𝐄𝐂𝐇𝐎, the gifted [1]

chapter one

Winona Martin trudged through a bus station, keeping her head low. It had been a over year since the incident. A year since she killed someone. A year since Elaine was taken. Winona had been on the run ever since. She did her best to keep a low profile and had some help along the way.

She walked over to the ticket counter. "Where to?" The man behind the counter questioned in a bored tone. "I'm trying to get out of this city," Winona said. "Really? I never would've guessed. I mean, you are at a bus station after all," the man said.

Winona narrowed her eyes and glanced down at his name tag. "Look, Steve, I don't need your sarcasm," she retorted. "Where do you want to go?" He asked again. Winona sighed and shrugged. "I don't know. Where do you recommend?" She asked back. He sighed, "I don't know, lady."

"The attitude is definitely not needed, Steve," Winona said. "Look, just tell me where you want to go so that I can go on my lunch break, okay?" Steve said. Winona rolled her eyes and looked around. Her eyes landed on a brochure in front of her and she looked back up.

"Atlanta," she answered. "You sure?" He asked. Winona groaned, "Yes." Steve nodded his head and began typing on his computer. "All right, the next bus to Atlanta is a 4:35," Steve said and Winona nodded. "Okay, that'll be, $72.25," he said. Winona gaped at him in shock. "For a bus ticket?" She asked incredulously. "Well, yeah. We're in Virginia and you want to go to Georgia. It's gonna be expensive," he answered.

"That's a ripoff!" She exclaimed. "I don't make the prices, I just work here," he said. "Fine," Winona muttered. She pulled out her wallet and handed him some money. A minute later, her handed her her change and her ticket. "Here you go," he said. She took the money and ticket from his hand.

She shoved the change back into her wallet and stepped away from the ticket booth. "Hey!" Steve called. Winona turned back to him with raised eyebrows. "Do you have a boyfriend?" He asked. Winona narrowed her eyes before rolling them. "Yeah, I do. I'm actually going to Atlanta to meet him," she answered. She began walking away from the booth.

"But you didn't even know where you wanted to go before," he pointed out. "Have a nice day!" She said back. "Damn, that ass though." She scrunched up her face in disgust as she made her way through the bus station. She glanced down at her ticket and began looking around to find where her bus would come through. She found the area and took a seat on a bench.

She looked down at her watch. "Great, I have to wait for two hours," she muttered. It was going to be a long day.

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Winona's head was leaned against the bus window. She had been on the bus for hours and after a few uncomfortable naps, she was wide awake. She watched the trees whiz by and sighed in boredom.

"Attention passengers, we will reach Atlanta, Georgia in ten minutes. Please remain in your seats. Thank you." Winona smiled in gratitude.

Ten minutes later, she was practically running off of the bus. She made her way through the Atlanta bus station and searched for an exit. Once she found one, she exited the building and began trying to hail a cab. When she got one, she entered the vehicle. "Can you take me to a restaurant? I'm starving," Winona asked the cab driver as she put on her seatbelt.

"Of course. Any restaurant in mind?" He questioned. "I don't really know any of the restaurants here," she replied. "All right, I'll just take you to the nearest one. I'm sure you'll find something that you'll like there," he said. "Thank you," she said. The man nodded and began driving the vehicle.

After a short drive, the cab pulled into the restaurant's parking lot. Winona paid the cab driver and stepped out of the vehicle. She slowly made way into the building. Once she was seated, she began looking through the menu. Everything looked good to her. "Man, it has to be her. It looks just like her." Winona closed her eyes and released a breath. She hated when this happened. There were occasions where she'd read a mind without meaning to. For example, back at the bus station and again right now.