Disclaimer: The characters in my stories are completely made up characters and have temporally been given borrowed names for the sole purpose of satisfying the qualifications for posting on this fanfiction site. These stories are fiction and should be perceived as such. They in no way reflect the lives, beliefs or views of any persons living or dead and any similarities are coincidental. I am not affiliated with any company or professional wrestler in any way. No disrespect or copyright infringement intended. And if any of my favs happen upon my stories, I hope your not offended because this is not about you, it is about feedback on my story ideas. :) I love and respect what you do and I thank you for all the joy and entertainment over the years.
This is a rewrite of one of my very first stories written on FF. Second draft. New characters. Hope you enjoy. (Remember this is fiction. Some character facts will not be accurate)
Chapter 2
I threw some clothes into my backpack. I didn't even take the time to look at what I had put into it. I stormed to the bathroom. Swiped my toiletries from the counter, then I grabbed Will's baseball bat from the closet and I smashed it through that bedroom window. I didn't care that the house had grown quiet. I didn't care that it was the middle of the night and didn't care if I woke him up from his drug induced slumber.
I grabbed my purse and my photo album from the dresser. I climbed out that window. I flung that backpack over my shoulder and I ran down my street. I ran until I was out of breath before I had the nerve to look back.
Will didn't come after me. I didn't see him and I wondered if he had even heard that window break. Maybe he had done too much. Then I found myself wishing he had overdosed. Hoping that he never woke up.
I had no clue where I was heading and didn't know if I would find a bed to lay my head. The only thing I had been sure of is that I would not return to Will. I was determined. I let my thoughts fuel my anger. I allowed myself to see all the repressed images I had hidden far back in mind. Every punch, every kick. Every hurtful mean word he said. I let myself remember it all. My anger gave me strength. It pushed me to take every single step until I looked up and had no clue where I was.
A pile of newspapers moved. I looked closer. Something was buried beneath it. I took one more step. The thing sat straight up. I stifled a cry that wanted to escape my lips. I felt like I was in the middle of horror movie and things were climbing out of the ground, threatening to come after me.
The thing ended up being a man. He had straggly long grey hair. His face was covered in dirt and grime. His clothes were tattered and soiled as well. He flashed a set of yellow teeth at me. I pulled my coat tighter and hugged myself. Once again I was scared. Terrified. I had never been in that part of the city before. It was very dark. The lights were broken. Sirens blared. It seemed more threatening than the relationship I had fled.
I passed a group of men standing around a trash can fire. They all wore bandanas. All the same color. They looked scary. Mean. They all looked my way. One of them kissed the air in my direction. I walked faster, praying they'd leave me be. I gazed behind as much as where I was going and I bumped into a man standing at the corner of the building. I let out a small cry.
"You like gold?" He opened his soiled trench coat, exposing his naked chest and rows of golden chains.
"No, thank you." I meekly stated and hurried toward the light of the next block.
In the light, the few people walking the sidewalk didn't seem so threatening. The homeless seemed tired, but friendly and the street ahead was familiar. I was a few blocks from the diner. I took a deep breath and let it out. I sat down on the closet stoop and rested. I watched the midnight sky lighten. An old lady crawled out of the large cardboard box beside the stoop and smiled. I guess I wasn't much different sitting there on that wet stoop. I too had survived another cold, snowy night. The old lady was grateful and so was I.
A paper taped to the light post caught my attention. It seemed to wave at me. It advertised a single apartment. Recently vacated. A big arrow pointed. I tore it off and headed back to the dark street. Walking and reading the numbers next to every dirty door, past everything I had just ran from, until I found the address. The men at the trash fire were right out front. But they didn't seem scary anymore. Not in the dawn of morning. They just gazed my way as I pushed the door open then went back to their conversation.
I held my breath as I stepped into the foyer of the building. The odor smelled like urine and cigar smoke. The tile was cracked, chipped and yellowed from age. There were holes in the walls and balled up trash in the corners. A bum slouched over the railing of the stairwell. A baby wailed. A man shouted his annoyance, but I felt comfort.
I walked up to the door with a big brass number one nailed into it and I gently knocked on the door.
