Between Limestone Ruins

Chapter Thirty-Four

Hannah trudged into the Gananoque Tim Horton's. She could have found a phone three minutes ago, but the truth is she really needed some caffeine and decided an iced capp would be a nice indulgence after what she'd been through, so she walked a little farther to avoid a nasty gas station. It would be just like her to be abducted again from a gas station bathroom.

She really must have been a sight to behold because every head in the place turned, and the gentle white noise of patrons' voices mixed together faded to silent as she walked up to the counter. 

Their stares registered in the back of Hannah's mind. She knew she was being watched she just couldn't find the energy to give any fucks. 

Hannah couldn't care less how dirty, blood-stained, or insane she looked. She stepped up to the counter and passively scanned the menu above the cashier as if unaware of her appearance. A wide-eyed teenager stood behind the cash, staring open mouthed at Hannah's bloodied wrists and bruised face.

The Tims menu didn't change often, or it didn't have any changes worth trying, but Hannah thought 'hey, you're here. Might as well treat yourself'.

"Hi, yeah one sec," Hannah said, looking at her options. "Yeah can I get the salted caramel iced capp. Oh, and also could I borrow a phone? Or you guys can just call 911 for me," Hannah wasn't in control of her mouth. Honestly her entire body felt as if it was on autopilot. 

She was acutely aware that everything in the coffee shop had a rose-tinted hue to it and which blared alarm bells in her head. 'I am not alright!' She giggled.

"I forgot my wallet," She rolled her eyes and mimed smacking her forehead. "I'll just take the 911 call please. Just tell them Agent Walker is looking for me. Or at least he better be. I'm going to go sit down now."

Hannah went and sat in the corner while the cashier reiterated anxiously to her boss. She watched people pass outside the window quietly, taking in every movement as it was the first time she was seeing it and letting the small moment in their lives distract her from the trauma in hers. 

She felt tears well up as a young couple passed by her window laughing, hand in hand. Across the parking lot a young boy pulled his sister's hair, making her cry. Their mother scolded the boy and herded them into the car. Human behaviour. It was why she pursued psychology. Psychology let her work on the puzzle that was the reasons behind human behaviour. Humanity had only scratched the surface, which left tons of research left for Hannah to do. As long as humans kept doing bizarre things, Hannah had a job. 

Her quiet fascination was interrupted when the cashier appeared at her table and jerked her out of her thoughts.

"Miss? Here's your iced capp. Don't worry about the money. We called 911, they're sending their people and said they'd be in touch with Agent Walker."

Walker was going to be so pissed but Hannah couldn't help the smile that flooded her face. Walker was coming. She had done it; Hannah had survived the serial killer and Walker was going to take her home. 

Hannah beamed at the girl, "thank you so much, can I wait here?" 

"Of course, Miss!" the nervous teen responded. "Would you like me to wait with you? I—I'm trained in first aid."

"Oh, you are?" Hannah gasped thankfully. That was great news. Hannah knew she was likely to pass out soon and could really use all the help she could get. The shock was wearing off and she was becoming aware that she had only barely survived. 

"Could you make me a sling? I had to set my shoulder like an hour ago and it's starting to really bug me."

"...Starting...to...?" the girl began to ask, bewildered, but realization dawned on her that Hannah was probably in worse shape than she was letting on or even knew about.  "Yeah okay I'll go get the first aid kit, we should clean the cuts on your face too."