sitting at the side of the building. He was wearing a pair of baggy jeans and a black hoodie and he had his duffle bag between his legs. He looked up and we made eye contact and he nodded before looking back down. I walk into the gas station and get drinks and snacks before heading out to pump gas. Walking out of the store, I go to step off the curb and lose my footing before hitting the ground on my hands and knees. The only person that bothered to help me was the man that was sitting at the side of the building. "Are you okay?" he asks as he helps me up and starts picking up my things. "Yeah. Thanks." I say. He looks at me as he stands up and asks "Bruised or broken?" I look at him shocked and he asks again. "Bruised or broken? Your ribs." I look down and say "Just bruised I think." He looks at me and I see actual concern in his eyes. Out of nowhere, I ask, "Do you have somewhere to stay?" He looks down and shakes his head no. "Come on. You can come with me." I say. His head snaps up and I say "Put your back in the trunk with mind. Let's get the hell out of here." I say. I move to pump gas and he says "Get in. I'll pump."

Getting into the passenger seat of my car, we head out of the parking lot and onto the main road. "Where are we headed?" he asks. "Georgia. It's where I'm from." I tell him. "Tell me about yourself." I say. "My name Juan Carlos Ortiz. Most people call me Juice. I'm from Queens, NY and moved to California eight years ago. Was in an MC before they excommunicated me." he tells me. "Why?" I ask. "President had me do some things and didn't tell the club he was having me do it and they voted me out once he was done with me. Lucky they didn't kill me." he tells me, looking at his hands. "What MC?" I ask. "Sons of Anarchy." he tells me. "Guess it's a good thing there are no charters where I'm from." I tell him and see him visibly relax. "Tell me about you." he says. "My name is Gypsy Hastings. From a small town in Georgia. I moved to San Diego three years ago and started seeing this guy. Six months in he started beating me and here lately it's started getting worse. I have no doubt he'd kill me so I had to get out. Waited until he left for work and packed my things. I called my best friend and she's letting me stay with her. I have to check in with her along the way. I'll call her when we get to the motel tonight and tell her to make room for one more." I tell him. "You don't have to do that." he says. "I know. But when I fell, you were the only one that bothered to help me. From here out, we got each other." I tell him. "I don't do well alone." He tells me, looking down at his hands. "I don't either so I guess we're good." I tell him.

We get to the hotel that night and I turn on my phone. I see several texts and voicemails from Chris. "Shit." I say out loud. Juan looks at me and I say "My ex has blown up my phone." I say. "You should call and change your number." he tells me. I call and they change my number immediately. I text Molly and tell her it's me calling and then I call her. "Hey Molly." I say. "Hey. Are you okay?" she asks. "Yeah. But I need to tell you something." I tell her. "Okay." she says. "I, uh, picked someone up along the way." I tell her. "You picked up a hitchhiker?" she asks. "Not exactly. I stopped for gas and fell and the only person to help me was this guy, Juan Carlos." I tell her. "Where is he now?" she asks. He's right here. "Text her a picture of me so she knows what I look like and my description so that it will ease her mind a little." he says while I'm on the phone with Molly. "He told me to change my number so that Chris couldn't track me." I tell her. "That's good. Just be careful." she tells me. "I will. I'll text you when we head out in the morning." I tell her and we end the call. "Now, let me see your ribs." he tells me. I raise my shirt a little and he starts pressing on my ribs and says "None seem broken but the are bruised. Maybe I should help drive." he tells me. "Okay but for now, let's get some sleep.