"I told you mother…" the voice stopped as the door opened. The owner of the voice was a tall, dark skinned man who wore a pair of faded blue jeans and a pair of suspenders. His hair and unshaved scruff was grey. "Well hello there darling." his voice sweetened. "I thought you were that old bum coming back to ask me for his room back." He pointed at the man on the stairs. "What can I do for you, doll?"
"I saw this." I held up the flyer. "Who do I speak to?"
"That would be me."
"Oh, is the apartment still available?"
"Apartment." He snickered." It's more like a room really. Are you sure you want it?"
"Yes, sir." I answered him quickly.
"Are you sure? You don't look like the type." I wasn't sure what he meant. "Come on in." he pushed his door open and I walked inside.
The inside of the man's apartment had been much warmer than the foyer had been. Neat and tidy despite the faded paint and worn curtains. It smelled fresh. Like after the rain which probably came from the scented candle on the table.
"I'll get my keys and I'll walk you up." He dashed into another room and returned quickly with a big ring of keys. "I get a lot of bums in this place." I followed him up three flights of wobbly, creaky stairs. "Same ones. They walk in with a wade of cash that they probably stole. Stay a month, then I have to throw their sorry buts out." We walked all the way to the end of the hall and stopped in front of the door.
"It has a little bit of furniture in it." he said as he fumbled through the keys for the ones that unlocked two deadbolts. "Do you have a lot of furniture to move in?" I shook my head.
"Too bad. The stuff in here ain't that great." he slung the door open and I followed him in. It consisted of one large room shared by a stove, refrigerator and an old beat up sofa. There were square spots on the walls where pictures had once been hung. The paint itself was old and faded. There were two doors on the wall adjacent to the couch and that was it.
"It ain't much." he offered. "But it's cheap. Two hundred a month." I nodded my head. I would have no problem affording that, but all I had was three hundred. My last check and a few days tips from the last week. The man eyed me as I counted out the two hundred dollars.
"Months half done." he handed me back half. "This will do."
I smiled. I hadn't expected to meet someone so nice in an area even Will was scared to walk down. I think that's what drew me to that place.
"Rent's due on the first." He handed me a key. "If you need any help moving anything in just knock on my door."
"Thank you, but this is all I have." I told him and placed my photo album on the nicked coffee table.
"Hmmm" He looked me up and down, lingering on my stitches. I could see the sympathy in his eyes. "Well the sofa is a pull out."
"Thank you." I repeated.
"Oh, and be sure to lock all the locks. It's dangerous in this city for a girl all alone." the man reminded me of a grandfather. Or what I thought a grandfather should be. I had not been lucky enough to know my own.
When he left I took his advice and locked the knob, both deadbolts and the slid the chain lock in place. I laid down on the tattered couch and looked at the ceiling. Yellow and water stained. But I was safe. Will wouldn't find me. At least not that day. I closed my eyes, exhausted from my escape.
I heard a soft rapping on my door. My eyes popped open. No. There's no way Will could have tracked me down already. I tiptoed to the door and peeked through the keyhole.
A little woman with a caramel coffee complexion stood on the other side. I opened it, sure the lady was looking for the former occupant.
"Hi. I'm Taylor's wife." I was confused.. "The landlord."
"Oh, Hello." I opened the door wider. "I'm Keri."
"I know dear." She stepped inside. "My it is cold in here. I hope the radiator is working." She giggled a bit, walked to the far end of the room and inspected. "Oh, it's not on." She fiddled a bit and whining noise filled my ears. "It should feel better soon. Oh, I thought you could use this." She handed me the thick quilt she had draped over her arm. "My husband said you didn't have anything but a bag with you. Poor dear." She patted my shoulder. "You take this for now. I will go through my things and bring you some more tomorrow."
"Oh, thank you, but you don't have to go to any –"
"Nonsense. Girl, the Lord knows I have more than I need crammed into my cupboards right now." she chuckled. "And I could hear him telling me the minute I heard about you. Gracie, you got more than enough to help that poor child. That what he said to me." I smiled.
"Thank you. It means a lot to me." her generosity had been a shock to me. I didn't expect to find such generosity. Especially in that part of the city.
"And don't call me Ma'am. You just think of me as your Aunt Gracie. That's what they all call me" She nudged my side. "If I like 'em that is." She rubbed my arms. "You're cold child and wet. You go get yourself a hot bath, roll up in that cover and get some sleep."
