She'd barely left the town's limits and hit the two-lane highway when the tears burst forth. Everything came crashing down on her at once, and she felt utterly, completely alone. She was sobbing uncontrollably, bike swerving on the road, when she jumped.
She was in the city now, in some alley with dumpsters and tall buildings on either side. Her bike was gone—left behind in the jump. Near her, a woman with raven hair who was dressed in black from head to toe seemed to be debating with a guy.
“You won't have to eat out of the garbage anymore,” he said. “My girls have all the cash they need.” He reached for the woman's arm, but she leaned away from him.
“Don't touch me.”
“Hold on, just listen for a minute. I'm telling you, you got what it takes to make good dough.” His eyes traveled down her legs and to her stiletto boots, and then back up just as slowly. That look gave Juniper the creeps, and it wasn't even aimed at her.
“I'm not interested.”
He reached for the woman again, this time coiling his large fingers around her forearm before she could scoot away. “Just listen,” he hissed.
The woman froze, her eyes widening in an almost glassy manner.
What was going on? Why didn't she pull away and tell him to buzz off? Juniper thought she knew why.
“You're going to come with me,” he said.
“I'm going to come with you,” the woman repeated.
That was when he noticed Juniper. “What are you looking at?”
“Let her go,” Juniper said.
“Where did you come from?”
Juniper didn't answer.
“Come here,” he said.
So that he could touch her and control her like that? Not a chance. But she took a few steps closer, working the innocent little girl expression, another plan in her mind.
“She a friend of your—”
Before he could finish the question, Juniper leapt forward, closing the gap between them and kneeing him in the crotch as hard as she could. Her bony knee did the trick well. He groaned and let go of his captive.
The woman blinked as if coming out of a trance. She looked at Juniper then at him. Her eyes went cold. “I told you not to touch me.” Then she stared back at Juniper, confused. “I was going to... He made me change my mind somehow.”
“Let's get out of here,” Juniper said, eyeing the man, who was quickly recovering.
“Just one thing first,” the woman said. She stepped toward the man and sent a round-house kick to his face. He dropped to the ground.
“Whoa,” Juniper said.
“Now we can leave.”
They hurried out of the alley and into the street—it looked like downtown Tulsa, the not-so-nice part. This city wasn't asleep as Inola had been. Neon beer signs blinked, and here and there a couple meandered through the street.
“How did he do that?” the woman asked, more to herself than to Juniper.
“He's one of the special ones,” Juniper said.
The woman's eyes shot to Juniper. “What does that mean?”
Juniper shrugged. “I've seen other people do stuff like that.”
The woman stopped and narrowed her eyes. She looked as if she was going to say something, and Juniper had the sense that maybe this wasn’t the shocking revelation it should’ve been. But instead of commenting, she scrutinized Juniper's face for the first time, and her expression changed. “Are you okay? You've been crying. And you have dirt in your hair.”
Probably from sleeping on the ground. Juniper hadn't bothered to shower before she'd left the Harrison's. Bathing mostly seemed like a waste of time, so she didn't worry about it much.
“Yeah, I'm fine.”
“You're, like, a little kid, and you're out past midnight. Where are your parents?”
Juniper shrugged. She didn't like where this was going. She was going to have to get away soon. “At home.”
“We should probably call them, huh? What’s your phone number?” The woman pulled a cell phone out of her back pocket.
“No! I mean, I don't want to go back. They hurt me.” She didn't have to specify how.
The woman froze, then she let the phone slide back into her pocket. “So you just left?”
Juniper nodded.
The woman sighed, then gave a small nod, as if she'd sized up the situation in that short moment. “Who should I call, then?”
Juniper straightened her shoulders. The foster mother before Mrs. Harrison had been one to nag about good posture. Maybe she could make herself look a few years older. “No one. I'm fine on my own.”
The woman didn't laugh—didn't even crack a smile—and her piercing dark eyes watched Juniper. Finally she sighed. “I don't even know if I'm fine on my own, kid.”
That line made Juniper realize the woman might be younger than she'd assumed. Everyone seemed old to Juniper, but maybe this woman was, like, newly an adult.
“How old are you?”
“Eighteen. How old are you?”
Juniper was about to lie, but this woman was different. The way she took Juniper at face value instead of belittling her made Juniper want to tell her the truth. “Eight.”
The woman gave a slight, sad nod.
Not knowing how to respond, Juniper waited, wondering if this woman was going to call the police and rat her out. She really didn't want to deal with a second wave of anger from Mrs. Harrison.
“What's your name, kid?”
“Juniper.”
“I'm Ronen. I know what it's like to run away, and it's not as great as it sounds.”
Juniper doubted that. Being free would be much better.
“Look, Juniper. I feel your pain—I really do. But you can't live on the streets. It's not safe for a kid. People will take advantage of you... And worse.” Ronen glanced back behind her for a moment, as if remembering the creep in the alley. “Come on, let's keep moving.”
“You mean people like that guy back there?”
“There are a million other creeps like him waiting for an unsuspecting victim.”
