Running from Reality

by Missy Robertson

  I gulped.

  “But it’s okay, ‘cause we have lots of snacks to eat until God sends the miracle.”

  “A tire?”

  “Yeah. That’s easy for God, but I hope he hurries cause the car is getting cold at night.”

  “You’ve been sleeping in your car?”

  Angela put her finger to her lips.

  “Don’t tell anyone. I think it’s against the law.”

  “Oh.”

  We came to the end of the lawn in front of the Observatory, and I pointed down the hill to the parking lot.

  “Are you sure your family isn’t down there?”

  Angela nodded. “Yeah. We came from that trail.”

  She pointed to a dirt trail that veered off to the left.

  “I don’t know this trail at all, Angela.” My temples throbbed and my heart raced.

  “But I know you’re supposed to help,” she said.

  I watched as families ventured off on the trail with their little kids and strollers. It looked harmless enough. “Let’s sit here a minute,” I said, and Angela and I piled onto the grass. “I have a map that we can look at.”

  Angela’s eyes brightened. “I like maps.”

  I unzipped my backpack, reached into the crumpled lunch bag, and pulled out the map. My hand bumped the burner phone that hung in a top pocket.

  “Aw, wait. I need to text someone first.”

  I handed the map to Angela, who opened it all the way up, spread it out on the grass, and lay on her tummy to look at it.

  I typed out a text message to Ryan.

  Helping a lost little girl. Will meet you at life-

  sized periodic table in thirty minutes.

  I hit send. I figured that would be plenty of time to run down the trail, find the car, and send this family on their way to the birth of their baby.

  I was wrong.

  “Angela, how long did it take for you and your dad to get to the Observatory?” I huffed and puffed as we climbed up and then scrambled down some steep parts on the dirt trail. I looked back and was relieved that I could still see the domes.

  “I didn’t pay attention. Sometimes I ran.” Angela put her hand on her stomach. “I’m getting hungry.”

  “Is your car parked in a lot with other cars, or is it on a road that has houses?”

  “Houses,” Angela said. “Big, pretty ones.” She stretched her one hand out to the side, keeping the other on the handle to that suitcase, which was kicking up dust as she rolled it behind us.

  “I like your suitcase,” I said. “I saw one like it the other day on the plane.”

  “It’s new,” Angela said. “A guy just gave it to me.”

  I stopped. “A guy? Like, a man? At the Observatory?”

  No way.

  Angela nodded. “I was crying on the grass, because I couldn’t find my daddy. Then a guy came up and said, ‘Here, this is for you.’”

  “And he just left the suitcase with you? Angela, you should never take . . .”

  “He said ‘It has everything you need.’ And that made me stop crying.”

  Double no way.

  “What was the guy’s name?”

  “I forgot to ask. But he said he came from a place called Joy . . . Z. Something like that.”

  “New Jersey?”

  Angela shook her head. “That’s not what it sounded like, but maybe.”

  I stared down into Angela’s hope-filled eyes.

  The earth is turning and you don’t even notice.

  Angela started walking again, and I didn’t say anything for a while. I looked down at my watch. We’d been on the trail for ten minutes. I needed to make a decision, since I wasn’t going to make it back in time to meet my brother at the periodic table.

  “Hang on, Angela. I need to send another text.” I stopped, pulled my backpack off my back, and reached for the burner phone.

  It’s taking a little longer. I’ll keep you posted.

  A text came back right away from Ryan:

  Where are you, Allie?

  Oh no.

  Walking a little girl to her car. I have a map.

  Don’t worry.

  Ryan was quick to respond again and he sounded worried.

  Allie! I’m coming to find you.

  No, Ryan. I’ll be right back.

  I don’t want you getting lost!

  That comment frustrated me just a tiny bit.

  I’m not Ruby. I’ll be fine.

  I could almost hear my brother sigh.

  Allie!

  I took a deep breath and blew it out. I looked up at Angela, reached over, and put my hand on her shoulder.

