Chapter 88
Chapter 4
Chapter 4
After I got out of the hospital, Mom became paranoid.
She was convinced the Ashfords were going to come after us.
“We need to leave,” she muttered, throwing clothes into garbage bags. “This city’s done. Too many people know us p>
She told me she’d contacted a distant relative in another state who’d agreed to take us in.
“There’s a lady coming to pick us up. She’ll drive us to the train station p>
“What lady?” I asked.
“Stop asking questions! Just do what I say p>
I went quiet.
I opened the candy Clara had given me.
Inside the wrapper was a note.
[Clara Nguyen
310-555-0147]
I folded it up and hid it deep in my pocket.
Maybe, one day, this would be my only lifeline.
The “lady” who showed up was not a distant relative.
She was a huge, black woman with dead eyes.
She pulled up in a beat-to-hell white van with no windows in the back.
Mom helped me into the van, then pulled out a thick envelope and handed it to the woman.
“That’s half. You get the rest when we arrive p>
My stomach dropped.
This wasn’t a family friend.
“Mom… where are we going p>
Mom yanked her arm away from me and forced a smile that looked more like a grimace.
“Riley, honey, Mommy’s doing this for you. This lady’s gonna take you somewhere nice. You’ll go to a good school. You’ll be happy p>
Before I could react, she jumped out of the van.
19:50
You Traded Our Son for Her? Your ‘Happy’ Ending Just Crashed, Asshole!
67.4%
Chapter 4
The door slammed shut.
“MOM!” I threw myself at the window, pounding on the glass.
“MOM, DONT LEAVE ME p>
She didn’t look back.
She just walked away, pocketing the cash, disappearing into the alley.
She sold me.
For money.
She sold me.
The woman started the engine and grinned at me in the rearview mirror.
“Quit crying. Your mom doesn’t want you anymore. From now on, I’m your mom p>
I pressed my hand against my pocket, feeling the paper inside.
That note was my only shot.
I had to stay calm. I had to think.
The van turned onto a bumpy dirt road. The buildings outside got sparser. More run-down.
“Sit still,” the woman growled. “When we get there, you’ll do what I say, or you’ll regret it p>
I shrank into the corner, pretending to be terrified.
When she wasn’t looking, I pulled out the note and gripped it tight, repeating the number over and over in my head.
310-555-0147.
310-555-0147.
The van stopped at a crossroads. The woman got out to buy cigarettes at a gas station.
This was my chance!
I crawled into the front seat, shoved the door open, and tumbled out onto the gravel.
My legs were useless. I had to drag myself forward, clawing at the dirt.
Behind me, I heard her cursing. Heavy footsteps pounding closer.
She was coming!
I looked around desperately.
A old woman was at the cross!
I didn’t care if she heard me or not.
Mark Twain