“Probably not a million that can do that.”
Ronen glanced sideways at her. “What do you know about people who can do that stuff? You said you've seen others. How many?”
Juniper shrugged. “Not that many.”
“Any more than one is a lot, in my book.”
“Not compared to how many regular people there are.”
Ronen was watching her carefully. It looked like something was on her mind, but she didn't speak. Juniper felt uncomfortable staring into Ronen's intense gaze, so she made her eyes go elsewhere. She watched Ronen's arm sway as they walked, the bare skin covered in markings, almost like she was wearing a long sleeve, but only on one arm.
“Nice tattoo,” Juniper said.
“Thanks,” Ronen said offhand, still distracted by her thoughts.
“Did it hurt?”
“No.”
“I bet it took them a long time to draw all those thorns and—what are those—blue roses?”
Ronen grunted.
“I'm going to get a tattoo when I grow up—a really big one. Maybe I'll get it on my right arm, like yours.”
“You couldn't handle the pain.”
“I thought you said it didn't hurt.”
“Not for me.”
“I'm tough, too. I bet it wouldn't hurt for me, either.”
“That's not what I mean. I'm just... Different.”
“Okay.”
They walked in silence for a while. “Why are you so quiet?” Juniper asked.
“I'm thinking.”
“About what?”
“You ask a lot of questions, kid. I'm thinking about the repercussions of taking you to the police station at this hour.”
“What does ‘repercussions’ mean?”
Ronen sighed. “Never mind. I'm just trying to decide what I'm supposed to do with you. I can't just leave you here by yourself. It's not safe for you to be on the streets at night.”
> “I told you, I'm tough. I can handle it.”
“Kid, no matter what you think, it's not safe for an eight-year-old to be alone.”
“You're alone, right?”
“I guess, yeah.”
“Is it safe for you?”
Ronen frowned at her. “What are you getting at?”
“If I hadn't kneed that guy, he'd still be making you do what he wanted.”
Ronen looked like she was about to argue, then clamped her mouth shut.
Juniper realized that as they walked down the street together, even way past midnight when kids her age were tucked tightly into bed, the people passing them weren't threatening to call the police. Because she was with an adult. They might glance her way and then frown at Ronen, but they weren't stopping to ask questions. There was something behind this.
“Maybe you need a buddy,” Juniper said.
“A buddy? What is this, a school field trip?”
“I mean, not a buddy. A...” Juniper thought hard. “A partner.”
“A partner? Like a business associate?”
“No, like in a super hero team.”
Ronen barked a laugh. “Do I look like I fight crime to you?”
“No, but that was a pretty cool kick you did back there. You know Karate?”
“I used to take Kung Fu, but that's irrelevant.”
“What's ‘irrelevant’ mean?”
“It means it doesn't matter. I'm not interested in fighting bad guys.”
“That's not what I meant. I just meant...” Juniper searched for the words that might persuade this woman to give her a chance. She could feel the argument slipping through her fingers. How much longer until Ronen made up her mind to call the cops? “I don't know. Maybe we could stick together or something.”
“Just what I need, a tag along.”
“Well, maybe I could help you.”
“Kid, being with me ain't gonna make your life any safer. What am I supposed to do with you? I'm between places right now, anyway. I don't even have a couch you can crash on, let alone—never mind. I don't know why I'm arguing with a kid.” She grabbed her phone out of her back pocket and started tapping away at it.
Something broke inside Juniper. She couldn't face going back. Now she'd have to run again, and this time she didn't have a bike. She probably should be running away right now, putting distance between herself and this woman who was going to turn her in. But like lead, her feet held her in place. She felt broken, deflated. Rejected.
The tears came before she could stop them. She swiped at her eyes, humiliated to be crying so openly, especially in front of a strong woman like Ronen. If only Juniper could be like her.
“Oh, geez,” Ronen said. She shoved her phone back into her pocket. “Hey, hey, it's okay.” She touched Juniper's shoulder, but that only made Juniper cry harder, remembering the tender comfort only her mom's touch had been able to provide. Ronen pulled her in for an awkward hug.
“Shh, shh. Don't cry. It's okay, I'm not going to call the police. I was just checking the time.”
Juniper didn't believe her, but at least it sounded like she'd changed her mind for now. She sniffed and felt herself relax into Ronen's arms. She smelled faintly of cigarettes, but Juniper was so exhausted and in need of a good hug that she didn't pull away, just melted into the arms holding her. She was startled by the tiniest jolt of electricity, like when she'd gotten shocked the one time she'd touched the uncovered power outlet in the Sears's house, only less powerful. Ronen's arms dropped away at the same moment Juniper pulled back.
“What was that?” Juniper asked.
“What the...” Ronen was staring at her hands, her thumb and forefingers rubbing together. Wide-eyed, she met Juniper's gaze. Instead of completing her thought, she reached toward Juniper again, touching her bare shoulder. She pulled back her hand quickly as if she'd gotten another jolt.
“What?” Juniper asked.
