Page 5 of Shattered Hope
Sobbing, I nodded. “I will… thank you for all your help…” I mumbled, overwhelmed by his kindness.
“A word of advice… reach out to your father. You might be surprised,” he said as he walked up to his truck and got behind the wheel. “Take care, Ailani,” he said before he drove away.
3
Shuddering under the cold breeze, I looked around, trying to decide where to go now. I could stay here in Portland and try to find a job where people wouldn’t ask questions I couldn’t answer, but I guessed I would have better luck going up to Seattle. It was easier to disappear in big cities where people only minded their own business.
I went back inside and asked one of the waitresses where I could take a bus out of Portland, and she gave me the information I needed.
I was as careful as possible. Daniel had already found me once, and I knew he wouldn’t give up. I had barely escaped last time, and I knew I wouldn’t be so lucky next time.
Pulling up the small backpack I bought at our stop in Pendleton, I headed to the bus stop. It was freezing and I knew it would be colder in Seattle. I would have to get some winter clothes from the homeless shelters once I was in town.
On my way to the bus station, I ran across the train station and decided to try my luck there. Trains were a lot more comfortable than buses, and if I was lucky enough, there would be one in the next few hours.
There was one leaving in thirty minutes, and though it cost a bit more than I was hoping to spend, I decided to take the train.
Five hours later, I was wandering the streets of Seattle. My first priority was to find a cheap place where I could stay for a few days and a job. In my hands, I had a small list of the homeless shelters in town, and I was determined to look there first. I needed to stretch the money I had left as much as possible.
But after walking for hours, I came up empty-handed. With the extreme cold, homeless shelters were packed. One of the managers at the last shelter I tried gave me the address of a small, cheap hostel, and I hurried there.
The night was about to fall, and the last thing I wanted was to wander the streets at night. Seattle wasn’t New York, but still, the streets were dangerous at night. I needed to find shelter as soon as possible.
The hostel was packed too. No one wanted to be caught at night on the streets. A blizzard had been forecasted, and people were doing all they could to stay inside.
With no other options, I headed to a motel I had been told about, and though it would cost me more than I could afford, I needed a place to spend the night.
The blizzard hit the city with all its might around midnight. Going out was practically impossible, and I saw myself caught in the small room at the motel, unable to find a job and watching how the little money I had quickly disappeared.
The storm finally disappeared three days later, and I rushed to the streets looking for a job. I was ready to do whatever it took to get enough money for food and rent. I could only afford one more night at the motel, and while I was looking for a job, I was also visiting the homeless shelters, in case someone had room for me.
I went back to the motel that night, still jobless and with no other place where I could stay. The motel owner had already asked me how long was I staying, making sure I understood he would kick me out if I didn’t pay the rent.
With no other option, I left the motel the following morning, carrying my backpack and with no idea where I would spend the night.
I was handing the keys to my room, at the reception desk, when a couple of women entered brushing the snow off their coats. I had seen them before around the place, and their line of work had been evident from the beginning.
“Leaving so soon, sweetheart?” one of them asked me, with a slight frown. “It’s snowing outside. Do you have a place to go?”
Intrigued by her curiosity, I gave her a faint smile. “I’ll find a place.”
“John here told me you were looking for a job. Did you find one?” the woman insisted.
“She wouldn’t be leaving if she had, Darla, don’t you think?” her friend said, scowling.
“You can’t spend the night outside… it’s snowing, and another storm is expected. You’ll freeze to death,” Darla pointed out.
“Thank you for your concern, but I will be fine,” I assured her, though my tone lacked confidence.
I had no idea what I would do, and it worried me. Coming to Seattle in the middle of winter hadn't been a good idea, but there wasn’t much I could do now. I couldn’t afford a ticket out of here.
Darla looked at her with a deep frown. “The homeless shelters are packed. You won’t find a place cheaper than this one,” she pointed out.
“I’m well aware,” I admitted, in a low tone.
The woman took a step towards me and picked one of my dark locks. “With your looks, you would do well on the streets. Have you considered it?” she asked, keeping her voice down. “I can help you if you want to try.”
My whole body trembled as a wave of disgust rushed through me. The idea of letting a man touch me was enough to make me want to puke. Having sex was something I doubted I would ever try again. Daniel had ruined me forever.
