Hillary_Retribution

by Angel Gelique

  “You’re so quick to assume the worst about me, Miss Billie...like I’m some kind of a lowlife.”

  “Oh, no, sugar pie…just that I’s seen lotsa kids gone astray, ya know what I mean? They’s have good hearts an’ all but they’s wicked anyways...do stupid things fo’ stupid reasons.”

  “I went to the bathroom, Miss Billie, I swear it. Straight to the bathroom then back again.”

  Miss Billie acknowledged the fact that the girl looked directly into her eyes. She seemed genuine and honest. Either she was telling the truth or she was an incredibly good liar.

  “I believe ya, baby. I don’t mean ta act suspicious of ya. Ya know, bein’ a runaway and all, they ain’t much I knows ‘bout you is all. Maybe we should take this time ta get ta know one ‘nother.”

  “Miss Billie, I already told you everything you need to know about me. I really don’t like to think about my past.”

  “That’s how ya heal, sugar. Ya talk about it, cry about it then move on stronger than before.”

  “I don’t know, Miss Billie. I really just want to get back to sleep for now.”

  “Fifteen minutes, child...you can give an old lady fifteen minutes, can’t ya?”

  Hillary sighed heavily. She couldn’t wait to get to Maryland and ditch the old woman.

  “What do you want to know?”

  “Do ya gots any brothers o’ sisters?”

  Hillary thought about Joshua and Caleigh. Her face grew long. Miss Billie could see the change in her expression. She knew the answer before Hillary spoke.

  “I had a little brother...but he died.”

  “Oh, honey, I’s so sorry ta hear that. How old was he?”

  “Two.”

  “What happened to the po’ baby?”

  “He...he died in an accident. I really don’t want to talk about that Miss Billie.”

  “Sure, child, I understand. Ya know, I told ya my daddy was killed, remember? But I never told ya ‘bout my son. He was killed too.”

  “By white men?”

  “Nah, it was no racial thing. Ya know, I don’t hold no grudge, people just ignorant. White, black, Chinese, Spanish...don’t matter ta me one bit.”

  “Well weren’t you angry that someone killed your father just because of the color of his skin?”

  “Well, sure I was. It’s natural to be angry, but ya gotta let it go, ya know? You can’t carry all o’ that anger and hate in yo’ heart.”

  “How did your son die?”

  “Was them drugs. He was addicted to heroin. Died of an overdose. Died alone in an alley. All alone...”

  Tears glistened in the old woman’s eyes and Hillary was surprised to find that she felt sad for the woman.

  “I’m sorry, Miss Billie,” she said softly. “That must have been horrible.”

  Miss Billie quickly wiped away the tears that had rolled down her cheek.

  “That was a long, long time ago. Sure, it still hurt, but that’s why I help others. It’s like honoring his memory. Ain’t no parent should ever have ta go through that.”

  “How old was he?”

  “Sixteen. Just a baby still.”

  “Didn’t you know, Miss Billie? Didn’t you know he was on drugs?”

  “I suspected, child, but bein’ a single mama I was always workin’ day and night. Was all my fault fo’ not takin’ the time to get mo’ involved.”

  “You can’t blame yourself, Miss Billie. It’s not your fault. You had to work, you had to make money.”

  “I’d give ev’ry cent I made ta have my Donnie back. But we’s gonna be together one day in heaven.”

  “Do you really believe there’s a heaven?”

  “I sure do. Just as much as I believes they’s really a hell.”

  “Miss Billie, I know you believe in God and all, but if He really exists, why would He let people suffer? Why would He let your uncle rape you? Why would He let my father rape me? Why would He—”

  “Now wait just a second, honey,” Miss Billie interrupted. “Ya told me was yo’ mama’s boyfriend who done hurt ya.”

  Hillary’s cheeks glowed deep red as she grew visibly nervous, caught in her lie.

  “Uh,” she said, “it was. Well, uh, they weren’t married....”

  “Now Caleigh,” Miss Billie said seriously, “I thought yo’ daddy’s in Maryland. Who we gonna see in Maryland if it ain’t yo’ daddy?”