  “Let’s go find your parents.”

  I grabbed the handle of the suitcase to take a turn pulling it through the dirt. Up ahead, I spotted a sign.

  “Oh, look! I think this will tell us exactly where to go.”

  Angela perked up a bit.

  “I saw this sign before. Yep, there’s the rock that looks like a heart.”

  Sure enough, a rock that was shaped like a heart sat at the base of the sign.

  “Okay, then, let’s see what the sign says.” I pointed my finger at the top line. “Hollywood Sign, four miles. I think we can skip that one today, what do you think?” I tapped my index finger on my cheek.

  “Yeah. Skip,” Angela said. “We went there already.”

  I continued with the next option. “Mount Hollywood. That seems like it goes up.”

  “I know we have to go down,” Angela added.

  The next line showed a street name. “Sandy Beach Trailhead. Does that sound familiar? Sandy Beach?”

  Her eyes opened wide and she smiled big. “Yes! Sandy Beach! I was expecting a real beach to be there, but no.”

  “Okay,” I checked my watch. “We’re really close, only .2 miles. We can do this! Do you want to run a little?”

  “Yes! We can get to the snacks quicker.”

  So, we jogged. It was easy, because it was downhill—but that made me a little nervous for what I would have to do on the way back. We passed some families coming up the trail, so when that happened, we slowed a bit so our suitcase wouldn’t cover them in dust.

  “This is fun,” Angela said. “I’m glad we’re friends, Allie.”

  “Me too.”

  We finally rounded the last turn, and I could see the trailhead where it led out into a neighborhood of homes built into the hills—just like the ones on Star Drive.

  “This is it!” Angela jumped up and down and pointed across the street. “I remember that red house.”

  “Okay, then, which way is your car? To the right or to the left?”

  Just as I said that, I spotted a young man walking down the middle of the street. He had a black athletic bag slung across his shoulder, and a phone to his ear. Something didn’t seem right, so I grabbed Angela by the elbow and pulled her down behind a parked truck. I put my finger up to my lips.

  “Shhh. Be real quiet till he passes us.”

  Angela looked at me with wide eyes and nodded.

  We scrunched way down on the same level with the truck tires.

  I could hear the boy’s conversation as he passed.

  “Yeah, I’m going back to 51415 at 7:00. Have the car on the curb by 7:15. I can’t wait to dim those lights for good.”

  My mouth went dry, and I had to steady myself on the side of the truck.

  “Is everything okay?” Angela whispered so quietly I could barely hear her.

  I nodded and put my finger to my lips again. I watched as the young man passed the truck, and then began running down the street at a frantic pace.

  Looking to dim some lights? Well, buddy, you’ve got another thing coming if you try to mess with the Carroways.

  “Can we get up now?” Angela was folded into a compact little ball between the curb and the truck.

  I watched a moment or so more to make sure the Hollywoodlum was long gone.

  I reached out my hand to lift Angela back up.
<
br />   “Coast is clear.” I brushed off my pants. “Now, can you remember which way we go to get to your car?”

  Angela smiled. “Oh, yeah. It’s easy now. Just over there by that brown house with the pointy roof. Our car is by the round street sign that says “City of LA.” Angela broke into a run, and I followed a few feet until she came to an older model, green minivan, that had the passenger-side door open.

  Angela put both her arms out. “Momma! Are you feeling better?”

  The slightly built, but super pregnant dark-haired woman stepped down out of the van. And right then, Angela’s dad came jogging up behind us and grabbed Angela up in his arms.

  “Angela! Where have you been? I told you to stay in the planet room.” Angela’s dad squeezed her in a tight hug, kissed her head, and finally put her down.

  “It was too dark in there and I couldn’t find you, but I found my friend, Allie. And I got a suitcase with everything we need—I think. That’s what the Joy-Zee guy said anyway.”

  The woman looked over the suitcase. “Joy-Zee?” Then she held out her hand to shake mine. “Hi, I’m Jenny, and this is my husband, David. I’m afraid we’re a little down on our luck.”

