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A/N: Sorry, lol, about not posting the chapter

Chapter One

The air was cool when he stepped off the bus. As he stretched and sighed his breath came from his lips in a misty fog. He looked around as others stepped off the bus. It was dark and the sky was a violet purple. He rubbed his hands over his tired face. He glanced back at the bus where a small group of young children included Kristen in silly games while adults stood around and smoked or walked around taking advantages of the breaks. He saw from the corner of his eye the beautiful woman he asked to wake him up slowly walking over to him.

“Do you know how many miles this bus route is?”

“Yeah. Uh, about one thousand sixteen I think.” He said leaning against the bus. He was freezing in his slim leather jacket. He slipped his hands into his jean pockets.

“Wow.” She said rubbing the top of her lip, “How long have we been riding?” she asked and he looked at his watch.

“Uh…about five hours.” He said nodding. She sighed and he watched as her breath swirled over her head and disappeared.

“Where are we?”

“Ohio something.” He mumbled, “I think we cut through Gary, Indiana maybe a couple hours ago.”

“You got a cute daughter.” She said and he snapped his head to her. He bit down on his lip when he realized what everyone assumed. Kristen was his daughter and he was just a rather young father in his early twenties.

“Thank you.” He said forcing a quick smile. She put her brown hands into her coat pocket and began to rock back and forth on her heels.

“Well, I’m gonna go and get some food from the vending machine.” She said and she turned slowly and began to the rest area building.

“That’s a good idea.” He mumbled. It was the first time he realized he was starved. He climbed back on the bus and waved back when Kristen waved at him.He dug through his black duffel bad and pulled out a worn, brown leather wallet. He held it in his hands a moment remembering his father he wanted to forget. He loved the man to death but yet he hated him so much. He shoved it in his back jean pocket and glanced at Kristen. She was laughing loudly with the other kids scattered around the bus’s seats. He jumped off the bus and started to the rest area building.

He pushed open the door and the heat rushed at him into his blood. He thawed almost immediately as he walked to the bathroom. He stepped inside and examined his face in the mirror. He saw he had an imprint on his face from where he had laid his head down to sleep. He pulled a beanie from his back jean pocket and slipped it over his tousled hair. It covered the imprint respectively.

He walked from the bathroom and walked from the rest area to a smaller building housing the vending machines. He stepped inside and saw her. She smiled at him with a pat on his shoulder.

“See you on the bus.” She said walking out the door. He grinned as he used nine dollars out of one hundred and fifty two not including the seven cents that was scattered pennies in his coin pouch of his wallet.

Every pocket was used to transport the ten Cheetoh bags and four strawberry cream sodas that he had just spent nine dollars on. He walked through the well lit parking lot full of cars and people. It was relatively quiet though since it was close to one o’clock in the morning. Stepping on the bus he put this all in the back duffel bag.

“Krissy.” He called. She must have ignored him because he knew she heard him.

“Krissy.” She turned.

“What,” she whined.

“Watch the bag. I’m serious now Krissy.”

“Whatever Kevin.” She answered giggling with the rest of her new friends. She was bouncing around with them talking and laughing. He slipped off the bus once more looking at his watch. He estimated that he had a little over five minutes. He walked around the building to a pay phone and got change from a couple walking by. He dialed the number and waited.

“Hello.” She answered and he grinned as he bounced around trying to get heat circulating through his body.

“Yeah, it’s me Kevin.” He said glancing around.

“Kevin!” she whispered. She sounded excited, “Damn it Kevin you need a cell phone. Where are you? It’s like twelve degrees here in Flint. Where are you? How’s Kristen?”

“Settle down Chandler. Why are you whispering?” There was a pause. Something was wrong. “What happened, Chandler? Don’t make me guess.”

“Kevin, they know you burned the house down. They also know you have Kristen and they just talked to me about it. “

“What you say?”

“Said I didn’t even know you hated Bryan.” She replied.

“And?”

“Bryan was at work Kevin. They changed his shift.”

“What?!” he nearly yelled. He was beginning to feel queasy. It was a feeling he was too terrified to admit he felt. He tried to compose himself but he was about to go insane.

“It was your father Kevin. Your mom had invited him to sleep on the couch and see you guys in the morning.” She said softly. He balled his fists and dug his nails into the soft flesh of his palms.

“I-I…” he closed his eyes, “Is he alive?” He wanted to hear the answer but then he didn’t.

“Yes but it’s not looking too good Kevin. It ain’t looking too hot.” She said with a small sigh.

“God I-“ he bit his lip and pressed his nails into his palms so hard that littler crescent bubbles of blood began to form. “God I didn’t-“ he sobbed softly covering his mouth.

“Kevin don’t cry. He’s going to be alright. Nothing will happen to him. Kevin he’s gonna be alright.

“I thought it was-damn it!”

“It’s going to be okay baby.”

