[ 9:11 PM ]
"hood up," i tell him, sliding mine over my head and tucking my curls out of sight.
we walk into the front office area. it's a small separate building from the motel. just a waiting area and a check in desk.
it's colder inside than out so my body tries to adjust to the change.
"welcome to nite's motel. what can we do for you?" a caucasian elderly man questions.
his hairs straight white. he's a healthy weight, but his age is in his face.
an elderly japanese woman stands next to him, a warm smile on her face.
do they know what's going on with this virus?
"we'll take a room for tonight. we might stay longer, not exactly sure on that yet," i answer him, standing a comfortable distance away.
dom stands quietly a step behind me.
i can see the two owners check out his tattoos on his face.
they silently judge him.
i refrain from saying anything, but clear my throat, bringing their attention back to me.
"okay!" the elderly man smiles, but only at me. "ren, can you get these youngsters a key?"
"single or double bed?" ren questions, sending me a concerned look.
"single," dom speaks up.
"that'll be $45," the old man states.
i crouch onto one knee opening my backpack and pull out yet another three $20s.
"you can keep the extra $15," i tell him, standing and sliding the money towards them.
ren slides us the key and dom reaches for it. he walks toward the exit.
"thank you," i smile at them, "have a good-"
"is everything... okay?" ren questions as dominic closes himself outside.
"what?" i question.
"are you in any trouble? should we call someone?" the elderly man fires at me.
"you think... no, it's- he's not- that's my boyfriend," i lie, refraining from audibly gagging.
"are you sure?" ren questions.
"well tell that to the bun in the oven," i force out. "we're just trying to find a good place to settle down while saving up. promise. nothing crazy is going on. thank you for being concerned, but i happen to love his tattoos."
i'm gonna throw up.
"we're sorry we jumped to conclusions," the man apologizes.
"have a good night," i dismiss and walk out.
"what the hell took you so long?" dom curses, standing in the middle of the parking lot.
"nothing. let's go."
"how many times have you actually done this?"
"between 16 and 18, i did what i had to to get away from the monster that is- was. the monster that was my mother. what's the room number?"
"four."
the odd number rooms are the first level while the evens are the second. we climb the stairs, walking past room two and stopping in front of room four.
i watch as dom unlocks and opens the door.
the room's plain. an orange tint from the lamp which seems to be the only light source. the bed sheets are white. the walls are an off white, beige but not. there's one bed in the center against one wall facing a small dresser with a small tv on top. there's another door i assume to the bathroom.
"remind me why single bed?" i ask him as we walk in, tossing our bags on the bed.
"separate would've been too suspicious. they would've thought we didn't know each other," he explains.
"mhmm. sure that's the reason," i tease, knowing he saw the judgmental looks as well.
"whatever, believe what you want," he grumbles.
i chuckle, turning the small tv on. it's the news channel; a small static popping in and out every few seconds. i listen as i pull dom's hoodie off myself and pull my hair into a tight bun.
"the virus liquifies the inside of the body. we advise people to heed the stay-in warning and steer clear of others as this affects all ages."
"this shit is horrible. i've never seen anything like it," i curse, shaking my head. i stare at the screen, arms crossed against my chest.
"i've never seen anything like us," dom adds.
i turn to look at him sitting on the edge of the bed not that far behind me.
"i still think there's more than just us two. i can't think any other differently than that."
"let's not get into it. if we're going to do this, we should get to know each other."
i walk to lock the door and go sit on the bed, pressing my back against the bed frame.
dom spins around to me, smiling.
"hi."
"hi," i chuckle, pulling my knees to the air and hugging them.
"so you can move shit with your mind and shoot things out of your palms."
"yup."
"and i can force field and mess with lights."
"that sums it up."
"have you felt different?"
"in what way?"
"any way. before this, did you feel or know you had powers?"
"not exactly. i mean i stayed to myself most of my life. i've never had any inclination of me having powers until i met you. you?"
"same. i made friends but i don't know, i wouldn't call most of them friends. when we bumped into each other was the first time i sensed anything."
"you bumped into me," i correct.
"you right. my bad, but imagine if i didn't, we wouldn't be here right now."
"right. you would be locked up for creating a virus."
"are we really on the run?" he asks, nervous.
"kind of fun huh?" i smirk.
some people wish this was real. some people fantasize about being on the run.
"if we get caught..."
"not until we get better or find some information about ourselves."
"but if we do... we don't even know who we're running from."
"some of our citizens aren't understanding the magnitude of this virus. there is a zero percent survival rate."
"you're terrifying the citizens at home randy!"
"these are the facts of the world right now. people are dropping at fast rates and all we ask is for individuals to stay-"
"shut up!" dom groans.
the tv shuts off.
i lay my legs on the bed and sit up from the bed frame.
"did you just-"
he whips his head around to the now off tv.
"did i-"
"i think you did!" i exclaim. "i told you it's more!"
"more what though? what am i controlling?"
"i mean tvs, lights. i think you can manipulate energy! do it again!"
"manipulate energy? what does that mean?"
"it means you can do so fucking much!"
"i-i don't know!" he stutters. "i'm not understanding."
"it's like you told me-"
Incoming Facetime Call... reeves 🌻
"-shut up! shut up!" i yell, tapping the green button.
reeves pops up on my screen with tear stained cheeks and red, puffy eyes.
"it's been five hours," she sniffles, "i don't know if i'm safe." she wipes her nose with the arm sleeve of her sweater. "i'm so scared. i've locked myself in my room. soraya... my mom and dad..." she shakes her head, a stream of tears flowing down her face.
"i'm so sorry reeves... what about roman?"
"he left after finding our parents, something about going to be with his girlfriend."
"i love you okay? so much!" i tell her.
"i don't want to die," she whispers, crying harder. "we haven't even met!"
"we will!"
"but if we don't-"
"stop talking like that!"
"soraya, please!"
"it's been five hours reeves! you're in the clear. you don't have to worry anymore."
"you don't know that," she cries. "if we never meet soraya, i love you so much! you have been the bestest best friend a girl could ever have! i thought about what you were saying. about your mom and powers. i know you wouldn't lie to me. that's fucking crazy by the way! i want you to be the best person you can be. an-and with your mom! she's gone! so don't let her rule your emotions anymore. you can finally be the soraya you are with me. promise me!"
tears cascade down my cheeks. this sounds way too much like a goodbye. it's been five hours. she has to be safe.
"reeves-"
"soraya. promise me!"
she's wiping away her tears when i realize she's got red smeared along her cheek.
her tears flow dark red.
she wipes her eyes with her fingers, staring at them in horror.
"no... no! you made it five hours!" i shout at my screen feeling helpless.
"promise me! please!" she cries.
"i promise reeves! i promise!" i cry.
"i'm so glad you came into my life," she smiles, blood dripping down her nose.
"i love you so much!"
she coughs, blood spraying the camera.
"i love you more!"
her face disappears.
i stare at my home screen. my body shutting itself off limb by limb. my breath catches in my throat as a heavy cloud of emotions weighs deep down in my core. my phone falls from my hand onto the bed. my arm falls after. my entire being wants to curl into fetal position; heart shattering into a million pieces.
if she lived, i would've made my way to her. we finally would've met. we could've finally met.
we could have-
i look at dom, a blurred vision of him translating. my breathing starting to pick up in speed as everything is setting in.
everything is happening.
reeves is... reeves she's...
dom grabs my arms, pulling me into laying on his chest. a vibrational hum coming from his body into mine.
"shh... shh everything will be okay," he whispers, our energy molding together in a soothing way.
he rocks me until i close my eyes and let myself just let him be there for me.
there's no one else.