The Rose Diaries Ch. 23

"Sort of?" Clover scratched her head. "What about food? Or maybe like a motel or hotel for all us to lay low for a bit?"

"Food we can worry about later. But we cannot stop moving for now."

"How long do we have to keep running?" Tulip called from the back.

"Until we can guarantee that Blackstone won't find us in an hour." James said solemnly. "Money first, then change of clothes, and then we'll figure all this shit out."

"Okay." Clover nodded. "I trust you."

"Great. Brian," James paused. "Please find us a damn pawn shop."

---

Peter had his doubts about James' plan. Yes, he was responsible for freeing him from the hellscape that was Blackstone Manor. Yes, he was the one who seemed to be leading them all into safety. But even Peter Baker knew that trying to sell of a massive amount of stolen jewelry was a terrible awful idea. Yet, he kept his opinions close to his chest as the car turned quickly off the highway and into the rather small yet charming town of Guilford, Idaho.

The town itself could only be described as a stop rather than a destination. There were a few restaurant chains with old style logos and designs that were clearly from decades past and storefronts that dove headfirst into the odd rustic charm. There were very few people either walking or driving nearby and those that passed them either payed them no mind or close attention with nothing in between. He didn't know what to expect dressed as he was. After all, the majority of them still closely resembled girls rather than the boys that they so desperately wished to become again. From his slender body, his luscious lips, and long fluttering eyelashes he knew from experience how easy it would be to make that mistake and the last thing he wanted was to draw any unwanted attention.

But the town itself was welcoming to the tired group of boys. Enough that as they looked around, a few of them chimed in with suggestions like a group of hyped-up children. But as quick as ever, James was able to refocus them on the task at hand. He didn't blame the others for being excited. After all, it had been possibly years since they had seen a McDonalds or any sort of store.

James kept his eyes focused on the side mirror with an unblinking razor-sharp focus. He didn't dare to look away for a moment. His gaze still scanning the roads for anything out of the ordinary. Eventually, they pulled off the main town road and into a dirt parking lot for an odd sort of store. Emblazoned in glowing orange letters it read, "Frontier Trading Post" and painted below on a white sign in black letters read,"Turn yesterday's junk into today's Treasure". There was no one around when they exited the vehicle except for a lone white van parked directly in front. James grabbed hold of three purses worth of jewels and walked towards the front door. The building had two large windows of which he could barely see inside. Assorted furniture, porcelain dolls, and even the odd painting sat in full display of the outside world.

Without breaking his stride, James pushed open the door and the sound of a small bell ringing through the air announced his entrance. Brian held the door open with an almost stone-faced look as he took up James' position of scanning behind them. He quickly walked into the store and found a junkyard of splendor awaiting him.

The old dusty interior of the shop had its own charm from the dark wood interior that creaked underfoot to the piles of discarded garbage just barely labeled with sales tags. Old broken computers stacked atop one another; neon signs displayed but turned off. Some for a random beverage he had never heard of, a defunct bar, or even another storefront. In the far corner, an old jukebox lay untouched and surrounded by a mountain of cardboard boxes filled with vinyl records.

It was truly a place where valuables went to die.

"Be with ya in a sec!" A gruff voice called from behind the counter. It belonged to a large round man dressed in a tight-fitting black button up shirt, slacks, and a bolo tie. He was not a paragon of beauty by any standards and the warring scars of time had begun to wound his face. He had a neatly kept brown busy beard which he stroked as James approached and sharp brown eyes that watched them like a hawk.

"Hello." James spoke as he placed down the purses on the counter. He opened them quickly then slid them towards the man.

"Hello, darling."

"How are you?" James smiled back. Peter couldn't believe his ears. But kept his mouth shut as he awkwardly watched them from the sidelines. James had to know best in this instance.

"I'm fantastic. Alright, so what do you have for me?" The man leaned over the counter as he looked at the bags.

"My great-grandmother passed away recently, and I found these bags of hers inside an old storage container. I never saw her wear them before so I'm guessing it wasn't that valuable. I'm curious if you could give me some cash and I'll be on my way."

