[ 10:33 AM ]
my dream.
it didn't feel like a dream.
it felt like a memory.
as if i know anything about patches of destroyed dirt.
i'm not even sure if that's exactly what it was.
my best guess is land, but where?
"hey..."
i fall out of my trance and watch as dom walks his way over to me from cleaning the dishes.
why? i assume for some sense of normalcy. once we step out of this apartment, we'll be hunted fugitives.
being careful doesn't even seem like the appropriate term to use once we leave.
"yeah?" i finally answer as he's sitting in the seat next to me.
"what's happening in that pretty little head of yours?" he asks, offering me a small smile.
"my dream," i tell him, going back into my trance. "that connection, i felt it. i still do. none of my dreams ever felt that strong, not even the nightmare i had about you." i pull my legs up to my chest. "i don't know what it means."
"if you feel that strongly, then what's the plan?" he asks.
"keep moving. we stay low, maybe find odd jobs. we're going to need to change how we look, especially you, lavender hair," i tease, looking at his hair. "a dead giveaway. i'll take my hoodie, get you some hair dye, get me a wig. should i get apple something?" i question.
"how about this? we go with you. we shouldn't split up, now that we're being hunted. and apple doesn't need anything. they aren't looking for her. yet."
i nod.
"well, you and apple better be prepared to run because i'm going to do some stupid shit."
"i'll go pack a bag for apple and we can go."
he gets up and disappears into apple's room.
i sigh and stand, pulling my hoodie over my tank top. i strap my backpack on both of my shoulders and wait.
🦋 dominic 🦋
"hey apple, let's get ready," i tell her, opening her closet door.
"where are we going?" she questions, getting off her bed from coloring.
i grab her largest backpack, which is still small.
"we're going to..." i trail off, grabbing things she's going to need.
"dommy!"
"we're just going apple! okay?" i tell her, raising my voice a little.
"fine."
"sorry," i sigh, "just put your shoes on. i'll explain later."
i stuff everything surprisingly inside of her backpack. i even packed her coloring book and colors.
"are we going to noonie?"
"apple. please. come see if you can carry this."
she slips her sneakers on and bounds up to me. she grabs the backpack and with ease, drapes it over one shoulder.
she sends me a dirty look and i bend down to her height.
"i'm sorry, okay?"
"you don't have to be mean. just because you and raya are fighting? i thought you liked each other!"
"we do like each other. it's hard to explain anything apple. we just know that we have to get going."
"and mama?"
"...mama... she's gone to a better place," i tell her.
"can- can i say goodbye?"
"no," i dismiss and stand.
"dommy-"
"no. you're seven!"
"i was here with her! you weren't!" she argues.
"no apple!"
"that's not fair!"
"life's not fair!" i scream at her, making her take a step back from me. i bend down to her height again. "once we leave this apartment, the life you're used to won't exist anymore. you won't be apple. one day you'll be janie, or madison, or fucking sandra! i can't... i can't have you lose your innocence so quickly. i should've been here," i tell her, eyes watering as i grab her cheeks. "i should have been here for you so you wouldn't have had to do this on your own, survive for four days all by yourself. but i'm here now. i just got you back. i just found out you can turn invisible, so please let me keep you safe, for as long as i can," i cry.
she pulls me into a hug, and i cry into her shoulder, hugging both her and her backpack.
she wipes the tears from my face and gives me a kiss on the cheek.
"okay dommy," she whispers.
i hug her once more before standing, taking her hand. we walk out and i see soraya, waiting. she's leaning against the wall next to the front door, a leg on the wall.
i look at my mom's door and at apple.
i know i told her she shouldn't say goodbye, but i need to.
i look back to soraya.
"i'm gonna..." i trail off, letting apple's hand go and heading to her door.
my chest constricts in pain as i touch the handle, preparing myself for the worst.
🌹 soraya 🌹
apple walks toward me as dom enters his mom's room. he's avoided looking and talking about it in the 14 hours we've dumbly stayed.
but i wait for him to take his moment.
some mothers decided to be good to their children.
i crouch to apple's height and put her other backpack strap on her.
