Laura

Laura 2.0

After a long day of walking around the city and finding places to sleep only to find out that they have already been taking by other homeless people and they don't play with where they sleep either. "that's my bed" an unknown woman says looking down at me "damn" I say and get up and say sorry and walk-off. That's all you can say.

I could walk back to Jocleyn's hotel but she's busy during this time of the day and busy through the night with random ass men in her room, but she's trying to make a living too, I wouldn't be able to do that, I get scared and really shakey around men, for an obvious reason of course.

I lean up against the hard cold brick wall and think of where else I can find a decent place to sleep at least someplace not too crowded but that's hard when every corner and street is full and shelter places are always full.

"Hey you," a man yells, I snap my head towards the sound and see a well-dressed guy is standing at least 10 feet away. I lean off the wall and walk toward the opposite direction and fast walk not knowing what he has in mind. "I've got one more spot open for someone to sleep, do you want it?" he asks making me stop dead in my tracks and slowly turning around.

"Are you sure because I don't play any games?" I ask still standing in my spot "yes I'm sure, hurry up though before they get someone else in before you" he says walking away around the corner. I've never been asked if I needed a place to stay, it was nice of him to ask though, so of course, I follow and see him waiting for me by the door.

I was kinda scared to walk in with him so close behind me, but I slowly calmed down when I walked in further and seen a lot of homeless people in bunks and on mattresses on the floor and air-up beds in the corner.

"we've got one bunk left and it's down the hall to the left, there will be all women in there so don't be afraid," he says looking down at me making me feel extremely short and nervous. "okay thanks by the way," I say and he looks at me and nods and walks off in another direction.

I walk in the direction he told me and see the women he was talking about, they were huddled up in the corner dressed in business suits "shit! this is charity" I say making the ladies that were huddled in the corner turn around "hi can we help you?" a medium-sized woman with really big hair asked me "this dude told me to come here for a bunk that was the last place to sleep" I say not breaking eye contact with her so she doesn't think I'm weak or vulnerable which I am but they can't know that I am.

"Of course, right this way and we will get you set up," she says walking away, was I suppose to follow her? "follow me please?" she says, so yes I was supposed to follow her. "these are the bathrooms and you have a toothbrush in the bunker that you will be staying in along with a blanket and pillow," she says and walks off and I follow "here is where you will be sleeping along with 30 other women and kids in here so be quiet and respectful of everyone's peace" she continues.

"Ok thanks," I say and she walks away and I plopped on the bottom bunk. I stick the toothbrush in my shirt because I don't have any pockets in my leggings and don't want anyone to steal it from me, I've never had a toothbrush let alone know how to use one. After adjusting myself in the blankets and getting comfortable I finally lay there and stare at the bottom of the top bunker and think.

what would it be like to live in a home and having a decent job with yummy food in my belly and oh the feeling of having money in my pockets, oh yeah I forgot I had money in my bra I grab the two crisp twenty-dollar bills to make sure they were there and put it back before anyone sees it. I'll go and actually buy myself breakfast tomorrow.

"lights out," the unknown man says and shutting the lights off and the sound of everyone scrambling to their bunks and kids crying, I roll over and close my eyes and try to enjoy my sleep on this hard cold bunk that isn't so comfortable but it's something. At least I'm not out there freezing my ass off and god knows what could've happened tonight if I was out there.