“A car accident,” Bunny proclaims. “That’s all we say until we know who we can trust.”
Fine. “The first shelter we find. That’s where we’ll stay.” I expected a desolate shack, hoped for a rundown apartment building, something empty. But, fuck, a motel? A fuckingrunningmotel.
“Well, fuck.”Damn fucking shit motherfucking FUCK!
The Honeymoon Inn. It's a cute, quaint little establishment.
Just like that fucking kitchen.
One was the cover to something sinister. I can’t help but feel like this might be too, especially with the cars randomly parked.
“What now?” Bunny asks, folding in on herself, her hunched spine acting as a shield from the storm. I follow her form, bending lower to press my forehead against hers, losing myself for a moment in her eyes.
It’s easy to do that, I realize. I’ve done it quite often at this point.
“I don’t know.” I don’t know what to do next. I’m racking my brain, trying to come up with a solution that’s going to get us out of this safely, when an older woman with crazed blue hair joins us in the rain.
“You two alright?” She calls loudly, shielding her eyes with a curved hand. “You need help?”
Being locked up and paraded for so long, you learn to recognize when someone is studying you. There’s a feeling that washes across your skin.
Like oil.
It leaves you slick and grimy—unable to feel clean.
That sensation creeps over me now as the wind blows, uncovering layers of leaking wounds and raised, smooth, and fleshy scars. Sparing Bunny the embarrassment, I shield her with my body, holding her close with the tips of my fingers. “We need a room. Just for tonight.”
When she stays silent, eyes still running over our exposed features, I begin to feel my energy spike. Suddenly, my patience begins to dissolve, and Bunny can sense it, tugging on me gently so I don’t lose my cool.
“It’s fine,” she whispers, her hot, sweet breath blowing in my ear. “We can find something else.”
But what? And where?
We’ve already been out here for so long. Surely, they, whoever the fuck is coming after us, can’t be too far behind.
“Cade.”
There’s nothing elseI want to hiss. It’s this, or we’re fucking dead.
I lift my foot to take a step forward, ready to take a room one way or another, when the blue-haired woman looks away, nodding toward the inn. “Come in. I’ll see what I have for you.”
It’s the longest few feet, but finally, after another moment, we’re allowed in somewhere dry. Entering the building swiftly after her, Bunny curls beneath my arm, shivering ferociously in an attempt to stay warm. I don’t think I’m much help since I’m barely defrosting myself, but I keep her close, wrapped up in me.
“We don’t have any money,” I reveal, but she shoos me off with a flick of her hand.
“We can worry about that later.”
Thankful, I keep my stare split, one eye on her as she types something into the computer and one out the window in case anyone walks by.
“So,” I hear, redirecting my focus, “were you guys in an accident or something? Need me to call someone for you?”
Before I can quietly oppose, Bunny snaps, “No,” a little too loud and aggressive. I shoot her a look of concern. The last thing we need is her kicking us out or, worse, calling the fucking cops. I met too many of those underground. I know what they’ll do to us if they catch us. Bunny catches my stare and corrects herself.“No. Umm, just a room, please. We’ll be out of your hair by tomorrow.”
But I don’t think this woman gets the hint.
“Was it a car accident? Or?—”
“A room,” I finally bark, fucking exhausted with no patience left. It’s my turn to get a look, and Bunny, as sweet as her pretty little face is, gives a mean fucking glare. Shit. “I’m sorry,” I apologize, squeezing Bunny just a tad. “We’re so tired, and all we need right now is to sleep.”