“I can feel.”
“I got a shock, too.”
“Yes... No... That's not what I mean. Before now I couldn't feel anything, but when I hugged you, something flipped.”
“Wait. You couldn't feel anything?”
Ronen shook her head. “It's been like that for a long time.”
“So you can't feel anything. Like—”
“Well, there was this one time...” Ronen glanced around. The street was deserted.
“What?” Juniper said.
“Never mind.”
“Tell me. Please?”
Ronen shook her head.
“Come on, please tell me? I'll tell you about more people who are special.”
Ronen sighed, as if weighing whether she wanted to have this conversation. She didn't seem particularly interested in Juniper's offer, but there must be something on her mind. “Okay. So those people you were talking about...”
“Yeah?”
“I think my dad was one of them. I didn't know it for a long time—he didn't talk to me about stuff, you know?”
Juniper nodded.
“But this one time he hugged me and... It sort of turned my feeling back on.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. I specifically remember the hug because he wasn't a hugger. He kept to himself, and he wasn't affectionate. But after the funeral, something changed. That was the only time I can remember him ever hugging me. I got my touch back, but it only lasted a short time. I didn't realize...” Ronen's gaze drifted away to something far off.
“What?”
Ronen met her eyes again. “I didn't realize it was related to him. I thought it was some fluke.”
“So hugging people brings it back?”
“No. It can't be that simple. I'm not a big hugger, either, but I've had hugs from a few people since then. It's got to be something else.” Suddenly her eyes went wide. “You're one of them, aren't you? One of those special people?”
“Wha—”
“Don't try lying to me. That has to be it. My dad was different, and I bet you are, too. That's why I can feel again.”
Juniper held her gaze. “Okay. What if I am?”
“If you are, that means...”
“What?” Juniper asked.
“I didn't tell you everything,” Ronen said. “When my dad hugged me, I got my touch back, but I also got something else.”
“What?”
“His ability. Or affliction, maybe—”
“What's ‘affliction’ mean?”
“Like, his hardship.”
“What's—”
“Like handicap, you know. His 'ability' wasn't all good. Actually, it sucked.”
Juniper thought about how her own sucked, too. “What was it?”
“He could only have four of his senses working at once. You know the five senses?”
“Yeah. Hearing, seeing, smelling...”
“Touch and taste—yeah. He could only have four out of five at any point in time. Only he could pick which one to go without. He could, like, swap them out. When I touched him, I lost my sense of taste for a bit, and I eventually realized I could change it.”
“Weird.”
“So somehow touching these people that are different gives me their abilities?”
“But you touched that creepy guy. Did you get his power?”
“No, I don't think so, because I didn’t get my feeling back.”
“So it can't be just touching them, then.”
“No, but it has to be related to touch. Both times it happened when I was hugging a special person. Plus, the fact that it turns on my own sense of touch.”
“Weird,” Juniper said.
“Better keep walking,” Ronen said.
“So does this mean I can hang out with you?”
“Not hardly.”
“But...”
“I can't handle taking care of a kid right now. I can barely take care of myself.”
“I'm low maintenance, I promise.” Juniper wasn't sure how true that was. What would her last five fo
ster families have said to that? She bit her lip. Ronen didn't need any more reasons to call the police.
“So what's your ability?”
“Uh...” Despite what she'd already told Ronen, she wasn't sure she was willing to reveal her own secrets. She was trying her best to impress the woman, and that probably wouldn't help her case much.
“Come on. I told you my life story.”
Maybe changing the subject would derail the questions about her own life. “You didn't tell me why you ran away.”
“That's none of your—”
Juniper didn't hear the rest because at that moment, the white noise closed in on her and she jumped.
When the tightening in her stomach and the screaming in her ears had subsided, she discovered she’d been transported into a building, something that always freaked her out because she wondered what would happen if she rematerialized right into a wall or something. That would be one crappy way to die.
The first thing she noticed was the two men having a discussion nearby. The second thing she noticed was that Ronen was there, too, and she looked pretty freaked out.
“Shit! What was that? What just happened?” Ronen gripped Juniper's arm, hard. Her nails pinched, and Juniper bit her lip against the pain.
“Hey!” It came from the younger man. He looked older than Ronen, but not by much.
“Did you see that?” The older man asked, his face awash with peaked curiosity and what looked almost like excitement.
“The two girls that just materialized out of thin air? Yeah, I saw it, Dad.”
The older man tugged on his long, dark beard. “Well, well.” He stepped toward them thoughtfully.
Ronen was still focused on Juniper rather than the two men. “This is what you do?”
Juniper nodded. Her secret was out, no use trying to pretend otherwise.
“Hello there,” the older man said, turning to greet them.
Why wasn't he surprised? Other people had seen Juniper jump, and they usually freaked out. Most of the specials seemed to think they were the only weird one around, and usually Juniper just pretended she was normal and that they were the crazy ones seeing things. But this man acted like it was no big deal to have two girls pop into his office.
Pulled: A Flawed Short Story Page 2