Invisible, Not Invincible

Chapter 25: So Fucking Wrong

(Told in the same way as the previous chapter)

I remember my mother driving into town, and erratically pulling over in front of some bank. She had me wait in the car, she wasnt gone for very long.

She came rushing out of the bank, holding a big bag. Her head was on a swivel, looking in every direction.

She got into the driver's seat and sped off before I even had the chance to ask any questions.

We lived in a very small town. The car ride was silent, but after years of dealing with my father, seeing my mother's tensed shoulders, firm grip on the steering wheel, and heavy breathing, I should remain quiet.

I don't know when but I had dozed off, waking up to my mother.

We were in some parking garage.

She helped me get out of the car. And we walked into the building, it was an airport.

My mother made a beeline to the desk, my grip on her hand tight. Nerves ran through me at the hustle and bustle of the airport. People rushed from all directions trying to get to their flight.

I just looked around at all of the people around me while my mother was talking to the lady over the desk.

My mother handed the lady these tiny little books, they were our passports.

A few minutes later, my mother was handing the lady some money.

And the lady handed my mother two tickets.

Then, as quickly as we came, we rushed back to the car and drove off.

I didn't know it at the time, but my mother purchased two tickets to another country, I don't know which one. She used our real names.

We never got on that flight.

She just wanted him to think we did.

A few miles away after we left the airport, my mother pulled over on the road in the middle of nowhere.

She got out, and I watched from the window.

She opened the trunk, taking a box out.

She returned to the side of the car, throwing a few things into the box.

Her IDs, our social security cards, our passports. Anything that could Identify us. She poured some liquid on it all, then threw a match into the box.

She just looked down at the burning box. Making sure everything was going to be gone.

She got back into the car and started driving away.

And she just kept driving. Only stopping at gas stations for gas, food, drinks, and to use the bathroom. But she just kept driving. I didn't know where we were going, or when we were going to get there, and it seemed like she didn't either.

I think after about a week, we started stopping at motels for a few hours.

There was no sign of him.

We didn't know if he had lost our trail, or thought we fled the country, or if he was looking for us at all.

But we never stopped moving.

After about a month, we did slow down a little bit. Only a little bit. Staying at motels for a day or two before moving on.

My mother had lost a lot of weight from the stress. But she still tried to put on a brave face for me. But I knew.

I knew she was scared. Terrified actually.

This was the most scared I had ever seen her. And that, that realization, sent a shiver down my spine. It made my stomach sink.