Predator - A Stand Alone Suspense Romance(34)
“Don’t need to tell me, but a little thing like you running around in the middle of the night, now that’s real dangerous. I’m figuring you’re running from someone more dangerous?”
“I’m … ahh … just traveling,” I blurt out the first excuse that comes to mind. I still have my South African accent so the excuse should work.
She gives me a once over and smirks. “With no bag? You’re backpacking through Chesnee with nothing but the clothes on your back? Why would someone wanna see this little old town?” She looks at me as if I’m some escaped lunatic.
I don’t even know where I am. How screwed up is that?
“I like quiet places.” It’s the only defense I can come up with.
“Annie Wilson. That’s my name. You can just call me Annie, like everyone else.” She starts to ramble. “I’m heading home. Came here for my sister’s funeral. Awful bout of lung infection took her in the end. Told her the weed was no good for her but she kept smoking that stuff faster than she could grow it.”
I stare. I tell myself to stop staring - it’s not polite to stare and who am I to judge?
“But no, she kept saying it was good for her ailments. Well, she ain’t got no ailments no more.” Annie sighs and I finally tear my eyes from her rosy cheeks and tearing eyes. “So yeah, I’m heading back home.” She glances at me and then says, “It’s in Lackawaxen, a small historic town in Pennsylvania. Moved up there when I got married. The old man used to work for the local lumber company, but then he went on to greener pastures. I have a few acres of land outside of town. It keeps me going. I work the ground, or hell, the ground works me.” She chuckles. “We have an understanding. What I put in it gives back.” She keeps quiet and I glance at her. She takes a deep breath and my stomach ties up in knots. “I sure don’t know where you’re heading, but that’s where the road is taking me. You’re welcome to tag along.”
“That’s it?” I blurt out. “You’re just going to let me go with you?” My mouth hangs open.
“I don’t sit in church and pretend to be what I’m not,” she says. “I believe that the Lord works in mysterious ways. It’s not what you give Him between those four walls that matters, it’s what you do to his children when they come asking for your help. I’m sure as hell not gonna be saying no to my Lord when He sends me one of his flock to take care of.”
Now I’m the one staring at her as if she has escaped from the nuthouse. Is this woman for real? Talking about God and flocks and stuff?
“I won’t be asking what you’re running from. You’re welcome to come my way. There’s work I can give you. You’ll feed yourself. Annie sees a lost one, and she sure ain’t gonna show you the door.” I look at the door and consider jumping, not sure if the woman is all there upstairs.
But I don’t jump. Of course I stay, because I’m a coward and this is the easy way out.
We’ve stopped three times for gas before I get out to go to the toilet. I use the toilet quickly, not closing the door all the way. Damian won’t come running to save my butt this time.
After I’ve washed my hands I take the passport and I.D from my pocket so I can inspect them. I need to know what my new identity is so I can at least give Annie a name. When I open the passport and see the name, I feel a piece of me crumble away. I stare at the name until tears well in my eyes.
The face is mine, but it’s a much younger and happier me. He must’ve gotten it from Uncle Tom.
But the name … Karen Weston. He gave me his name. Back when he hardly knew me. The little card shows my face, my new name and his address. Chesnee, South Carolina.
I look at the passport and I swallow hard. He did all of this for me. He was going to take me in and look after me from the start. It wasn’t just a fly-by-night, hero trip he was on.
Did I do the right thing leaving him? Was he a friend after all?
“Honey, did you fall in?” Annie calls from outside.
“No,” I croak. I clear my throat and quickly wipe the tears from my cheeks. “I’m coming.” I shove the documents in my pocket and flush the toilet so Annie will think I was using it all this time. I square my shoulders and when I walk out I lift my chin and smile at Annie.
“I’m Karen Weston, and thank you for letting me come with you.”
“Pleasure meeting you, Karen.” She smiles but her eyes search my face as if she knows I’m giving her a fake name.
We head back to the RV but before I get in I look down the road. For a moment I have the insane thought of going back to Damian. I’ll be safe there. I’ll have some sort of a home.
Damian …
I shake my head hard and get in. I can’t go back to so much uncertainty, but I will take a piece of him with me.
The road is long and I can’t sleep. We drive forever and then some. Night becomes day, which becomes night again. Time just blurs right by me. We might as well be halfway to Africa already for all I know.
Annie talks a lot. I mean the woman must’ve swallowed a gramophone because she just doesn’t stop. After a while her voice is a hum and I nod and say yes to show interest, until she hits the palm of her hands on the steering wheel in excitement. My eyes dart to her and I frown when I see the huge smile on her face.