IF: Nowhere To Run (Camryn Morgan Series Book 1)
Page 4
* * *
It's 5:45 am. She takes a shower and dresses. She wraps up her braided hair. She removes a large bowl from a cabinet. She pours flour into a bowl. Camryn uses a knife to cut out the envelope. She dusts off flour and unfolds the envelope. Inside six 50 dollar bills and her packing list.
* * *
While waiting for chicken soup to warm in the microwave. Camryn goes to a storage closet on the balcony. She removes a hiking backpack and finds the little Christmas tree she hid behind some boxes. She unzips pockets locating ten folded 20 dollar bills and a prepaid cell phone she purchased a few nights ago.
* * *
Camryn sips the soup as she packs her items. She has a 103 temperature, but she decided this is the day she's letting her turkey go.
Camryn saved for a trip she planned to surprise Andrew but he punched her. She decided the $1800 could be used for relocating. Andrew came back with flowers, ice and apologizes this is becoming part of the routine.
The rain went from a light drizzle to a steady downpour. She didn't like driving in the rain parts of the freeway floods.
* * *
Andrew didn't realize she started working as an affiliate. It took weeks for her to save up the money for the buy in offer. She decided if she does this it had to be for a high ticket affiliate.
Wesley never pressured her to join the affiliate. He explained the training and how she would make money. It made sense so she went “all in”. Plus she liked talking to Wesley he’s funny, has a beautiful barre toned voice and he is really handsome.
Andrew made sport making fun of her trying to find work online insisting 'no one is making money online anymore’. He's a dick.
* * *
She almost revealed the success of her side business to Andrew. He would figure out a way to spend the money----he is good at spending her money. She heard so much about women being gold diggers. She figured with her limited income she would never have to worry, but he took whatever he could.
* * *
She opens her research binder. The ancestor research project started as a cover for her side business a "justifiable" way to explain why she's online for hours. She has been raised by her grandparents. Camryn woke up in intensive care she realized her parents died.
* * *
She overheard her grandma telling a doctor, she couldn't give blood because Camryn is adopted. She asked her grandparents about being adopted. They claimed they knew nothing about the birth parents, but Camryn always thought they were lying.
* * *
Camryn looks at couple's photos of her and Andrew. Camryn learned she would win no beauty contest, but she wasn't a gargoyle either. She didn't have whatever is a normal love life for a woman in her thirties. Despite what she's been told about beauty people she would consider plain and outright homely always with a man---it couldn't always be because they're sluts.
* * *
Andrew's public face he's always smiling and cracking jokes, but privately he's moody and cruel. Camryn lost friends being with Andrew. She didn't lose friends because they thought she's made a mistake dating him. She lost friends because they're considered prettier, skinnier, hotter... whatever these women were a better catch and she got Andrew.
* * *
Andrew's a cute guy with a dazzling smile, curly blonde hair, dazzling gray eyes, his stomach area getting soft from lack of exercise otherwise he's in fair condition. He dresses his 5'10 inch frame well and always made sure his white Toyota Corolla is immaculate.
She allowed pride to make her stay longer than she should. He spends all his money on clothes or gambling and she uses her money to pay the bills and feed them. Now he's pressuring her to use her body to cover his debts! He slapped her the first time eight months ago. He punched her six months ago, he kicked her two months ago and choked her unconscious six days ago.
She called the police about the choking incident and two of Andrew's beer buddies responded to the call. No report was written... she decided to not only leave Andrew but also leave Silver City, New Mexico.
* * *
The smirk on his face when he slapped her.
* * *
"Stupid bitch did you think I would go to jail?" He grabbed her face and held it close to his. "If you ever call the police on me again, you better start running and don't stop." He slammed her to the floor and kicked her.
He left her alone for a few hours. He choked her while he fucked her. Telling her how hot she looked. She wanted to throw up. Andrew releases her and collapsed on the floor.
* * *
Camryn didn't understand why or how he was across the room. Andrew freaks out! She enjoys his fear.
* * *
"You fucking bitch!" He said. "I'm going to put my dick in your ass and make you blow me. Then you can taste your own ass." He said. He laughed.
* * *
That didn't happen. She's not sure how Andrew broke his hand. He left her alone.
* * *
Camryn took and deep breathe, "No time for pity... move!" She said out loud.
