Her Luna

Chapter eleven

My entire body was screaming letting me know I was still alive… or was I? My eyes shot open for a split second before snapping closed again from the brightness of the overhead light. 

"Welcome back." A husky male voice said from what must've been just a few feet away. 

"Ms. Lemaire isn't just some helpless woman you can rob to get your next fix. You sure picked the wrong one with her. You're lucky she didn't kill your sorry ass."

I opened my eyes again more slowly letting them adjust to the light to find myself in what seemed like a break room. A few feet away at a table was a muscular African American in a suit eating a Subway sandwich while something played on the television. The walls were plain brick and besides the couch I was on there was another black one against the wall in front of me.

"What are you talking about? She hit me!" My voice sounded way too male. Rough and cracking. Damn my throat was dry.

"Tell it to someone who gives a shit! You're lucky that was all she did and then you got lucky again she didn't want the police involved.  I would've thrown your ass out in the alley but being the caring person she is, she asked us to keep an eye on you till you woke. Now that you're awake you better be on your way and don't let me see you around here anymore. If I do, I won't be so nice."

He dropped his sandwich with distaste and got up which I followed ignoring my body's protest. He clearly had the wrong idea about me but there was no way I was going to convince him otherwise. 

"Where am I?"

"The Belmont. What, you were so messed up you don't remember? What about your shirt? Fuckin' junkies… let's go!"

I glanced down to find I was wearing a white button down shirt with The Belmont embroidered over  the pocket. Before I could ask about it he grabbed me by the arm forcibly. I let him lead me out of the room and down a narrow hall to a large metal door that opened up onto First Avenue where he forced me out with a light tug.

"Here's your things and you can keep the shirt. Now you stay gone, you understand?" he asked, handing me a large plastic bag with 'The Belmont Hotel' printed on it. I nodded not wanting another fight.

He returned the nod seemingly satisfied and shut the door. It sounded like a prison cell closing on TV sending a shiver up my spine and gasping in pain at the motion.

It was morning it seemed. I checked my phone that I found in the bag with my cigarettes and an envelope that contained two one hundred dollar bills along with Anna's business card. Flipping it over the word 'LEAVE!' was handwritten in all capitals. Now what?

I had some tough points in my life but this was the first time I truly felt defeated. Everything I worked for was gone and just when I thought everything was going well. I liked Lynn's Place. I actually felt like I was doing something worthwhile even if it was just cooking whatever I could come up with from what was donated. And what about Amber? She's out here alone being chased by her fuckin dead mom and it's all because of me. Then there's Tyra and the rest…

I leaned up against the Hotel and slid down to the ground not knowing what to do but cry. How the fuck did this happen?

How long I sat there I don't know. It was only when a guy bent down and stuffed something in my shirt's pocket that I even remembered where I was. I pulled it out and saw it was a ten dollar bill. I had to laugh. How pathetic I must seem right now. How the hell was I going to help them if I couldn't even help myself? 

"Fuck it!" I said no longer giving a shit. I grabbed my phone and tried calling Nancy. Of course she didn't pick up. 

"Damn you… answer it!"