On The Run

Chapter 36

Chapter 36

Today or any day that phone may ring and bring good news.
- Ethel Waters

Running through the forest, we come up to the road that is almost abandoned. Buildings come into view from the other side of the road, but don't look like they have been occupied in a little while.

Looking a little down the road, I see two cars parked on the side of the road. I look at the men behind me. "Did y'all bring those cars?" I ask them. I see one nod his head. "Yes, we road here in them, but I'm very sorry to tell you, that it can't hold y'all. We are very sorry, Boss." He turns to Ace and bows his head. His face is unreadable.

Stepping up to say something, I open my mouth. "It's alright, we have a ride. You guys go ahead and take the cars and ride back." I tell them, smiling at them kindly at them. The boys stare at me curiously. "You sure, miss? We can call someone to come pick you up." He asks me, showing a slight bit of concern for me. I smile at him. "Yes, I am sure. We have a ride. It's just the matter of getting to a phone and them picking it up." I tell them, moving towards the car and opening the door, motioning them to get in.

He nods and the men get in the car. He rolls the window down and yells out for Ace. "Boss, here. Your phone and your wallet." He throws Ace's phone towards him, and rolls back up the window before starting the car and driving away.

I look at the boys. "Alright boys, come on. We got some walking to do." I tell them, as they give me questioning looks. "We have a phone, you can call our ride, whoever it might be." Ace says, holding out his phone in front of him, obviously forgetting who else I met when I was here. 

"Come on, I'm not calling them here when I'm starving and in need of food. A gas station is a little ways up ahead. Plus, I think it's about to rain. I don't think your phone will work when it gets soaked." I say smirking at him, before turning away from him and walking towards the gas station.

I hear them shift, probably to look up at the sky to see if it's about to rain, before running after me.

A few minutes go by and I start to see the outline of the gas station, just as I hear some thunder go off in the distance. I feel the guys stare at me. "How do you know it's about to rain?" Jay asks, breaking the ice between all of us. "I lived here for a little time. Even though it wasn't willingly, I remember most of its weather patterns. Plus, I looked at the weather this morning." I say. They laugh at me. "Yeah, that sounds more like you, the weather being more important than escaping today." I hear Ace say, chuckling to himself.

"Hey, I had too. I don't want to slip and fall while I'm trying to fight someone."

They laugh at this just as we get to the gas station. I open the doors and look around. The boys came in behind me and spread out throughout the store. I see a man behind the counter look up at us before going back to his phone.

I go get some chips and a Dr. Pepper from the back wall. I see the boys get some candy and drinks too before putting them in front of the man behind the counter. Ace pulls out his wallet and pays the man. I grab my stuff and open it. 

"Are you going to make that call now?" Lee asks as he opens his drink and chugs it. "Yeah. Ace, can I see your phone?" I hold out my hand for it. He nods and unlocks his phone before giving it to me. 

Going to his contacts, I pull up the keypad and type in the number I know by heart. I feel Ace and the boys watch me, Ace looking over my shoulder intently.

Hitting the dial button, I put the phone up to my ear and wait for her to answer. The boys become anxious to see who it is. "Hello?" I hear them pick up. "Hello." I say back to them. "Kate? Oh my god, Kate is that you?" She almost screams into the phone. "Yes, it's me." I tell her, smiling.