The Runner.

Chapter One

No one can know the truth. I can't let anyone get too close or they'll find out.

Her mind is racing as she drives towards her new home, Fairhope, Alabama. Thinking back to when she threw a dart at a map in search of a new home for her daughter, away from the monsters in her past. Fairhope, the name seemed so optimistic, hoping it would rub off some luck in their new life.

She had left everything behind, everyone she had once known, her so-called friends, her identity, all in her past. Gone, forgotten and for good. She knew they would come, they would try to find her, but she would make sure, for Lily's sake they would never find her.

No longer was she the big city girl, Mary Johnson, that woman died the minute she stepped foot in her car to drive to her new life. She made sure to secure a new identity, birth certificates, passports, burnt the old, continue with the new.

A high pitched cry broke her out of her trance, looking in the rearview mirror she saw her beautiful baby girl crying out in hunger. It had been a few hours since her last bottle, looking at the time, 8:45pm. She needs to find a place for them to rest for the night. A few minutes passes and she sees a motel sign up ahead. A flashing sign tells her there are vacancies, good. She pulls in quickly and unbuckles herself before going to the back seat. Pulling the buckles free, she gently picks up Lily and begins rocking her to try soothe her baby's cries. She grabs her old bag and heads to the reception after locking the door to the car.

She makes her way into the building and is greeted with a musty smell, an uncomfortable odor infiltrates her nose as she struggles to take deeper breaths. There is a man behind the counter wearing a stained old singlet. As her eyes travel up, she sees a toothpick hanging out of chapped lips, a mouth full of yellow teeth. The man looks very greasy and uninviting, she begins to second guess her motel choices but ultimately decides that this was the safest place to be for the two of them, no one would look for them here and she could handle any problems with the receptionist. They would be secure for the night.

"Hiya doll face, can I help you?" The man asks, licking his lips slightly.

"One room." She says shortly.

The man does not pick up on her disinterest.

"One bed, or two?" He leans forward on his elbows.

"My husband and I will be fine with just the one bed." She lies fluently. Hopefully if the man thinks she is not alone, he will back off.

"Hmph". He grunts and clicks his teeth with his tongue.

The man turns to his computer and looks up available rooms.

"Room 37, up the stairs on your right, third door on the left. Enjoy your stay doll face." He winks at her as he hands her the keys slowly.

She snatched them out of his hand and walks quickly out of the room. Going back to her car, she opens the trunk and grabs her duffel bag.

Working swiftly, she heads up to her room, following the mans directions, she quickly finds it and makes sure to look around outside quickly before opening the door and quickly going inside, double checking every lock.

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