"You're not from around here are ya? Cause I feel like I'd remember seeing a pretty little thing like yourself."

"Sir, please." James sighed in exasperation. Brian clenched his fists at his side as he stepped forward just a bit.

"Name's Henry. None of that sir crap. Listen girlie, I've seen this sort of shit before." He sighed sliding the bags back towards him. "I don't buy your story and I'm not buying your stolen goods. I'm not a fence and I don't need any cops poking their noses in here because of it. You know what that looks like for a place like mine? It's not good I'll tell you that. Take your stuff and get out of my shop. I want no part in whatever shit you're part of. Even if I wanted this shit is too rich for my blood."

"Henry, is that your van out front?" The man cocked an eyebrow as he looked at him.

"Sure is. I use it to move some big items from time to time. What's it to ya?" He growled.

"I will give you everything in exchange for the car and all the cash in the safe that you must have somewhere. I will also you give you our car which if you would like to see is much nicer." The man leaned forward for just a moment, his lips curling into a scowl as his face burned with anger. Peter swallowed hard. He knew danger when he saw it.

But then the man began to laugh loudly at James' words. Not mocking him but of genuine amusement.

"Well aren't you a little firecracker!" He chuckled. "I admire that. I'll take your deal, but I need a bit of help opening the old safe in the back. How about you come on back with me for a bit and I'll get you all set up."

"You're kidding." James sighed as he threw his head back and groaned. "Fine."

"Attagirl. The keys are right behind the counter. Feel free to take 'em while you wait, ladies." He smiled as he began to walk away and through a door behind him. Peter could see a small hallway but nothing else. James shook his head as he followed him through the door and the man closed it behind them. The room was silent, and they stood motionless processing what must have just occurred. Except for Brian who strolled up behind the counter, popped open the cash register, and began to take out handfuls of dollar bills and a pair of keys next to it. Quickly, he took off two random keys and placed them on the counter before exiting the counter with a scowl. He stood next to him as tapped his foot against the ground, his eyes glued on the door that James had just vanished behind.

"Fucking bastard." He heard Tulip growl.

"We should've fucked him up." Brian answered back. "We could've taken him."

"You know that's not what James wanted." Blossom sighed. "But yes, we could've taken him." Peter didn't dare to chime into the conversation. Instead, he just continued to stare ahead and pray that everything was alright. It was monumentally stupid to do what James had just done. He blatantly exposed his vulnerability to that man who gladly took advantage of it. Whatever money was in that safe was surely not enough for them. Even if there was a safe. He could have taken James back there to kill him for all Peter knew.

But after a few moments when James emerged with a scowl and nearly running out of the store as he fixed his now unkempt hair he understood. It became even more clear as he turned his head and spat on the floor as he wiped his mouth in disgust before he left the building.

"Let's go." He hissed. "Now." They didn't need any sort of motivation beyond that spilling out once more into the dirt lot.

"Thank you for the trade, girls!" The man called from the bowels of the store. Peter shivered as a cold chill ran down his spine. He recognized that smug tone anywhere. The tone of someone who was once hungry now satisfied for the time being.

"Get in the fucking van, everyone." James clenched his fists at his side as Brian pulled open the doors in the back of the vehicle. The inside was spacious which made sense considering the man had claimed he used to transport stuff. James reached inside and snatched up a tool box and a few assorted items before throwing them down into the dirt. He could feel James' anger and his frustration as if it was his own. He flinched as they fell to the ground with a clatter but ultimately stepped inside without another thought. Quickly as they filed in and squeezed into the back, James threw open the passenger door and began to place down all the unused bags of jewelry they still had.

"Car's clean." He called to Brian who took his spot behind the wheel.

"Okay, let's see if this thing runs." He muttered as he started the car and sighed in relief as the engine turned over without a problem. Tulip slammed the back doors closed as they pulled away from the lot quickly leaving the odd store behind in the dust.

"You okay?" Petal called to James who just sighed deeply.

"Yeah, I'll be fine." He grumbled. "Brian, can you find us like Wal-Mart or something?"

"Sure thing." Brian nodded. "I think I saw one when we were looking for this awful place."

