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Chapter 2

Tris' story

Tris' POV

A very bad day

"Tris, I'm sorry I'm going to have to let you go." Eric says nonchalantly. Of course he doesn't care, he is still employed and it's so close to Christmas.

"What? Why?" I ask.

"What can I say Tris, cut backs." He says, leaning back in his chair, he places his arms across his chest.

"Eric, I need this job. How am I going to pay my rent? My lights?" I rant off.

"I don't know what to tell you, Tris. Inflation." He says, bluntly.

I stand up without another word, trying to hold back the tears from falling down my face. I rush out of the office, down the stairs and through the doors of the store. Screw them. Screw him.

I run my hands through my hair, what the hell am I going to do? I'm already behind on the lights and the water bill to my place. Not to mention, my rent was due yesterday. I have thirty dollars to my damn name.

I sigh, shaking my head as I walk to my car. I start it up, my eyes water when I see how low the gas gauge is. A quarter of a tank left. What the hell am I going to do?

I made it to my building in one piece. I climb the stairs taking one step at a time, slower than a turtle would. My eyes catch the orange paper long before I reach the door. Fuck!

"Final Notice

Rent is due"

I peel the paper off of the door and unlock the door, I slip into the apartment closing the door behind me. I go to turn on the lights, feeling more like a failure when they are not turning on. Great.

First night in my car

I leave early before the sun rises, hoping to slip by my landlord as I head out for the day. I need to find a job. Anything and fast.

I just dragged my exhausted body up the stairs, it's been a long day. I must have applied to fifteen jobs… From retail to waitressing all the way to being a busboy and a janitoring position. Nothing. This inflation is insane, no one is hiring because no one can spend anything.

I sigh, braving myself to run into Max. Ready to beg for yet another late payment. But clearly he doesn't want to hear it, as he is nowhere in sight. Instead there is a yellow notice on my door, my stomach drops as I read the words…

"Locked Out

Pay rent to gain reentry!"

Tears roll down my eyes, as I try my key in the door. Knowing before I even try that it wont work. I bang on the door, wishing that it would magically open the door. But of course it doesn't. I'm left with no option but to turn in my tracks and leave. I just drag myself to the one place I can go at this point. My car.

I didn't drive her today, I left her in the same spot in the garage that I did yesterday in hopes of saving gas. I climb in and shiver, as the car feels near freezing. I turned the engine on, to warm up the car just a little so it's more comfortable. I glance around the car for what I have. Sadly, it's not much. A dirty shirt, a half-drunk water bottle, hand sanitizer and some sneakers in my trunk and whatever is in my purse. That's it. That's all I own. I fight the tears back, as I pull the lever to recline back in my seat and try to find a comfortable position for the night. Tomorrow I will have to figure out what the hell I'm going to do, how the hell I'm going to fix my life.

A knock wakes me, my eyes open protesting the sun that peeks in. I wipe my eyes as another round of knocks come. I focus my eyes on the officer outside. I pull on my lever, adjusting my seat to sit up and roll my window down.

"You can't stay here."The officer says, bluntly.

"I live here… I have an apartment here." I informed him.

"Not anymore you don't. You gotta go." The officer explains. My eyebrows crease together, not understanding what he is saying.

"No. You can ask the landlord. I live here, my apartment is B6."

"And I am telling you, your landlord says you don't. You need to go." He says firmly, giving me no other option than to do exactly what he says. I nod my head, giving in. I turn my key, turning the car back on and sigh as I pull out of the spot. What am I going to do?

It's been a week since I have been living in my car. My last thirty dollars went rather quickly as I needed to fill up on gas, get some kind of food and a blanket to at least keep me warm at night. Last night the temperature dropped so badly, I slept in a woman's shelter. Thankful for the bed and some heat. But tonight, that may not be the case. The shelters fill up early and another blizzard may be hitting us tonight. Rumor has it there are shelters outside the city, full of beds and food. I have nothing to lose really, as there is no place here to stay. I can't stay in my car, that's for sure.

I pull out of the gas station, turning up the music just a little higher as the engine protests to the speed. I close my eyes for a moment as I get on the highway, praying that I make it there in one piece tonight.

