All By Myself, All On My Own, chapter 15
Me, Tre and Mike piled into the car ready to leave but having no idea what would happen next. About a half hour into the drive Tre fell asleep on my shoulder. Poor Tre, all that has happened was taking a huge toll on him. He could hardly move without being in pain and now we were making a way to the one who did this to him trying to get our friends back. I felt myself drift off to sleep as well resting myself against the door.
********************************************
I was woken about an hour later almost a half hour until we reached my little town. "Kiki wake up where do we go now?" Billie Joe said shaking my shoulder. Tre was just waking up his head still rested on me but his dazed eyes were open. I sat up making Tre sit up as well. "Where are we?" I asked, stretching out. "Almost to Newgrove road." Mike said listening in on our conversation. "Um okay you need to get on Newgrove rd. then take a right at the stoplight by McDonalds and continue straight from there." I said, lying back up against the door. "Okay I'll remember that." Mike said making a mental note. Sure I don't drive now but I know my way around I used to drive until I got my third speeding ticket when I was seventeen and my father confiscated it. What's the point of having a car if you're not allowed to go on a joy ride every now and then? I closed my eyes but tried not to go back to sleep. I had to be shaken awake nearly ten minutes later asking again for directions. "Okay um... we're on Stedrow now so at the next intersection take a left onto Corner Street and then take a right at the next road and tell me when we get to Fifth Avenue." I said rubbing my eyes. I had to stay awake! I looked out the window as the traces of city life disappeared and the sweet familiarity of home came back. "Okay we're here now what?" Mike asked as we turned the corner onto Fifth Ave. "That's my house!" I shouted pointing out the window as we passed a big white house. Everyone seemed to look trying to see my home. "Okay but where do we go now?" Mike asked, not wanting to make a wrong turn. "Oh okay, well go to the end of this road then make a right onto Shernak Rd. Then at the end of that window make a left onto Maple Street. It's the last white house before you reach the stop sign on the right side." I said not sure if he could remember all that. We stopped in front of a large white house. Mike parked down the road in front of someone's driveway incase while we were here Mark showed up. "So what are we doing here exactly?" Billie Joe asked, unsure of what we needed to do. "We need to go in and find out where they are." I said simple as that. I got out of the car helping Tre out. I walked Tre to the door the others right behind. "What?" I asked looking at Mike and Billie Joe who seemed extremely nervous. "Won't people notice that we're here and won't Mark find out I mean look what he did to Tre." Billie Joe asked nervously, walking backwards for a moment searching. "Don't worry. He's not here and I know an escape route in case he comes when we're inside and this is a peaceful little town so no ones really going to even notice that you're here." I let go of Tre who leaned against the wall on the front of the house to help keep his balance. He could do fine without leaning but he still hurt from all the bruises. I pushed open the door. It was unlocked. Mark never locked his doors he lost his key years ago and never got a new one. I walked inside the house smelt like cigarettes and bad cooking. I looked on the bottom floor in the den and kitchen. Nothing was there, no papers on the tables or floor not even in the trashcan. I walked upstairs Mike and Billie Joe came up behind me slowly followed by Tre who had a hard time jumping up the steep stairs clutching to the railing with all his strength. On the first level things got a little more helpful. His bedroom at his desk there were papers scattered some had maps drawn out on them others had writing, which seemed like some type of code and one actually had an address quickly written out on it. Man could he be any more specific on where he was hiding? You guys look." I said laughing at how stupid Mark was to right down every detail of what he was planning and where he would be. "Great get it and lets get out of here." Mike said heading for the door and we heard a low rumble from outside. Tre had just made it up the stairs. I ran over to the window. "Shit! He's here! We have to get out of here!" I shouted going out into the hall and pulling Tre into the bedroom with us. "You said you knew an escape route!" Billie Joe screamed at me, scared out of his mind. "Yeah come on!" I yelled to them running over to the window and lifting it up. "What!?! Out the window!?!" Tre shouted scared now as well. "Yeah trust me but Tre you got to just ditch the pain and get out of here or you'll get cau... !" I shouted, suddenly going silence as I heard the sound of the door click open on the first floor and footsteps walked into the kitchen. "Crap we gotta go come on you guys!" I whispered harshly. I went through the window stuffing the papers into my pocket. I pulled Billie Joe and Mike