Switch (Twisted)

Chapter 4

I haul ass down 6th St. trying to get away from the three men who are determined to catch me. I dont know why I'm running. I'm not supposed to run away from things anymore. There is a bright yellow cab about to pull away from the curb.

Like some crazy bitch, I jump out in front of the moving car. The cab drivers eyes widen as he slams his foot on the break. The car skids to a hault a foot in front of me. I let out a big breath of air. I run to the drivers side window. "Lady are you trying to get yourself killed?" The man asks.

"I need a ride," I say ignoring his question. He shrugs.

"Sorry lady, I'm off the clock." He mutters. I roll my eyes and pop open my purse. I pull out a wad of cash and throw it in his face. "Your chariot awaits you," He smiles. Ugh, his teeth are yellow. I look behind me and see Noah rounding the corner. He stops and looks around momentarily and like some sort of tracker, his eyes find me in the busy square.

Fuck he looks mad... really fucking mad. Red face, buldging veins, shaking... Fuck yes he's mad. He runs towards me and I jump in the cab. "Go!" I scream. The driver pushes down on the gas and we jolt forward. We drive past Noah, he attempts to stop us but fails.

"Where you headed?"

"Newark, New Jersey," I mutter. He looks at me through the rear view.

"Whats a pretty woman like you doing going to such a dangerous place like that?" He questions. He may be a stranger but I understand his concern. Newark isnt the best place to live but thats where I was born and lived until I was seven. Then my mom remarried and we moved to Tennessee with her country bumpkin, redneck, alcoholic, psycho, husband.

"I'm going to Newark Cemetary," I mutter as my mood darkens. "Take me by Juan's Flower Shop first though,"

"Its a two and a half hour drive, I hope you brought your own entertainment, my radio is busted and I dont sing too well." I pull out my ipod. My phone rings, its Colby. I know I cant answer, Noah is definately still with him and I cant face him. I feel so weak and its all because of him.

He's slowly stripping me of everything I've become. I can feel my control evaporating. I try to shake the thoughts as I get lost in the old sounds of Jerry Lee Lewis. Yes, he married his cousin but he could play the hell out of a piano.

My mom loved that man. We would dance around the kitchen when she made breakfast singing "Wild One" into spatulas. After she got remarried she stopped singing and dancing. She stopped doing everything but being afraid, and so did I. He would come home from work and beat her, then beat me just for kicks. She was in love though, he was everything she had been needing. Hell, I even liked him at first. He went from being my hero to Satan in the flesh.

--

We arrive at the flower shop in Newark. My mom used to bring me here as a child. She loved flowers, especially pink roses. They were her favorite. "I need three dozen pink roses," I tell Juan, he has aged a bit in the last ten years. He narrows his eyes at me.

"You look familiar," He says. "I have seen those eyes somewhere but they belonged to someone else. Do you have sister?" He asks. I hesitate but nod. Juan actually knows me very well. He saw me a lot back in the day. If I took of my makeup and lost the attitude, he would definately know me.

"Tell her I say hi, ok?" He smiles. I nod again and pull out my debit card. "I only charge you for one," He says.

"Thank you," I say. I know not to argue with the man. If I do, I'll never get out of here. He'll keep insisting until I give in.

"Its good to see you again, Little One, you have aged beautifully." He says when I reach the door. I turn around quickly and he gives me a knowing look. He remembers.