  “It’s nice to meet you. Congratulations on the baby.”

  Jenny rubbed her belly. “Thank you. I just hope I don’t have him right here on this road.”

  I looked down at the back tire of the van. Angela was right. Shredded.

  Angela’s dad hung his head. “This is what we get for sightseeing when we should have been driving straight through to my mom’s house. I knew these tires didn’t have much left in them.”

  “Maybe there’s a tire in here!” Angela grabbed the handle to the suitcase and tilted it back so she could lay it on the street next to the van. “Oh, no.” She frowned. “There’s a lock on it.”

  “A lock?” I said. “What kind of lock?” I walked over and inspected the little metal padlock that had pink plastic molded around the corners.

  Hmmmmm.

  I pulled my backpack off my back and unzipped it. My hand shook as I felt for the now very familiar Bag of Wonders. Could that silly key fit a diary and a suitcase lock?

  I pulled out the key, and remembered Ryan’s words from just a little while ago:

  If God is doing this super huge thing—making the earth turn—and I don’t even realize it, then what other little miracles is he working in my life right now, that I’m also missing? I’m telling you Allie, he’s at work. We just gotta take the time to notice.”

  I held it up. “I have a key, and the pink plastic matches. It’s worth a try. My cousin Kendall says these keys fit all kinds of things.”

  I knelt next to the suitcase in the street. My hand still shook as I tried to match the end of the key with the opening on the little padlock. This was a long shot, and I sure didn’t want to disappoint Angela.

  I jiggled the key—using Kendall’s special technique. It moved back and forth, and clicked a little, but nothing.

  “Turn it the other way,” Angela said.

  That didn’t make sense, but then this whole trip didn’t make sense.

  So, I turned it the other way.

  And the padlock popped open!

  CHAPTER 24

  Everything You Need

  It was just like Christmas morning. Except it was three days before Thanksgiving, and I was out in the middle of the street in a strange neighborhood in Hollywood. There was a pregnant couple, but they were traveling in a van, not on a donkey, and I’m pretty sure they weren’t planning to name their little baby boy Jesus.

  Angela squealed and jumped up and down as she pulled some wrapped presents out of the suitcase. Her parents stood there, jaws dropping open, as she unwrapped each one.

  “My own baby doll—now we both can rock a baby together!” she said to her mom.

  The next present was some crayons and coloring books. “I love to color,” Angela said.

  Of course, you do.

  The next present was obviously for the baby—a package of newborn diapers.

  And there was a gift bag full of snacks—candy, nuts, granola bars, and some packages of dried fruit.

  “This is incredible,” David said. “This can’t all be for us, can it?”

  “Hey,” I shrugged. “Never argue with a guy from Joy-Zee. And I had the key.”

  There were a few more presents. Some bath products, a burner phone, and a Bible.

  Jenny couldn’t hold back the tears. “Our phone has been broken for days.”

  David picked up the Bible and flipped through its pages. An envelope fell out that had something written on the outside. David read it out loud to all of us.

  “And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19”

  David carefully loosened the glue on the envelope, and had to stop for a minute to wipe his eyes when he looked inside. He reached in and pulled out money. Three-hundred dollars worth of money.

  Jenny started to sob.

  Angela moved over and hugged her mom.

  “Are you okay, Mommy?”

  Jenny nodded and wiped rivers of tears on her sleeve. “Yes, honey. I’m fine. These are happy tears.”

  “Oh, good. Did God do the miracle?”

  “Yeah, he did. And he did it with the help of your friend here . . .” Jenny turned to me.

  “I’m sorry, I’m so flustered. What is your name again?”

  It took me a minute to clear the lump in my throat, but when I did, I spoke up, loud and clear. I didn’t care who heard.

  “My name is Allie. Allie Carroway. You might have heard about my family. We’re on a TV show called Carried Away with the Carroways.”