It wasn't even an exaggeration to say that the drive took maybe six minutes before they found their way to a store that dwarfed nearly every single other place in both size and attention. The proudly displayed supercenter stretched before them. But despite the massive parking lot, he could only see a few cars parked nearby. A fact that as James gazed around made him sigh in relief.

"Alright," He spoke once more as he removed a thick wad of hundred-dollar bills from nearby. "I want to be clear on this. I am going to give each you about one hundred dollars to get a new outfit so we can fucking burn these ones and blend back in. Do not draw attention to yourselves. Just get in, get your clothes, and meet back at the entrance in thirty minutes."

"I'm going to buy blankets and pillows here so if someone could just grab me something to wear, I'd appreciate it." Brian chimed in and James nodded as he raised his hand as well.

"I'm going to get some essentials for a long trip. Like some snacks and some drinks. Listen, after we come back from shopping, we are hitting the road for probably an actual straight day of driving. We need to put distance between Blackstone and us. When you are inside the store have someone watch your back at all times. It is imperative that you do not drop your guard yet. It sounds silly but we don't know close behind Blackstone is. If a single one of you is not back by thirty minutes, we will assume that you were taken and immediately run. There's clocks inside I'm sure so just be alert. You all ready?"

"Yes!" The group chimed in unison.

"Great! Let's go." James nodded as Brian killed the engine and stepped out of the car. The back of the van was not meant for passengers and despite being packed into the metal death-trap with nine other people it wasn't the worst thing he had ever done. There was no room to stretch his legs, no room to maneuver, and yet it was still far more comfortable than he had been in months.

They made a line for the door and as soon as they stepped inside, they were blasted by a wall of pleasant pop music drifting from the speakers far above and surrounded by long aisles of anything that they could have wished for. Brian and James darted off in two separate directions as the nine of them made their way to the menswear section.

He couldn't help but to grab the first shirt that came into view before darting off to get the holy grail of his clothing.

Peter Baker nearly cried as he grabbed hold of a pair of plaid blue boxers in his hands. It took every ounce of his willpower not to just drop to his knees and cry for joy, to praise god and all his angels, to scream with victory. Instead, he made his way calmly to the changing room and changed out of his old clothes.

One-by-one he shed the assume femininity that Blackstone had forced upon him. An old black graphic tee, a blue flannel button-up shirt, a pair of jeans and no more fucking panties. As he gazed at himself in the mirror, he still saw the damage that they had wrought. Even in semi-normal attire, he still did not look like how he used to be. His features were still decidedly feminine, his posture was delicate and submissive, and he looked more like a tomboy than a boy.

Was he doomed to this? For the rest of his life would he have to suffer the indignity of being reminded of their horrible tortures every time would look in the mirror. He sat down on the bench and held his head in his hands. The very weight of that realization began to drag him down into the depths of despair once again. He could feel the tears welling in his eyes as he breath grew ragged and unsteady. He swallowed as a lump formed in his throat once again before standing back up and spitting in the direction of his reflection.

He would not be satisfied with this. He would not let this stand. He would gain his weight back, he would cut his hair once more. He could change everything back to normal or he would die trying. He would not accept this as his fate. He would not accept his reflection as his own.

The icy grip of despair melted into liquid resolve that coursed through his veins. He didn't think twice as he exited the changing room and left the old clothes behind. As he stepped back into the clothing section, he saw James walking past who waved at him. With his new attire, he felt more confident, calm, and even a bit more like his old self and before he knew it, he was standing amongst the newly clothed boys of Blackstone at the entrance of the store. Each of them shedding their frou-frou clothes that they had so long been forced into. Each of them looking more and more like who they truly were.

"Wow, I can't believe you all listened to the time frame." James laughed as he carried several grey plastic bags. From behind, Brian approached with a full shopping cart.

"Yeah?" Blossom shook his head. "Why wouldn't we?"

"Right. I'm sorry I've been so harsh guys. Let's get back to the car."

"Don't worry about it." Petal smiled. "You're not harsh. You're just worried. We get it."