  “My father, really. I, uh, have two fathers. My mother’s boyfriend used to tell me to call him daddy. My mother would refer to him as my father. That’s all I meant.”

  “Uh-huh,” Miss Billie said, skeptically.

  “Miss Billie, I really don’t feel like talking anymore.”

  “It’s okay, you can keep yo’ secrets. I knows ya don’t trust me yet. But lemme tell ya, the time’s gonna come when all them secrets an’ lies gonna weigh down yo’ soul, child. When that time comes, you tells Miss Billie everythin’ okay? Ya hear me, child?”

  Hillary nodded unenthusiastically.

  “Well, I knows what you was askin’ ‘bout anyways and all I’s gots ta say ‘bout that is ya gotta have faith that the good Lord is watchin’ over ya and won’t let ya face anythin’ ya can’t handle. Bad things happen, child, that just how it is. Don’t mean God’s done left ya to fend for yo’self.”

  Hillary was silent. She heard Miss Billie but didn’t agree with her. She didn’t want to debate about it. She just wanted to be left alone. She just wanted to get some rest and gather her thoughts. She wasn’t sure when and where she should make a break from Miss Billie. She couldn’t do it too soon, because no one would let her get a room at a hotel without an adult and she’d had enough nights on the street. She would have to deal with the woman’s nosiness and lecturing for a little while longer.

  “Ya hear me, child?” Miss Billie asked, waiting for a response.

  “Yes, Miss Billie, I hear you.”

  “But ya don’t agree, do ya?”

  “No...not really.”

  “Oh, baby, God knows how you done suffer. Don’t go turnin’ yo’ back on Him, it’s Him who gonna be yo’ salvation.”

  Hillary glared at Miss Billie. Her salvation had been the voice of reason, the voice within her head that had helped her to escape her misery.

  “Oooh, child, don’t fix yo’ eyes so evil like that,” Miss Billie said as her eyes widened and she slowly shook her head.

  “Believe whats I tell ya. He gonna save yo’ soul.”

  Uh-huh, Hillary thought bitterly, No chance of that happening.

  “Miss Billie, I need to sleep now. I’m really tired,” she replied dismissively.

  “Okay, honey child, just ya remember what I said when the time comes.”

  Hillary closed her eyes and tried to doze off again, but rest eluded her. Her mind had been too troubled by Miss Billie’s questions. She didn’t like to think about things, least of all, God and heaven. Such thoughts repulsed her. God was dead to her.

  Miss Billie shook her head slowly in dismay. Helping the misguided young girl was going to take a lot of patience and effort. Even the difficult teenagers she had worked with all had firm religious tenets that she could appeal to. She prayed to God for the strength she needed to get through to the girl. She opened her Bible and began to read.

  Hillary woke to Miss Billie nudging her shoulder once more. She jumped with a start then scowled resentfully at the woman. It seemed as though she had just fallen asleep. Was this woman trying to break her will through sleep deprivation?

  “We’s here,” Miss Billie announced quickly upon noticing Hillary’s angry, contorted face.

  The angry features on Hillary’s face instantly transformed into excitement. A big smile stretched across her face.

  “Really?” She asked as she looked out of the window.

  Pangs of anxiety made her smile fade. What if the cops were waiting for her to get off the bus? She grabbed the duffel bag and walked across to the empty seats diagonally in front of them and peered out of the wind
ow nervously. Miss Billie was a step behind her.

  “You expectin’ someone, sugar?”

  “No,” she said nervously. “Of course not.”

  “Why do I get the feelin’ that yo’ lookin’ ‘round fo’ someone? Is someone meetin’ ya here? Did ya just use me fo’ bus fare?”

  “That’s ridiculous. Who would know that I’m here? Honest, I have no idea where to find my father. And I’m not using you at all. If you think that I am, maybe you should just head back to Raleigh.”

  “I’s come this far, child, and I done brought ya here. You’s my responsibility. Nope, you and me, we gonna stick together like glue.”

  Wonderful....

  Hillary slowly exited the bus, cautiously scanning the area. There were no cops in sight. She began feeling less jumpy, though she still had her guard up.

  It was 6:05 p.m. by the time Miss Billie was able to retrieve her small suitcase from the compartment under the bus. Her stomach rumbled ferociously. She was ready for supper.