  CHAPTER 25

  Busting the Enemy

  I spent a few more minutes with Angela’s family, but then I took off back toward the trailhead. The Hollywoodlum was after the Gabi-girls’ house and that was just not acceptable.

  I wonder how far I am from Star Drive?

  I sat down on the curb and pulled out my map of the Hollywood Hills. I had to spread it out on the street in front of me, look up Sandy Beach Trailhead, and then find Star Drive.

  It was only about four blocks away.

  I figured I had two choices. Go back to the Observatory—a half mile or so uphill, or take off toward the house. But what if the Hollywoodlum was going that way already? Did I want to face him myself?

  Or I could call in reinforcements. After all, we had a plan.

  I pulled out the burner phone and sent a group text to my team:

  Operation “Shine your light” is under way. Get

  yourselves home asap. I’ll meet you there.

  Then I called Ryan.

  “Hello? Allie? Where are you? I’m out here in the parking lot of the Observatory. Did you come down here?”

  “Ryan, listen carefully! We don’t have time. I’m at the Sandy Beach Trailhead, and I’m on my way to the Gabi-girls’ house. I spotted the Hollywoodlum, and I overheard him say he was going to 51415 Star Drive tonight at seven o’clock.”

  I gathered up the map, slung my backpack over my shoulder, and began to jog while holding the phone to my ear.

  “Allie, stay away from that house. I’ll call the police, and we’ll get down there to pick you up as soon as we can.”

  I had to stop a minute to catch my breath.

  “Allie! Are you still there?! Don’t go near the house!”

  My brother had never sounded frantic a minute in his life until now.

  “Okay. I’ll hide somewhere nearby and I’ll flag you down when I see the van.”

  Ryan sighed. “I’m not happy with that either, but I guess I have no choice. Why didn’t you just meet me at the periodic table?”

  “I’m sorry. It’s just—God was at work, and this time I noticed.”

  “Huh?”

  “Just like the earth is turning. It’s your fault for teaching me that.”

  “You’re blaming me for thi
s?”

  “I’ll tell you the story later. I gotta go.” I pushed the end button on the phone and then checked for any returned texts from my cousins. Nope. I stopped to take a minute to refold the map so that my route was visible on the front. Then I tightened up the straps of my backpack and broke into an all-out run up and down the narrow streets of the Hollywood Hills.

  When I arrived on Star Drive, I slowed. I don’t think my heart could pump any faster than it was right then. Every nerve was on high alert as I creeped along the side of the road, ducking in and around mailboxes, trashcans, and bushes. I saw no one, and only two cars drove by. I looked both ways, then jetted across the street from the Gabi-girls house—51417 Star Drive. I flew up the steps to the third balcony and took a seat on a metal bistro chair, at the perfect height to duck my head behind the concrete wall, but then peek over whenever I heard a noise.

  Looks like this place is empty. I wonder what movie star lived here?

  The place was so quiet it was eerie. Not even a barking dog, and only a car or two drove by. Some hikers walked by about twenty minutes into my surveillance, but they didn’t stop in at any of the houses on the street that I could see. A police car drove by next, and it slowed in front of the Gabi-girls’ house but then vanished.

  Finally, about forty-five minutes later, the red van came down the street. I could see Ryan’s head turning left and right, scouring the streets for the little sister who’s neck he would wring as soon as he could find her.

  I stood and waved both my hands in the air from the third story balcony, and Brittany saw me. She pointed, and Ryan stopped.

  He rolled down his window.

  “Allie Kate Carroway, get down here.”

  “Hurry, Allie!” Brittany waved me down, and I creeped down the stairway, keeping watch both ways on the street. Someone slid the side door to the van open, and I jumped in.

  “Allie, are you okay?” Lola put her hand to her mouth. “How did you get here?”

  “I walked,” I said. “I had a map.”

  I smiled at Kendall, who could only cross her arms and shake her head.

  “Is the Hollywoodlum really coming tonight?” Hunter leaned forward in his swivel chair.

  “That’s what I overheard him say on the phone when he ran by me.”