"Yeah." James smiled back as they left the store. "I just don't want to scare you guys, but Blackstone is far scarier than we realize."

"We gotcha. So what's next boss?" Tulip chuckled as he shoved his hands in his pockets. "Fuck! Guys pockets!"

"Next? Well, we line the back of the van with the pillows that Brian got and then we head out."

"Okay but after."

"I think we'll figure that out when the time comes." He laughed. Brian unlocked the car as he pushed the cart to the back and opened the two doors.

"I may have bought too many of these." Brian laughed as he began to take out a large black comforter. "Hey Peter, can you hop inside and held me lay this down?"

"Sure." Peter nodded. "Can do." He was much faster than normal in actual pants. No longer restrained by delicate fabrics and tight-fitting dresses. He nearly leapt inside the car as he unfurled one end of the blanket and lay it flat against the cold surface of the van's interior. As soon as it lay flush, Brian unfurled another one and tossed one end to him before they lay it on top forming a nice cushioned layer.

"Alright, the rest is just random fucking pillows so do with that what you all will." He laughed. "How's it feel, Peter?" He called as he made his way to the driver's seat. Peter flopped down and winced as the blankets just barely cushioned his rear against the hard ground.

"It's not great!" He groaned. "But it'll do."

"Great!" He grinned. "Cause we're not stopping for a long fucking time so get comfy. Alright boys! File in, let's get the hell out of here!" He called out as the rest of them slowly made their way back inside. For a second, Peter had a glorious amount of room before it was all taken away from him by the mass of warm bodies. James sat down next to Brian with a bright smile as he placed one of the bags by his feet and then handed the rest of them to Blossom.

"Let's go!" James called out when the back doors shut firmly closed behind Tulip. "Also sorry because we're not stopping for probably the rest of the day!" Before Peter could respond, the car was already racing towards the highway. He shrugged as he closed his eyes and leaned back against the walls. He might as well get some sleep in while he could.

----

He had no dreams. Or none that he remembered. Instead, Peter Baker slept as soundly as he ever did in his bed back at Blackstone. He understood Petal's words on a spiritual level now. Once he had allowed himself the opportunity to lower his guard, he could have slept anywhere. It had felt like centuries since he had last napped like this. Last felt like this. Slumber without fear of reprisal. Peace without fear of oncoming misery. Instead, there was only serenity that awaited him when he closed his eyes. Only comfort that surrounded him as he drifted off.

It was dark when the car came a slow gradual stop once more and he was roused from his slumber by a myriad of voices and someone lightly shaking his shoulder.

"Mm," He grumbled as he opened his eyes slowly. The car came back into focus and from beyond the windshield he could see that they had stopped off on the side of the road once more. "What time is it?"

"Ten o'clock." James called back. He was not expecting an actual answer. The mere mention of a specific time drove him further from his slumber.

"How was your nap?" Blossom chuckled.

"S'alright." He half-slurred in his groggy state. He yawned loudly and then groaned as he stretched out his weary body.

"Listen, Brian and I have been talking and there's a change in my original plan. I don't want to say these words. I don't. I love each and every one of you so this is perhaps the hardest thing I can ask. How many of you are going home? Please raise your hand." Peter raised his hand as Petal and Tulip did the same from the back. He glanced around at the rest of them. The majority of them weren't going back to their homes? What was going on?

"Alright, I figured. Peter, Darwin, and Carl I have a gift for you then." James sighed as he glanced at the three of them. From one of the bags he pulled forth three cards and Peter could not believe his eyes as he handed the stack to him.

They were IDs. Not just any IDs but official looking ones that matched his current appearance. He glanced down at his own as his fingers trembled. Every word, every number, and every piece of information was there. It was a perfect copy of the one he had in his wallet all those months ago.

"How in the fuck?" He heard Tulip stammer completely taken aback as Peter passed the other two to him. He saw him take the one labeled Carl Moore and handed Petal the one labeled Darwin Waller. He couldn't help but smile as he saw their real names.

"Tomorrow, we will drive to the nearest airport and catch the next flight to our respective homes. These will get us past security for sure. Unfortunately, that means that after tonight, we'll probably never see each other again."