I feel the car jerking, struggling to keep up, I sigh praying and hoping that she will keep going. But I know the chance of making it all the way to the shelter is slim. Before long I feel the power in the engine finally giving out, as the car comes to a full and complete stop. I have just enough time to steer the car off the road before she stops. I hit the steering wheel. This can not be happening. I look around, nothing but trees and falling snow. I glance at my temperature gauge, it's already ten degrees. This car is going to become an ice box soon. I can't stay here.

I grab my blanket, purse and water bottle from the back. Wrapping myself in the blanket, I prepare myself to brace the cold the best I can until I can find somewhere better to camp out. At Least for tonight.

I walk through the snow, keeping myself close to the street in case a car drives by. But I have no luck. No one is in sight, nothing but the trees, snow and pavement under my feet. The blanket that is wrapped around me is soaked through and my body shivers as the only thing that keeps me dry is my grandfather's jacket that I always wear. It's thick and can usually conquer any weather. Usually.

With every step I take, it takes that much more effort to take another. The snow is past my ankles, I look desperately for anything around me. Knowing damn well that the snow is only going to get deeper with the seconds that go by. The snow is falling so badly that I can barely see a sign for a Christmas farm tree, warning drivers that the turn off is coming. I take a sigh of relief, trying to push myself that much harder. I just have to make it there, just make it there. Everything will be okay.

It feels like forever, the snow is slightly deeper than before when I left my car. Feeling like there are a thousand needles in my feet every time I take another step. But I keep on.

I finally see something up ahead, I fight the tears knowing damn well it will only make my situation worse. I make my way towards what looks like a small cabin, like a house. The sign out front saying "Closed." I peek in through the window, it must be a store of some kind. There are isles of what looks like merchandise. My stomach drops, as I look around. My eyes spot a barn just a few yards away. I make my way struggling with every step I take. The snow has gotten deeper with just that one little stop. The snow is barely up to my knees now, taking even more effort for me to walk through it all. I get to the barn, thankful that it's not locked as I push the door open. I step inside the dark space, relief coming over me as I close the door behind me to the barn.

The barn could be filled with hay for all I care, at least I'm no longer outdoors.

My hand falls on the switch, flipping the lights on. I'm surprised at what I see. A work space full of wood and tools. An unfinished bench and some rocking chairs. All gorgeous. My hand instantly runs down the grains of the wood, feeling the smooth texture against my fingers. Whoever did this… Is very talented. I move along the barn, with every step I feel even guiltier. I don't belong here, I have no right to be here… But I need to be. I just hope the owner won't mind too much. I crunch down at an old fireplace, my right hand finding a box of matches almost too easily. I light the match trying to light the logs that were left behind. But no luck. I wave the fire on the match out, as I look around. There has to be a way, my eyes spot a stack of newspapers, thank god. I stand crunching a few up and arranging them between the logs. I light another match letting the flame touch only the newspaper between the logs. Within no time, the flames grow covering the logs. I rub my hands over the flames warming them up. I sigh, in relief as warmth finally spreads into my hands and arms. But not long after I feel slightly warmer do I begin to look around again, I find a small couch near what I could only imagine is a desk under a stack of paper and books. The couch is small, perhaps more like a love seat than anything, but it will do. My eyes spot a few fleece blankets, their old, but they will also do. I spread at least three of them out on the couch, reading myself to lay down for the night. As I'm taking off my overcoat, I spot a small fridge. My stomach growls at the thought of food. Any food. Before I know it my feet are moving me closer to the small fridge, but my hopes are crushed when I see all that is left behind is one bottle of water that has already been opened. I take the water, regardless, taking a few sips.

Determined and hungry I look around. Guilty as ever as I look to see if there is anything indeed hidden to eat. I finally found a drawer of snack bars in the so-called desk. I contemplate on taking one or two… But finally give in, taking three along with a few crackers that are left in the back of the drawer. The crackers are delicious, regardless of how stale they are. The bars are even better. In the morning, I'll have to leave a note thanking the owner and apologizing. But for now, I'm in heaven.

I lay back on the couch, buried in the pile of blankets and eating the bars. The warmth of the fire and the blankets slowly put me in a deep slumber. It's been so long since I felt this warm and safe.

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Revised by FDFobsessed