  “Ooh, child, ya hear that? C’mon, we gots ta go gets us some food, I’s starvin’ now,” she suggested.

  “Uh, can we eat somewhere else? Bus terminal food is overpriced and pretty gross.”

  “But we’s right here. I dunno where we’s gonna find another place ta eat.”

  “Why don’t we just go to the hotel and eat at whatever restaurant we find there.”

  “Caleigh, we’s staying at the Holiday Inn, not The Plaza. Ya really think the food’s gonna be that much worse here?”

  Hillary nodded.

  “Definitely,” she said resolutely. “Besides, I want to get out of these clothes and take a shower. I feel so grubby.”

  Miss Billie shrugged.

  “Okey-dokey, then...let’s go find us a cab.”

  Hillary was relieved that Miss Billie didn’t insist upon eating there at the bus station. Everything appeared to be fine, but she didn’t want to take any chances. She wanted to get out of there fast.

  Luck was on Hillary’s side. When they exited the bus station, there was a row of taxicabs parked along the curb right in front of them. They were on their way to the hotel in just over a minute.

  “You look really familiar,” the cab driver commented to Hillary.

  Hillary just shrugged her shoulders. She didn’t feel like engaging in conversation with him. Though it did make her wonder whether the police were looking for her. What if there were surveillance cameras all over the Richmond bus terminal? They could have her image broadcasted all over the country. How would she avoid being spotted? She was suddenly curious about why the cab driver recognized her.

  “I’m not from around here,” Hillary said, hoping that her statement would prompt him to provide greater insight, but he just nodded.

  Does he know something? She wondered. What if he was going to drive them straight to the police department to get some sort of a reward?

  “So who do I look like?” Hillary asked the driver.

  “Hm? Oh, I don’t know, I can’t put my finger on it.”

  “She look an awful lot like that Hillary murderer, don’t she?” Miss Billie offered.

  Shut the hell up! Hillary screamed in her mind, though she kept her expression blank.

  “Not really,” Hillary said. “There are a lot of girls my age with blonde hair and blue eyes.”

  “You know,” the driver said, “that’s it...that’s who you remind me of. She’s been in the news a lot again lately.”

  “She’s dead,” Hillary snapped.

  “Of course she is. But now they’re looking for her copycat killer. Can you believe that? What’s this world coming to? Bad enough she committed those heinous crimes, now someone’s going around picking up where she left off.”

  “Yeah, I heard ‘bout that killer. What he did to that po’ girl’s mama after she done survived her daughter’s brutal attack.”

  Miss Billie was shaking her head in disgust.

  Poor girl’s mama, my ass! She deserved to die for turning her back on me, Hillary thought bitterly.

  “And he struck again earlier this afternoon too, down in—”

  Hillary’s heart began to race.

  “About how far is the hotel?” She asked quickly, hoping to change the topic.

  “Oh, it’s not that far at all. We’ll be there in about twenty minutes, little miss.”

  “Now, you were sayin’ somethin’ bout—” Miss Billie began saying, but was cut short by Hillary’s interjection.

  “Oh that’s great, because I can’t wait to get there and finally take a shower. And we’re both so hungry, and—”

  “And don’t be interruptin’ me when I’s speaking, child,” Miss Billie cut in as she looked at the girl beside her in annoyance.

  “I’m sorry,” Hillary said angelically. “I’m just so hungry. I didn’t realize it back there. You were right, Miss Billie, we should have taken the time to grab a bite to eat.”

  “Well we ain’t that far, you ain’t gonna die o’ starvation.”

  The cab driver laughed at their exchange.

  “So where are you folks from?” He asked curiously.

  “Well I’s from Raleigh, North Carolina. Where you from again Caleigh?”

  Hillary had to think about what she had told Pastor Louie. For some reason she kept thinking about Richmond, Virginia so she kept her mouth shut.

  “Caleigh?” Miss Billie called to her.

  Hillary jumped as if she had been deep in thought and didn’t hear the woman talking to her.

  “I’m sorry, did you say something?”

  “The driver wanna know where you’s from.”

  “Oh, I’m from Maryland.”

