one
Penny
At this hour, this part of the town appears more lively than expected. Outside the window, streaks of light illuminate the buildings as people pass by constantly, indistinguishable from day to night.
Right now, the only thing in the sky is a full moon and a blanket of stars.
On a normal day, I could find myself taking in the view while pointing out the few constellations I know in the back of my mind.
Unfortunately, today is anything but normal.
Tearing my gaze away from what's happening on the outside, I take in more of the inside, as if it'll calm me even in the slightest.
The air has a stale cigarette smell, the stench soaking into the seats' leather. Soft music fills the air, but it's quiet enough to barely cover the uncomfortable silence.
In my arms, my daughter sleeps peacefully, completely unaware of everything happening. She's got my shirt clutched in her tiny fists, lost in a dream I can only hope is far more pleasant than the reality we're stuck in.
Watching the meter tick up higher and higher, nerves start to prickle their way upward until I'm asking how far the casino is.
"Another mile, maybe two. Depending on this traffic, it could be ten minutes, or it could be another thirty." The driver's answer comes nonchalantly, and from the bags beneath his eyes, I'm sure he's ready to call it a day.
Unfortunately, the more time I spend running, the more time it takesthose peopleto catch up to me. From the way the cars aren't budging, it feels like I'm a sitting duck.
Already knowing how much money I have left on me, I'm pulling out just a little more than what I owe while asking him to drop me off before the number on the meter can grow any higher.
"You sure you don't want to go the rest of the way? It's dangerous at night, miss."
Already getting out while working on getting a drowsy toddler to follow along, I give him a forced smile. "We'll be alright. If you could just point me in the right direction, that'll be enough."
Reluctantly, he nods and does just that. "Look for the flashy lights. You'll see it a block away."
Thanking him and adjusting Leliah on my hip, I shut the door behind me and start my walk toward my destination with my head held as high as I can.
The last three weeks have been filled with continuous fearful looks over my shoulders. Of nervous glances toward any lurking shadows. Walking a mile feels like nothing. Even if I've never been to this patch of Meadow Falls, it can't possibly be worse than where we came from.
Leliah whimpers against my neck, tired of all the traveling done today. I can't blame her. We kind of left without any warning, barely giving me time to collect anything. Not her favorite stuffed toys or her blankets. It's a miracle she hasn't broken down yet.
Maybe she gets her strength from me. Despite everything happening, I still haven't fallen apart and given up.
"It's going to be okay, sweetness. Momma's got this handled." Rubbing her back with each step, I don't let the weight of my arms or my muscles burning stop me. I'm on a mission to keep my little girl safe.
I need help. I've tried going to the police, but turns out, they're only full of empty promises. The Outlaw Sinners are paying them plenty to look the other way when it comes to cases like mine. So, with no other option, I'm taking a more dangerous route.
What's the saying? The enemy of my enemy is my friend? Well, right now, I need a friend. A best friend.
Even if my only option is to rely on another group of bikers. Even if they're just as dangerous, Steelwood is who I need. They're what has me scrambling to find them.
It helps that I've heard of stories of them helping out people in my shoes. Sure, I don't know a lot of people who owe debts, but the ones I do are still breathing, and that's what matters. Even if they had to say goodbye to certain aspects of their life, they're safe.
People glance our way as we pass, but I continue forward. Knowing how dangerous it is to be on my own, not with a single weapon to defend myself, I can only walk faster. Even as my lungs burn and Leliah shivers, I keep moving.
By the time I reach the flashy lights the driver mentioned, I realize what he means. The area is so bright, the sun may as wellstill be up. As if this is the source of the town's life, people enter and leave, leaving all the front doors in constant use.
I wouldn't be surprised if most of these people weren't from town, just visitors with an itch to put something on the line.
I've never been to a casino before. With Leliah, I haven't had much free time to spend or extra money lying around. Every penny I've earned has gone to my family to keep them happy.
Or, what I thought was happiness.
