MIRR/OR/ED

|Chapter 3|

Chapter 3. Watercolor sky

A slight shove pushes me forward and I turn to see a bouncy curled hair little girl with her belongings in one hand—and her mother's tight grasp in the other. I offer an apologetic smile as they both pass me. My feet firm on the graveled spot Tom left me on, I begin to glaze out looking ahead, as the awkwardly weighted bag swings in the little girl's arms.

My eyes blur their figures together that strut out of my eye length, and I'm left staring at the faces of those lined up behind the loading docks, smearing together the washed-out colors of each profile. But through the blur I can tell they all hold the same expression—brave.

I stride to the side of the warehouse, the tall, rusted wall holds the dining room doors slightly open. The weight of them pushes a mark into the gravel-lined pathway as heaving it open is harder than expected. All that is left to the barren metal room is the rows of tables stained from decades of use, and the desolate aura that will never be filled no matter how many occupy it.

That along with the unforgettable smell of the warehouse kitchen-- a nauseating mix of rust and body odor.

Stepping through the doorway I almost forget what I've come in for and just as I do the question pops into my head, Lilly's got to be waiting for the last second to get to the loading docs as she usually does. Avoiding big crowds.

My neck cranes up to the window sills that line the rusted sheet metal, checking the common places I tend to find her hiding. Sitting somewhere up high, reading to distract her from the chaos around her.

In the far corner of the ceiling I see a petite frame in one of the sills, with a book in her lap and her knees tucked to her chest. My lips form a smile at the simplicity in the moment..

"Hey, " I holler up to her. She jumps a bit, untucking her legs. "whatcha doin?" My voice echoes around us.

She glances back and forth until she notices me below. The expression she holds is vexed.

"What?" I ask, as if I don't already know.

She slides her book into her bag and slings it over the shoulder, pushing herself off the sill. Her feet land at the edge of the wall, with her knees bent. Standing up to face me, she gives me a sarcastic eye with the bright hazel color that reminds me of Moms.

"You already know what." Her tone scrapes against irritation. "You're the one that's always quick to judge me for running off, but when it's something as serious as this you take off... Very hypocritical of you, I just have to say. You'd think this is the kind of thing you'd want to show me." I notice her throat tighten as she speaks, her inflection changing with each word. Her thin arms fold over themselves as she loses eye contact with me.

I press my hip against the long cafeteria table next to me and look down in shame. I shouldn't have reacted the way I did; my throat burns at the sharp inhale I take.

"I'm so sorry Lilly... I didn't think about it. I just reacted..." Mimicking Lilly's posture I fold my arms over one another, remembering back to the overwhelm of emotions.

"Did you at least get to read it?" I ask.

She gives me a slight nod. Her expression reads the same as mine.. a loss for words.

"Yeah," She begins, stepping a little more toward me. "I just don't get it... the letter was so vague. How are we supposed to know that's even real, a runaway escaping has never been heard of." The hurt that was in her voice moments before has dropped and she gains the ridged emotion she puts on for everyone. Moving to the side of me and leaning against the edge of the table her side presses into mine.