  “Oh yeah?” He said. “What part of Maryland?”

  Hillary was glad that she remembered choosing the capital of Maryland as her hometown.

  “Baltimore.”

  “Oh,” the driver said, sounding disappointed in her reply for some reason. “So you guys met up at the Silver Spring bus terminal?”

  “Oh, no, we travelin’ together from Richmond, well, Raleigh act—”

  “Richmond? That’s where that copycat killer last struck.”

  “What?” Miss Billie’s eyes were wide with horror.

  “Yeah, it was the big story on tonight’s news. He killed some guy at the bus terminal there. Hey, you guys might have even been there at the same time.”

  Hillary’s face went pale as she lowered her gaze and remained silent. Miss Billie’s jaw dropped in shock.

  “You sayin’ a man was murdered at the Richmond bus station today? This afternoon?”

  “Yes, ma’am, that’s what they’re saying.”

  “You know what time that killin’ happened?”

  “I think they said it was just after noon, twelve-thirty maybe.”

  Miss Billie felt queasy as her stomach turned.

  “Oh, Lordy,” she said softly, just over a whisper.

  “Oh, there’s nothing to worry about now, you’re far away from that maniac.”

  But was she? She slowly turned to look at the sweet-looking young girl beside her. Hillary kept her eyes averted but could feel the heat of the old woman’s stare.

  “So, what brings you guys to this stretch of the woods?”

  Miss Billie’s mouth was still open and she wanted to answer the man, but she was speechless.

  “I’m looking for my father,” Hillary said softly, hoping that she could break the tension by speaking up.

  “Oh?” He asked inquisitively.

  “I’ve never met him before,” Hillary explained. “Miss Billie here is helping me on my mission.”

  “Aww, well I wish you all the luck, little miss. I hope he makes up for all those lost years.”

  “Thank you.”

  “That’s mighty kind of you, ma’am. Ma’am? You don’t look so good.”

  “I...I...I’s fine, I’s fine,” Miss Billie stammered nervously.

  “I know how you feel,” the driver said. “I once
decided to turn down a block I usually don’t drive on. I don’t even know why I did that. But it’s a good thing I did. Further down the road, a drunk driver ran the red light and collided with the blue Honda Accord that had been in the middle lane beside me. Poor guy didn’t have a chance. Can you imagine? That could have been me. So I know where you’re coming from. Just thank your lucky stars that the Hillary copycat chose that poor man instead of you or the girl.”

  Miss Billie and Hillary were both consumed in their own thoughts and barely acknowledged what the man had said. They both bobbed their heads as if entranced. The driver took the hint, felt a tad bit insulted and remained silent for the remainder of the ride to the Holiday Inn.

  When the car stopped nearly ten minutes later, Hillary caught a glimpse of a quaint looking building in the busy downtown area of Bethesda.

  “That’ll be thirty-four dollars, ladies,” the driver said.

  Hearing the steep cost snapped Miss Billie out of her daze.

  “Did you say thirty-fo’ dollars?”

  “Yes ma’am I did,” he said with a smile.

  Miss Billie reached into her purse and opened a small manila envelope. Hillary watched with great enthusiasm and attentiveness. She pulled out two twenty-dollar bills and handed them to the driver.

  “Is everthin’ ‘round here so expensive?”

  “I’m afraid so...it’s a pretty affluent area. You want any change back?”

  “No, it’s fine,” Miss Billie said with a wave. “Thank you.

  “Thanks, and good luck to you, little miss.”

  Hillary lifted her hand and flicked her wrist in a disinterested wave.

  Yep, Hillary, the driver thought. That’s who she reminds me of...Hillary Greyson.

  As he drove off, he thought about how coincidental it was that there was a killing at the same time and location where this young Hillary look-alike had been. If he didn’t know better, he would think that she was the Hillary Copycat killer. He laughed at the absurdity of his thoughts as he drove back to Silver Spring.

  It was not until he had arrived at the bus terminal that he noticed the duffel bag on the back seat. He had seen the girl carrying it. He thought about driving back to the hotel like a Good Samaritan to bring it to her. He thought about how much time it would take and how much gas it would waste. He thought about her flimsy wave in lieu of a proper “thank you.”