"being here must've been really scary, huh?" i ask her. she looks down at her feet, nodding quietly. "well guess what," i say, titling her head up with her chin gently so she can look at me. "dom and i are going to make sure you never feel that scared again. we're going to protect you."
"what about alex?" she asks me, turning and looking at her mom's closed door.
"we're going to get really good with our powers first."
"why not alex first?" she asks looking back at me.
"because if we don't get better, bad people will kill us and alex will have no help."
"bad people want to kill us?"
"they wouldn't treat us nicely. they took alex. so we're going to get so powerful they'll have no choice but to give him back to us." she nods again, looking at her mom's room yet again. "what's up?"
"dommy won't let me say goodbye to her. i just want to tell her that i love her. i'm not a baby."
i smile.
"how about i help you?" i whisper to her. "you're going to have to move fast okay?"
she grins at me and we walk to the door. she looks at me, a huge smile plastered on her face, and goes invisible.
"that's never going to be not cool," i mumble to myself shaking my head.
two minutes pass ever so slightly before the door is swung open. dominic stands there, eyes red and puffy. he shuffles forward looking at me. i pull him in for a hug as he shuts the door behind him, letting apple do what she needs.
dom embraces me, his face pressed into my neck gingerly.
"where's apple?" he asks, just as she reappears behind him, giving me a thumbs up with a smile.
"here," she answers for me, wiping her smile off her face as he turns to her.
he uses his shirt to dry his tears and takes apple's hand.
"let's go," he states and leads the way.
he checks our surroundings through the window. when he doesn't say anything, we leave out heading to a beauty store.
dominic carries apple with ease as i walk next to him.
"you just had to get face tattoos didn't you?" i point out.
"can you push my hood over my head?" i help him out, being his second hand. "and you like my face tats, don't cap."
"oh my god, shut up." i roll my eyes. "that would be a nice comeback if we weren't fbi's most wanted!"
"i know. i stick out like a sore thumb. we're gonna change that."
places here seem to be shut down. a couple were open but, most were closed. what's the death toll now?
we finally get to a beauty store. i throw my hood over my head.
"keep watch," i smirk, plucking a convenient bobby pin from apple's hair.
i check the standard lock and i check for alarms and cameras.
no alarm; could be silent or motion detected. either way, i'm moving quick.
i don't mind the cameras, we're on the run anyway.
i pick the lock with ease, going in stealth. i dance around the aisles, grabbing everything i need: black hair dye, a brown wavy wig, and concealer for dom's tattoos.
"okay let's go!" i rush, putting the contraband under my hoodie, meeting dom and apple back outside.
we run maybe half a mile, before arriving at an open gas station with an outdoor bathroom.
i try the door; locked.
"fuck," i breathe, trying to stop my chest from pumping so heavily.
"we need a key," dom wheezes, pointing to the sign that says just that and setting apple down. he lays his hands on his knees, trying to catch his breath too. "i haven't done that much cardio in a long ass time," he huffs. i lean against the bathroom door and regain my composure. "i'll go ask for it."
"slow down there tattoo face, i'll get it." my eyes pan to apple, an idea popping into my head. "and i'm going to need apple to do it."
dom doesn't object so i decide i'm doing something right.
in one smooth motion, i kick myself off the door and scoop apple up in my arms, setting her on my hip.
"i'll do all the talking," i tell her as we head inside of the gas station. she nods and i walk in connecting eyes with the cashier. i search to see if he recognizes me but his gaze moves to apple. "my daughter needs to use the restroom," i state.
he takes his eyes off us to grab the key. he hands it to me.
"she's adorable," he smiles at me, connecting his eyes again with mine.
"thank you," i smile back and turn, walking out quickly.
i set apple down and we walk back to the bathroom where dom is sitting against the wall next to the bathroom door.
i toss him the key, he catching it out the air.
"damn woman, you're good," he smirks, standing and moving to unlock the door. "after you beautiful ladies," he grins after opening the door, holding it open.
"why thank you sir fike," i play along, guiding apple in with me. i switch the light on and the door closes behind us with a thud. "let's move fast," i demand.
{ @sadkyoto Tiana_luvs_ this is for you !! thank you for the votes & comments !! }