Just You and I Ch. 04

You take my arm and I feel a familiar pinch before darkness descends again.

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I wake up the next morning cold and sore, but grateful to be alive. It takes a moment for me to realize that I'm dressed and in the driver's seat of my car outside the Stop-n-Shop. It's early and the parking lot is mostly empty. I take a tentative look at myself in the vanity mirror and almost scream when I see my reflection. My mascara is black under my eyes and cum has dried onto my cheek and is in clumps in my hair. My throat has angry purple finger shaped bruises standing out against my pale skin.

I do my best to clean myself up with some wet-wipes I find in the glove compartment, before getting out and taking a look at the groceries in my trunk. I transfer everything that's perishable to one bag and leave it by the broken lamp post I parked under. The other bag, I bring into the front seat. I've got bottles of water, energy bars, some chips and a bag of trail mix. I pull a baseball hat and scarf from my trunk's emergency box (John's idea, I think he was a boy scout once), sending a prayer of thanks for his foresight.

I have enough gas to get me out of town and I wait til then to stop at a fast food place to use the facilities and get something more substantial to eat. It'll take me several hours to get where I'm going, but I'm afraid to go home first.

As I pull out of the lot, I see a nondescript car pull out behind me. I drive for a short time, making some turns and realize that this is how you always know where I am. You've got someone following me. I can only pray it's not you. My luck picks up as I approach an intersection. The light is yellow and I brake as though I'm going to stop, then floor it through the intersection narrowly avoiding getting creamed. You (or your minion) are left behind and I race down the road making a few turns just to be sure I've lost you (them) and then head toward the interstate.

When I'm far enough out of town to feel safe enough to stop for a few minutes, I wrap the scarf around my neck and mash the hat down on my head before I run into a fast food joint. I gratefully use the bathroom and make good use of the sink to get cleaned up as best as I can.

I order food at the counter before I leave, but I'm anxious to get back on the road again. I check my rearview again as I pull out, but can't spot a tail. I breath a little easier with each mile I put between us.

When I finally arrive at my destination, I sit for a moment looking up at the building, dreading what I have to do; what I have to say.

I take a deep breath, swing out of the car squaring my shoulders as I head toward the front entrance of the building.

to be continued......