through then steadily helped Tre climb through. We were now on a huge slanted roof over the porch. I made my way to the bottom and jumped down which on the part was only like a three foot high jump and landed in a tight area between a fence on the side of his backyard and a fence on the neighbors yard like a secret path almost because it didn't lead straight to the streets. Billie Joe and Mike came next and once again we helped Tre lower himself to the ground. We ran ,well all except Tre, to the end of the trail and I knocked hard on a loose board making it tip over into the neighbor's front yard. We walked through the doorway and I sealed the plank back onto the fence making it appear tightly nailed. "See. It was difficult but it got us out safely. Only me and Kilana know about it. When we were little we used to play hide and seek here and that was always our hiding spot and I just can't believe it's still there. I rubbed Tre on the back who was tired and sweaty from running around like that. He was going as fast he could without killing himself. We got back into the car and drove to my house where we would stay the night. As long as Mark was home alone right now they would be safe where ever they were. I unlocked my door and flicked on the lights. "Man I missed this place." I joked, going into the kitchen and pulling out a pop can. It was probably flat by now but I didn't care as long as it was something to drink. "Make yourselves at home guys!" I shouted to them. They were sitting on the couch in the living room. I came back out and took a seat next to them. "So... um... nice place... " Mike said not sure what to say. "Thanks." I said watching him look around. "There are two extra bedrooms upstairs so if you wanna sleep there choose which one you want and make yourselves comfortable. One of you can sleep on the pull out bed down here. I don't think you guys would really wanna sleep in my room." I said getting up. "I call a room!" Tre shouted trying to stand up. "I call the other one!" Mike said jumping up. "I guess I get the couch then." Billie Joe said standing up then sitting again. "Okay then." I laughed come on you guys if we find a more comfortable place upstairs you can sleep there." I said though there was only one place left and I don't think he would wanna sleep in my room I grabbed Tre around the arm and we walked upstairs. Once up I showed them to their rooms getting out extra blankets and pillows for them. I showed them my room. "Billie Joe if you wanna take the blow up mattress in here you can but I don't know if you would wanna... " I asked nervously. "Sure better than a couch on the other side of the house." He said happily. I went over to the closet and pulled out a folded plastic material. I lay it flat in the middle of the room and plugged in an air pump and quickly it rose into a soft mattress. "Camping." I laughed a little, watching it get to full size then I could take the plug out. "Okay then." He said not knowing what else to do. I pulled out some blankets and pillows and handed them to him. "You can get yourself set up." I said walking out the door to see how Tre and Mike were doing in their rooms so far. I stood in the doorway watching Tre struggling to sort out the bundle of blankets piled on his bed. "Need some help?" I laughed. "Kay." He said, stepping away. I came over pulling all the blankets off the bed and then laying a small soft blanket on the bottom then adding three other blankets on top. "If you get too hot at night you can just take one off." I said setting the pillows at the head of the bed. "Thanks." He said embarrassed. I went to see Mike who seemed finished settling in for the night he stood by the window looking out at the street. "You doing okay?" I asked walking over to see him. "Yeah fine." He said looking at me then back at the window into the night of our little town. I went to see Billie Joe and get myself ready for bed. "If I knew we were staying the night I would have brought supplies and crap." He laughed collapsing onto the air mattress making it squash in the middle and the ends curve up. I laughed at this, I don't know why but it just struck me as funny. I walked into my bathroom and brushed my teeth and getting into my pajama shirt. I had a few but I hardly ever wore them at home but since I had company I couldn't just walk around the house in my underwear. I walked out the clock said 10:00 we had been in this town just a little over hour. Billie Joe was still laying on the bed his eyes closed, trying to think of why the hell he was going through with this. I left him alone going to see once again what everyone else was up to. Tre had made it into his bed and Mike was downstairs out on the front porch looking around in the dark sitting on the swing. "Hey what's up?" I asked quietly sitting down next to him hugging my chest in the cold. "Nothing I just wish we could find Kilana and Jake and get the hell out of here and back to our normal lives." He said, looking at his feet. I didn't know what to say I just sat there with him for a while but eventually was too cold and we both went inside to get some rest. In the morning we would go find the others.