* * *
She's not stupid this would only get worse and if she stayed he may even kill her. She's leaving Andrew and unlike some Lifetime or Tyler Perry movie, she escapes Andrew while he works which gives her an eight to ten hour start ahead of him---he might search for her not because he misses her but to teach her a lesson.
* * *
Andrew never noticed when her clothes and shoes disappeared. It never registered her clearing away books or throwing away a lot of paperwork. She scanned important documents and saved them in a cloud, she got a mailing address online, and an alternative phone number and email account. Andrew has broken into her voice mail and email messages trying to catch her cheating. She couldn’t risk a message being left without an alternative source.
* * *
Camryn focuses on the positives. No friends means no ties to break. There will be no one around to tell Andrew anything. She didn't need to explain to anyone about living with Andrew. No one claiming to help while fanning the flames of doubt. She can have a fresh start.
* * *
She used a virtual debit card connected to an alternative account a safeguard if Andrew broke into her bank information again. She checks the directions, checks the items she packed, she searches for anything to indicate where she may head. Her vision blurs with tears. She looks around the apartment and everywhere only Andrew. She wonders how she made herself disappear from her own life.
* * *
She removes the front door key and mailbox key from her key ring. She places them into an envelope and drops it into the rent deposit box at the apartment complex. Even if she wanted to go back... the unknown scared her, but what she knew what's waiting for her when Andrew realizes she left him.
The raindrops lightly hit her face.
* * *
Camryn trembles. Any moment some police friend of Andrew will show up and make her wait for him. She sat in idle waiting for the car to warm up. She changes the radio to classical she wasn't in the mood for loud guitars, NPR news or wacky morning DJ's.
* * *
She drives to a gas station. She's a few minutes away from merging onto the highway and driving from Silver City. Camryn couldn't recall the last time she's been this excited.
* * *
"Camryn!" He yells.
* * *
Oh shit! She thought. "Hello Jim", she forces herself to smile as he walks towards her.
* * *
"How you feelin'? Andrew told me you have the flu", steps back, "I guess I better not stand too close". He laughs.
* * *
"I do. I'm not going to make it to my doctor's appointment on an empty tank". She said. Jim is a blabbermouth, he couldn't know she's on her way out of town. She told no one. She didn't even do a change of address. She re-routed some mail to the online mailbox.
* * *
'I hope you're better soon!" He said.
* * *
"Thanks Ji
m. Latter." She said. A full tank of gas she went into the store, uses the bathroom and purchases two large bottles of water.
* * *
She could hear her heart pounding over the music. The Swan Lake soundtrack made the merge to the rain soaked US-85 east seem dramatic.
* * *
The rain continues light drizzle other times a down pour. She drives careful. Some asshole always around being a speed demon believing their car or themselves posse a special ability the rain or speed limits didn't apply to them. She does love the rain, but a five hour drive with 103 temperature... she wished it stop soon.
* * *
Camryn has been driving for 55 minutes when her phone rang, Andrew. How she hated living in a small town! She turns the phone off. She forgot! Cell phones are tracked by the tower --- at least that's what she learned from police dramas. She continues driving two hours on Interstate 25 North she should stop for the night. She's exhausted. A large truck speeds past her and water splashes on her car. "Asshole!" Camryn thinks.
* * *
She pulls into a parking lot. The car door creaks when it opens. The motel sits on a hill. The brick on the building is lighter color in places. The building's old, she guesses built in early 80's or late 70's. The line of windows on the building seemed to form a grin.
* * *
This wasn't the best set up for a motel. She parks at an angle. She could see a lot of standing water on the parking lot. She needed to rest. Soon Andrew would be home and he's going to figure out she's left him. Camryn leans against the car. She coughs. Tears run down her face, she couldn't stop crying.
* * *
What is she doing? Where is she going? She wishes she could hit the reset button on her life. Her life. She scoffs. Her existence. She managed to evacuate herself from her own life. She hates herself for being so stupid and weak.
* * *
"Come on Camryn. Get your shit together!" She said. She walks across the parking lot. She will call her job and quit. She needs time to recover from her bullshit choices and the flu.
She has a Bachelor's degree and she's been working in call centers? Customer Service work blew, many of the customers are bratty morons. She saw the laziest people promoted. She’s a top performers on the team is constantly criticized told she needed to do more and wasn’t ready for any promotions.
She will turn her life around. She's talented enough to create a cluster fuck her life's become she's talented enough to turn it around.