“It was meant for Bryan not him, not him.” He said and he inhaled sharply. His attempt at keeping himself together was failing.

“Kevin, they don’t know that.”

“Chandler…just-“

“I’m sorry. I’m sorry okay. They think you tried to kill your father for revenge or something because he was gone so long.”

He adjusted the beanie on his head moving it up and down. His dark brown peeked from under the hat.

“I didn’t. It was for Bryan. It was for fucking Bryan. You’ve got to tell them that Chandler.”

“You’re not thinking clear Kevin.” She hissed, “They’ll figure it out.”

“No they won’t!” he yelled in the phone. He ignored the sharp glares directed toward him. He dropped his voice to a low whisper glancing around, “They will have no evidence that Krissy was molested by Bryan if you don’t tell them.”

“I can’t Kevin.” She said softly, “They push further and I’ll be overwhelmed. Your parents will blame me and I can go to jail Kevin. They were like I could go to jail for assisting a criminal.”

“I’m not a criminal damn it. I’m protecting Krissy.”

“I know Kevin but pray to God your father doesn’t die.”

“There is no God Chandler.”

“Kevin,” she begged, “don’t start.”

“I can’t.” he replied sharply, “I have to go.” He snapped and hung the phone up abruptly. He hurried to the bus stuffing his hands in his pockets. He couldn’t stop his mind from running. He was scared, he was mad. At what he didn’t know. Was he angry with himself? With Bryan? But how could he be angry at Bryan for not arriving and cooperating with his death? He sighed gruffly and stepped on the bus. He was inwardly glad that everyone wasn’t waiting for him. There were still a few adults and the driver who were smoking outside and talking lightly. He rubbed his face and tried not to look mad. He tried his hardest not to look scared. He wanted to look normal so nothing could be suspected and no one could be suspicious.

“What’s wrong with you? Looks like something happened over there while you were on that phone.”

He sat in his seat slowly and tried to replay the conversation with Chandler over again.

“Father had a heart attack.” He lied. Her face fell and her hand touched his gently.

“I’m so sorry.” She said patting his hand, “My mom died of Cancer.” She said. He nodded.

“If nothing happens in anyone’s family, it’s just not life you know.” He said. It was a poor attempt at sarcasm and a conversation but she rode with it.

“Agreed.” She smiled softly. He looked into her eyes for the first time. “Name’s Julie.” She said extending her hand. He forced a smile.

“Jason.” He answered. He shook her hand and she tucked a piece of curly brown hair behind her ear. He couldn’t lie and say she wasn’t gorgeous but he needed Chandler. He wanted her to be with him now and he was mad that she didn’t run with him. He needed her here with him now. He was terrified, he wanted to rewind time. He should have just taken Krissy and ran away but he was just so consumed in anger when he had saw Krissy crying. He didn’t know what he could have done differently. Anything different would have been just straight up murder of the man with his bare hands.

“How old are you Jason?” she asked grinning widely.

“Twenty six.” He lied quickly. “How old are you?”

“Guess.” She said giggling and turning around.

“Thirty.” He replied. He wanted to go to sleep but he didn’t want to be rude and brush her off. She seemed to really be enjoying him. Besides, she could probably be a hide-out if anything happened. The general public had emotion where the legal system didn’t. Any woman with a child would understand his point of view. He could almost see her doing the same.

“You are really rude you know.” She replied. He could tell she was doing something. He couldn’t see what she was doing from over the seat.

“Twenty five?”

“Okay. You’re a little rude.” She smiled and turned back at him. Her lips were a dark shade of a red color matching her sweater that she wore.

“Twenty three?”

“Got it.” She said giggling. Parents called to their children and Krissy sat next to him. He offered his hand and she grasped onto while lying her head on his arm.

“What do you work as?” she asked with a grin.
“Artist.” He said nodding forcing a smile.

“Cool.” She said pulling her small daughter onto her seat. The bus began to move.

“Yeah, I love it.” He said with the feigned smile still plastered across his face.

“Make me something? What do you do?”

“Paint.” He said nodding, “I paint.”

“Good. I think those professions have got to be the best. Art is a good field cause if you wake up mad one day, you can inspire a picture or even a trend. I got some pictures I drew. Take a look at ‘em.” She said digging around in a small bag. She pulled a sketch book and handed it to him.

“I agree.” He said nodding. He took it and acted as if he were tired making his movements slow and dragging. He flipped through the drawings of nude men, basketball shoes and a small baby child held in the arms of his mother that was drawn in pen.

“Very nice.” He said handing her back the pad.

“Well Jason, it looks like you’re tired.” She said and he nodded.

“Rather.”

“So what did you do for three hours?” He chuckled.

“Three hours doesn’t compare at all to eight.” He said and she nodded turning around with a grin. He closed his eyes trying to sort through everything that was running through his head. They’d be checking his bank account and he needed to withdraw from someplace that he wasn’t going to stay in. As he thought, his mind drifted and he was soon asleep.