Beaneath the Veil 3

Amal had a fun day with me. No  problems just fun. I like watching her smile and hoped it didn't stop when I paused the video. I wanted to ask her another question something personal something she probably didn't want to answer but I needed to know for my own peace of mind. "Amal I would like to ask you something". She turned toward me and waited. I knew then that I would never regret my next question no matter what answer I got. "Amal, would you"- brrrng brrrng. Shit who would call me at this tired hour. "Just a moment Amal ". I went to pick up the phone and almost instantly wished I hadn't. The heavy breathing on the phone made the hairs on the back of my neck stand, Amal came over behind me at once and placed her arms around me. she stood on tip toe to hear. And out of some reason of instinct I tilted the phone toward her upturned ear knowing she should hear this. The breathing stopped short and then was followed by a rugged and haunting, raspy voice. 'We found you prince'. Then the caller hung up. Amal did not look shaken as I trembled to place the phone on it's cradle. "We must leave now, take nothing, let's go."

She ran out ahead of me. I grabbed my car keys and took the steps two at a time behind her.

We got to the front door at the same time three shots were fired that shattered glass all over the side walk of Amsterdam.

Luckily neither of us were hurt. We ran down the stairs that led to my laundry room. Opened the back door and ran out into the alley. We had to climb a fence, crawl through a space too small even for Amal, but thankfully fear got us through. Finally we were in the bike store's alley weaving our way through tools and parts. I led the way to the front of the store and stopped dead in my tracks. I took out my android and synchronized Amal's story to my phone then deleted everything on my hard drivers.

Whoever called. Whoever was shooting at us would only benefit on finding her story. I spoke briefly to the manager of the bike store and then spoke as briefly, but calmly as I could to Amal. I asked her to walk out behind me and go directly to the parked motorcycle across the street. Get on the bike and don't ask any questions.

I walked out and around the corner from where the bike was. I saw Amal walk toward the biker who already was seated by the main guy that always fixed my bike for me. He handed her a helmet. She got on and I watched them safely exit the block.

I stayed just long enough to watch our would be assassin's enter my building. I knew I could never feel safe there again. Part of me wanted to go behind those guys and smash their heads together. Thankfully common sense kicked in. I got in my car and followed Amal.

I drove at a close distance behind them. I wasn't watching the road. I was watching the scene from all that had just happened, I was even watching the scene from just a few hours earlier when all we had to do was laugh.

We rode out of the city and into the night. We said goodbye to our friend and watched him pull off. Amal got in the car, put on her seat belt and looked over at me. I could tell even in the darkness of the car and the road that she felt responsible for us running now. It wasn't true though. It was the fault of the fates, God, whomever had given her such a heartache for a life.

'Come on we're going on a vacation'. I felt her smile and the night became brighter.
Leaving the city was a good break for us. It wasn't planned or anything, but still we got to go somewhere peaceful and special to me. Not just because Shades and I spent so much time there, but because of the look of bliss on Amals face when I stopped the car, pulled back the hair from her sleeping face and announced we were close.
She stepped out before me and walked dazedly toward my neighbors cherry wood cabin. she turned and looked at me like I was everyone and I fell in love at that moment. I had already vowed myself toward helping her get freedom from her past. Why not fall in love and maybe have it reciprocated for a change!