********************************************
I was woken about an hour later almost a half hour until we reached my little town. "Kiki wake up where do we go now?" Billie Joe said shaking my shoulder. Tre was just waking up his head still rested on me but his dazed eyes were open. I sat up making Tre sit up as well. "Where are we?" I asked, stretching out. "Almost to Newgrove road." Mike said listening in on our conversation. "Um okay you need to get on Newgrove rd. then take a right at the stoplight by McDonalds and continue straight from there." I said, lying back up against the door. "Okay I'll remember that." Mike said making a mental note. Sure I don't drive now but I know my way around I used to drive until I got my third speeding ticket when I was seventeen and my father confiscated it. What's the point of having a car if you're not allowed to go on a joy ride every now and then? I closed my eyes but tried not to go back to sleep. I had to be shaken awake nearly ten minutes later asking again for directions. "Okay um... we're on Stedrow now so at the next intersection take a left onto Corner Street and then take a right at the next road and tell me when we get to Fifth Avenue." I said rubbing my eyes. I had to stay awake! I looked out the window as the traces of city life disappeared and the sweet familiarity of home came back. "Okay we're here now what?" Mike asked as we turned the corner onto Fifth Ave. "That's my house!" I shouted pointing out the window as we passed a big white house. Everyone seemed to look trying to see my home. "Okay but where do we go now?" Mike asked, not wanting to make a wrong turn. "Oh okay, well go to the end of this road then make a right onto Shernak Rd. Then at the end of that window make a left onto Maple Street. It's the last white house before you reach the stop sign on the right side." I said not sure if he could remember all that. We stopped in front of a large white house. Mike parked down the road in front of someone's driveway incase while we were here Mark showed up. "So what are we doing here exactly?" Billie Joe asked, unsure of what we needed to do. "We need to go in and find out where they are." I said simple as that. I got out of the car helping Tre out. I walked Tre to the door the others right behind. "What?" I asked looking at Mike and Billie Joe who seemed extremely nervous. "Won't people notice that we're here and won't Mark find out I mean look what he did to Tre." Billie Joe asked nervously, walking backwards for a moment searching. "Don't worry. He's not here and I know an escape route in case he comes when we're inside and this is a peaceful little town so no ones really going to even notice that you're here." I let go of Tre who leaned against the wall on the front of the house to help keep his balance. He could do fine without leaning but he still hurt from all the bruises. I pushed open the door. It was unlocked. Mark never locked his doors he lost his key years ago and never got a new one. I walked inside the house smelt like cigarettes and bad cooking. I looked on the bottom floor in the den and kitchen. Nothing was there, no papers on the tables or floor not even in the trashcan. I walked upstairs Mike and Billie Joe came up behind me slowly followed by Tre who had a hard time jumping up the steep stairs clutching to the railing with all his strength. On the first level things got a little more helpful. His bedroom at his desk there were papers scattered some had maps drawn out on them others had writing, which seemed like some type of code and one actually had an address quickly written out on it. Man could he be any more specific on where he was hiding? You guys look." I said laughing at how stupid Mark was to right down every detail of what he was planning and where he would be. "Great get it and lets get out of here." Mike said heading for the door and we heard a low rumble from outside. Tre had just made it up the stairs. I ran over to the window. "Shit! He's here! We have to get out of here!" I shouted going out into the hall and pulling Tre into the bedroom with us. "You said you knew an escape route!" Billie Joe screamed at me, scared out of his mind. "Yeah come on!" I yelled to them running over to the window and lifting it up. "What!?! Out the window!?!" Tre shouted scared now as well. "Yeah trust me but Tre you got to just ditch the pain and get out of here or you'll get cau... !" I shouted, suddenly going silence as I heard the sound of the door click open on the first floor and footsteps walked into the kitchen. "Crap we gotta go come on you guys!" I whispered harshly. I went through the window stuffing the papers into my pocket. I pulled Billie Joe and Mike through then steadily helped Tre climb through. We were now on a huge slanted roof over the porch. I made my way to the bottom and jumped down which on the part was only like a three foot high jump and landed in a tight area between a fence