Hotel at the Edge

The Hotel

Rain pelted the windshield of the car that raced down the empty barren road, the night which would usually feel like a comforting hand cradling them from the harsh rays of morning, now felt like an oppressive fist bearing down on them. The gas pedal was pressed against the floor of the car, and even then it didn't seem to be fast enough. There were a lot of blinking lights on the dash of the car, and a consistent and loud dinging sound that definitely wasn't what seemed to normally happen when they used to ride in the car with their parents.

Their parents...

A whimper crawled up from their throat, and a choked strangled noise rang in their ears.

It was hard to breathe through the watery hiccups that kept forcing their way out of their mouth, and what was worse was the hot tears that just kept coming made it hard to see.

Taking their hand from the steering wheel they pathetically attempted to wipe the tears from their eyes in a desperate attempt to be able to see again. Just to be able to glance up at the review mirror, just waiting for the flash of blue and red lights or high pitched wail of a siren to stop the car in it's tracks like some kind of spell.

But there was nothing but endless darkness behind them, along with the torrent of rain that thumped against the car like birds dive-bombing from the sky. The rain seemed to drown out everything that they once knew.

They almost wished that there would be something to force them to stop.

If for anything then just so that they could step out and feel the rain, and let it drench them to the bone.

They deserved that much at least.

The memory of a harsh stinging slap and even harsher words thrown at them raised the hairs on the back of their neck, and their knuckles flushed white with the strength they were using to grip the steering wheel. The reminder of a bloody lip, of bruised forearms, cowering to appease them in ways that would just never work, but was of course always demanded.

I hate them... The thought came as soon as it went. I hate them for what they've done to me... and for what they've made me do.

It felt almost wrong to feel such a thing, as if even thinking it was blasphemy towards the people who had even taught them how to think.

But then again...

They probably hate you too. That injured and lonely part of them hissed in righteous anger.

The grief that had been stuck with them throughout the entire time of their escape slowly came to pass, and then all at once, leaving them feeling washed out and ragged. But it only lasted for a moment, before the rage that was even quicker swelled up to replace it. A spitefulness that felt as foreign as the steering wheel under their fingertips.

Because maybe they did deserve it, maybe they did deserve what happened to them. But that would also mean that the people who wronged them also deserved exactly everything that they had done back. Those people deserved every single hateful thought, bloody mark, and bruise that they had returned back to them.

Fuck them.

A stalling noise dragged them back to reality, as the speed of the car steadily slowed before coming to a complete stop.

"No..." They whispered, frantically jerking the wheel as if that would make it come back to life. "No no no!" Their voice crescendoed in a raw shout of pain as they slammed their fist on the dash board. "Fucking move you piece of-" Pain lanced up their arm as they punched it again and again, the only thing changing was that the car finally sputtered out. The lights dying out, and the engine that had been rattling throughout the entire leg of their journey finally gave out. Like the last little sputtering remains of a fire during a downpour. "Fuck!"

Resting their head on the steering wheel of the car that refused to move a single inch, a deep troubled sigh finally escaped them. Looks like they'd get exactly what they'd want after all.

"I guess I'm walking..."

Loneliness was familiar whether they liked it or not. It had been their constant companion through the shifting of ages and ideas, from when they had first learned to walk to when they finally had the courage to steal their father's car regardless of not knowing how it even worked. And now was no different, as the rain came down in sheets soaking them to the bone.

Fuck it was cold.

"I hope they don't come looking for me." The words were pulled right out of their mouth, their chilled lip moving numbly in the freezing rain. "I hope that they forget all about me... I hope that they all do." Warm tears joined the wash of cold raindrops down their face. "Hell... I don't want to even remember me..."

A joyless chuckle left them, as they trudged forward mud slicking their worn out sneakers.

Being forgotten?

As if life would ever be that gentle with them.

Another wave of rain passed over them. "Oh please, by all means go ahead." Dourly ranting to the weather made them feel the slightest bit better. "It's not like I can't get more wet!"

Blinking the rain from their eyes, they stopped dead in their tracks something akin to hope sprouting in their chest for the first time tonight.

Up ahead, cutting through the darkness like a sharp blade was bright neon lights of every color imaginable. Had they been in a desert the sight in front of them would have been an oasis. It was... a hotel? It looked kind of like the ones that they had seen on tv when ads for Vas Vegas, and they were certain that where they had ended up was nowhere near Las Vegas. They would have had to drive thousands of miles to even get close to that place. But it was a hotel nonetheless, and a hotel meant a hot shower, a bed, and possibly a bed.

Feeling around in their soaked pockets, their knees nearly went soft in relief. They had some money, perhaps not enough for a full night stay but even if it was just for a few hours that would more than enough time to plan their next course of action.

So with that renewed kernel of hope blooming inside of them they made a beeline to the hotel.

Anything would be better than this.