* * *
She felt it took forever to reach the entrance of the motel. The lobby's littered with travel brochures, maps of the city, local attraction flyers. She pulls the scarf closer around her neck… chills again. She taps the desk bell and waits.
* * *
Camryn is greeted by a pungent scent of dog pee when she enters the motel room. This is what a girl gets for $43.52 she thought. "It's one night." She said.
Camryn explores the room there wasn't anywhere someone to hide. She checks the cold bathroom and the closet. The curtains are pulled together, but... the uneasy feeling being watched.
* * *
She has 103 temperature and chills so perhaps it's the flu and not the temp in the room? She ran her hand over the vent and cold air still coming out. She'll check in a few minutes and hopes the heat will kick in.
* * *
She walks to the sink to wash her hands. She examines the bathroom the coldest area of the room. "No shower for me tonight." She said. She tosses her bag on the bed, she didn't want the dog pee aroma in her clothes. She decides the best option is to ask for another room. She picks up the phone, but no dial tone. Well... she can't breathe anyway, so maybe she can stand it for a few hours. She found extra blankets and pillows in the closet. She arranges the pillows and blankets over herself. The water from the sink running? Camryn climbs out of bed, she thought she turned the water off?
* * *
Camryn climbs back into bed. She turns on the TV and... She frowns... she must be hearing things. Camryn crawls to the edge of the bed to see the sink. The water is running again! She knows she turned the water off.
* * *
She goes to the sink and turns the water off again. She turns on the bathroom light. Camryn hears the sink knob squeak… the water is running... again!
* * *
A large cockroach darts behind a tissue box on the counter. Camryn screams. The roach runs towards her, she throws the hand towels at it while she screams. It redirects away from her. Why do stupid things panic and run towards you? Camryn turns the water off... again.
* * *
A foul sulfur odor fills the room. She stares a moment--- can't be... a hand gripping the shower curtain.
* * *
Camryn decides she waited too long and she has no intention of staying around to discover the next thing. She grabs her things and runs out of the room. The parking lot is flooded, but she wasn't about to let it stop her. She jumps into her car and speeds away. She took a few sips of water, hoping this would alleviate some of the coughing. She realizes she couldn't afford to lose $43. She turns her car around and drives back to the motel. She pulls her car around to the front office.
* * *
"I'm checking out." She said
* * *
"What? You only checked in 30 minutes ago." The clerk said.
* * *
"The room stinks like dog pee and is extremely cold. I'm already sick. I want my money back now." She said. She wouldn't be polite about this. "Remove your finger out of your ass! Give me back my money!" She demanded.
* * *
The clerk went to the back office. "George. Oh good you're back from lunch. I rented 108 and...
* * *
"What? We never rent 108!"George said.
* * *
"But it's the only clean room available." The clerk said.
* * *
"If that's the only room nothing's available. Damn it, I told you this we never rent 108!" George yells.
* * *
George walks to the front desk.
* * *
"I'm sorry Ms. Morgan." He said. "You paid cash so this will be a fast transaction to return your money." He said.
* * *
Camryn taps on the desk.
* * *
"The phone isn't working in the room either." She said.
* * *
"Housekeeping called from the room. Are you sure?" The clerk asked.
* * *
"I know how a phone works." She said. She glares at him.
* * *
"Ms. Morgan here you go $43.52, I am sorry for the inconvenience." George said.
* * *
She ran out of the small lobby and sped away. She didn't dare look behind her and she got back on the interstate.
* * *
The clerk is confused what happened?
* * *
"George, I called housekeeping and got it confirmed the room was clean. I don't understand." He said.
* * *
"I told you we never rent 108. I told you this when you're first hired." George said.
* * *
"Well, did someone tell housekeeping?" The clerk asked.
* * *
George places his hands on his shoulders. "You did not speak to anyone in housekeeping." George said.
* * *
The clerk laughs, "If I didn't speak to anyone in housekeeping who told me room 108 was ready?" He asked.
* * *
"The Housekeeping crew went home three hours ago." George said as he walked away from the clerk.
* * *
"George, who did I speaking to?" asked the clerk.
George did not respond.
Camryn continues driving two hours on Interstate 25 North when she saw the signs with miles for Albuquerque. She missed her exit to Osuna road, but quickly got herself back into the correct direction and pulls into another motel parking lot.
* * *
Her new room nothing off abo
ut this room, no odd scents, no unusual coldness, and no feelings of being watched. A regular clean room. She made herself go to a grocery store. She stops moving she would not move again for a few hours.