on the side of his backyard and a fence on the neighbors yard like a secret path almost because it didn't lead straight to the streets. Billie Joe and Mike came next and once again we helped Tre lower himself to the ground. We ran ,well all except Tre, to the end of the trail and I knocked hard on a loose board making it tip over into the neighbor's front yard. We walked through the doorway and I sealed the plank back onto the fence making it appear tightly nailed. "See. It was difficult but it got us out safely. Only me and Kilana know about it. When we were little we used to play hide and seek here and that was always our hiding spot and I just can't believe it's still there. I rubbed Tre on the back who was tired and sweaty from running around like that. He was going as fast he could without killing himself. We got back into the car and drove to my house where we would stay the night. As long as Mark was home alone right now they would be safe where ever they were. I unlocked my door and flicked on the lights. "Man I missed this place." I joked, going into the kitchen and pulling out a pop can. It was probably flat by now but I didn't care as long as it was something to drink. "Make yourselves at home guys!" I shouted to them. They were sitting on the couch in the living room. I came back out and took a seat next to them. "So... um... nice place... " Mike said not sure what to say. "Thanks." I said watching him look around. "There are two extra bedrooms upstairs so if you wanna sleep there choose which one you want and make yourselves comfortable. One of you can sleep on the pull out bed down here. I don't think you guys would really wanna sleep in my room." I said getting up. "I call a room!" Tre shouted trying to stand up. "I call the other one!" Mike said jumping up. "I guess I get the couch then." Billie Joe said standing up then sitting again. "Okay then." I laughed come on you guys if we find a more comfortable place upstairs you can sleep there." I said though there was only one place left and I don't think he would wanna sleep in my room I grabbed Tre around the arm and we walked upstairs. Once up I showed them to their rooms getting out extra blankets and pillows for them. I showed them my room. "Billie Joe if you wanna take the blow up mattress in here you can but I don't know if you would wanna... " I asked nervously. "Sure better than a couch on the other side of the house." He said happily. I went over to the closet and pulled out a folded plastic material. I lay it flat in the middle of the room and plugged in an air pump and quickly it rose into a soft mattress. "Camping." I laughed a little, watching it get to full size then I could take the plug out. "Okay then." He said not knowing what else to do. I pulled out some blankets and pillows and handed them to him. "You can get yourself set up." I said walking out the door to see how Tre and Mike were doing in their rooms so far. I stood in the doorway watching Tre struggling to sort out the bundle of blankets piled on his bed. "Need some help?" I laughed. "Kay." He said, stepping away. I came over pulling all the blankets off the bed and then laying a small soft blanket on the bottom then adding three other blankets on top. "If you get too hot at night you can just take one off." I said setting the pillows at the head of the bed. "Thanks." He said embarrassed. I went to see Mike who seemed finished settling in for the night he stood by the window looking out at the street. "You doing okay?" I asked walking over to see him. "Yeah fine." He said looking at me then back at the window into the night of our little town. I went to see Billie Joe and get myself ready for bed. "If I knew we were staying the night I would have brought supplies and crap." He laughed collapsing onto the air mattress making it squash in the middle and the ends curve up. I laughed at this, I don't know why but it just struck me as funny. I walked into my bathroom and brushed my teeth and getting into my pajama shirt. I had a few but I hardly ever wore them at home but since I had company I couldn't just walk around the house in my underwear. I walked out the clock said 10:00 we had been in this town just a little over hour. Billie Joe was still laying on the bed his eyes closed, trying to think of why the hell he was going through with this. I left him alone going to see once again what everyone else was up to. Tre had made it into his bed and Mike was downstairs out on the front porch looking around in the dark sitting on the swing. "Hey what's up?" I asked quietly sitting down next to him hugging my chest in the cold. "Nothing I just wish we could find Kilana and Jake and get the hell out of here and back to our normal lives." He said, looking at his feet. I didn't know what to say I just sat there with him for a while but eventually was too cold and we both went inside to get some rest. In the morning we would go find the others.