I then looked around my small apartment. I wasn't even sure I had a bathroom and I wouldn't be comfortable soaking in a shared lavatory. I turned my attention to the twin doors across the room. I opened the first one and found a small closet. I expected the same on the second and was surprised to find a small bathroom. It was the length of the old claw foot tub and that was rust stained. I knew I would be able to touch both the toilet and the sink from the tub, but there was a shower. I was thankful for that.
I found a bottle of bleach under the sink and I cleaned despite my weariness. Then, I filled up that tub, stripped off my clothes and slipped in. That place may be considered a dump to most, but for me it was a sanctuary. The landlords seemed sweet and the utilities were included. It was a palace to me. My safe little castle.
I admit, I was scared to pull out that sofa bed. The old thing was dingy brown and looked like it had seen many owners. I had to use a lot of strength to pull the bed out and it creaked and groaned. I opened it expecting to find the mattress covered with stains and dirt, but instead I found it was covered with plastic. The original wrapping had never been removed and yes I felt like I had won the lottery as I removed it and covered myself in Aunt Gracie's quilt.
I slept a few hours before my alarm went off. It was my scheduled day off at work and I knew I would need to call them. I wasn't sure if I should return to the diner. I needed a job and the money, but I knew Will would be sitting there waiting for me to show up. I decided to go out that day. I wasn't scared of the neighborhood, not like Will. That thought alone made me feel safe even though sirens blared all around me and people constantly shouted obscenities. I witnessed a fight between a group of men on the corner and I heard a gunshot in the distance. Yet, none of that phased me.
I enjoyed shopping in the thrift store. It was nice to spend money on myself. There were a lot of things I needed. Everything in fact, but I settled on an old gallon of paint that felt nearly full and a few pictures. I felt bad for my purchase at first because it wasn't a necessity. Then I chastised myself. I had only spent eight bucks. What would it hurt to fix up my little space? It was food for my soul. Across the street from my building I noticed a small grocer. The block seemed less intimidating with the cages lifted from the stores. There weren't many but at least I wouldn't have to walk far to fill my cupboards. I filled two grocery bags with things I liked to eat. That put a smile on my face. I always cooked Will's favorites. He and I had never enjoyed the same things.
I must have been a sight to all who seen me trying to balance the things I had bought. I had been enjoying myself too much. I loved my new found freedom so much that I decided to ask for a few personal days from work. I had to walk off my block to find a working pay phone and then decided to walk a little further to a cell phone store. I wanted my own phone. I had always wanted that. I purchased a cheap prepaid and held it in my hand like I was holding a bar of gold.
Then reality hit me in the face, literally. I was only a block from my new home when I was blindsided. My items fell to the ground all around me as I hit the pavement.
"I told you I would always find you." A familiar voice said. I had ventured too far from my safe place. I traveled too close to the diner and he must have been waiting.
Will jerked me up by my hair. I swung at him. I was not going to be bullied by him anymore. But my aim was off and it had no effect on him.
A dark figure stepped out of the shadows of the alley. He was very tall and towered over Will. He was tan with long wild hair. He showed no emotion as he stepped up behind me and curled his lip. He cracked his neck and it popped loudly. He wore a demented expression and Will retreated.
"Thank you."
He nodded and handed me the only bag I had not managed to clamber up into my arms. I turned and continued my journey. I darted my eyes all around me, worried that Will was lurking nearby watching my every move. The large man stayed behind me the whole way which made me nervous. I was considered average in height but next this man I was petite. He must have stood over seven foot tall and I was grateful and frightened at the same time.
When I reached my building and climbed up the steps he was still there. I pushed the door to the building. He was still there. He took a couple of my bags and carried them up the stairs, standing behind me as I fumbled with the locks. It was then I realized that those locks were only wonderful on the inside of my apartment. Outside they were a hazard that slowed my entrance to safety.
I opened my door and she followed me inside. He set down my belongings and stood like a statue. Gazed around. I must have been insane to let that stranger follow me home. I should have told him to get lost. He was so big, there was no way I could defend myself.
"Thanks again." I didn't know what else to say. I didn't want to be rude and I didn't want to show my fear. He nodded. Turned and left. I closed the door and locked all the locks.
