Lonely One Chapter 9

"I'm not in any position to allow you to board that train," the man said in a gruff voice.
A knot formed in my stomach.  Epona shot me a scared look.
"Why not?" I said defiantly.
"I've got some friends who want to talk to you," he responded.  He got up from his seat.
"Run," Epona said through grit teeth.
She didn't have to tell me twice.  I grabbed her by the wrist and dragged her away.  People were blurred figures as we flew past them.  Voices echoed behind us.  Angry voices.
"Oh my God, my life!" I said angrily as we sped around a corner and out a fire exit.  We found ourselves in an alley way near the train tracks.  We looked around frantically before Epona made up both our minds.  She grabbed my bag and used it to pull me toward the tracks.  A train was just leaving the station.
"What are we doing?" I panted.
"We're hitching a ride!" Epona shouted back.
"We don't even know where it's going," I said desperately.
"Hey, it's away from here," Epona replied.
The train was picking up speed.  A door toward the rear wasn't quite shut all the way.  Epona wrenched it open and jumped in.  I could feel my chest burning as I huffed toward the open door.  Epona reached her hand toward me.
"You can do it!" she yelled.  "Come on!  They're coming!" The train was starting to gain more speed than I could ever muster.
"I can only run so much, Eps!" I yelled.  I gave one final push, and my hand found hers.  She yanked me so hard, we both went tumbling to the shuddering floor of what we soon found out was the luggage car.  
"Shut the door," Epona said while trying to free herself from a pile of suitcases.
I stood shakily and grabbed the handle.  I dared to look out as the train gathered speed.  Several men were chasing our ride, but they were slowly but surely losing the race.  I smiled at our little victory, and slid the door closed.
"Oi, who are you?"
I spun around.  Facing me was a young man who looked just as bewildered as I felt.
Epona hurried to my side.  "Please, don't tell anyone," she pleaded.
"Why shouldn't I?" the freckly red-head said stoutly.  "It's my job."
"Luggage boy?  Really?" I said haughtily.
"Hey, I'm only working like this so I can get to New York.  And, I'm not luggage boy, I'm Shawn," he replied smugly.  "What's your reasons for sneakin' on?"
"Personal," I said angrily.
"Spill, or you'll be outta here so fast," he said with a smirk.
He had us.  Epona quietly looked between Shawn and me. I sighed.  "We're being chased," I said.
"They're not chasing us for fun times, either," Epona added.
The young man looked skeptical.  "So why?" Shawn asked.  He folded his arms and shot us a cynical look.
"They want my parent's business," I said.  "They want me out of the picture."
He seemed thoughtful.  "Your parent's business?" he asked.
"They're dead, okay?" I spat. "Murdered.
"Alright, pass.  I won't give you away," Shawn huffed.  He seemed irked about my outburst.
"Good.  Now, did I hear you correctly?  We're going to New York?" I asked.
"Yup, you sure did.  Buckle up, girls.  You're going to New York."
Epona and I sat in the corner.  We passed the time playing cards that Shawn had brought us.  Epona taught me a few card games that I'd never even heard of before.  When she got bored of that, she would chat with Shawn.  They weren't very quiet about it, unfortunately.  Epona is quite the flirtatious girl.  Occasionally, Shawn would check the door to be sure of our cover.  About five miles from our destination, he jumped up and peered out the door, sweat forming on his brow.
"Get down," Shawn said urgently from the door.
"What's going on?" I asked, dragging Epona down with me.
"One of the stewards is coming," he replied, throwing a tarp over us.
We were engulfed in darkness.  Epona was smashed up against the trunk, and I was hugging the wall for dear life.  
"What are you doing back here, boy?" a gruff voice said from the door.
"Just playing cards, sir," Shawn replied.  "The cargo is doing fine, in case you're wondering."  
I snuck a peek between cases.  I could barely see Shawn, but I did see some playing cards laid out neatly in front of him as though he'd been playing Solitaire the entire time.
"I heard voices," the man said.  He wasn't big, or menacing, but he did have the authority to get rid of Epona and I.
"I don't care what you heard, Don.  Get out," Shawn said irately.
"Damn you, Shawn.  You're lucky you get to work at all," Don said.  He spat at the cards on the ground before leaving the cargo area.
"Okay, you two get to stay hidden," Shawn said after a few moments.  "Two girls are almost not worth my job."


New York was everything but comforting.  I'd never been, and I never want to return if I get out alive.  I was used to a big city, but this city took the cake.  It was dark when our train arrived.  Shawn hurried us off the coach before it even pulled in to the station.  We darted between buildings until we found ourselves roaming the empty streets.  Epona found a quaint little hotel for us to stay in.  We chose to lay low there for three days, occasionally going out for food.  We hardly spoke to anyone when we did.  Usually we sat in our dingy hotel room and talked.
Epona let me know a little more about herself.  She's orphaned, and has no siblings.  Instead of giving up, she moved to Boston from Quincy, Massachusetts and got a job at the Madisson Hotel.  She'd been there for almost a year when she ran in to me.
"I'll never get back," I said angrily.  
"Hey, we got away from those idiots," Epona said. She'd discovered how to use the television finally and was flipping channels at an incredible speed.
I sighed.  "Yeah, yeah."  I'd never been so discouraged in my life.  I was grateful for Epona, but we still barely knew each other.  I rolled over on my lumpy mattress and faced the wall, thinking.  I missed my home.  Not the Colorado home, but the Chicago home.  I missed Greg, Scarla, Jenna, and even Jim.  At least I had people to talk to back there.  Those people gave at least some form of friendship.
"Hey, Epps, let's try again," I said, breaking the silence.
"Try what?" Epona asked.
"Try getting to Chicago again.  I need to," I replied.
Epona shut off the television and jumped on to her bed.  She grabbed her pillow and rested her elbows on it, studying me.  "Why do you need to exactly?  I thought you wanted to get back to Colorado."
"No, there's nothing for me there," I said sadly.  "I had a job in Chicago.  I had friends.  I'm not saying that you're not my friend, but you know.  I want you to come with me."
Epona looked skeptical.  "Are you sure?  What if they find us again?"
"How?" I asked.  "It's not like someone is following us and telling them our every move."
"Well, we should still be sure and not move for a few more days," Epona said uneasily.
"Why?" I asked, puzzled.
"I'm scared, okay?" she retorted.  She seemed a little irked at me.
"Alright, alright, but not too long, okay?" I huffed.

That night I lay in bed, the covers pulled up to my ears.  I couldn't sleep a wink.  I was too nervous about staying in New York.  I had no desire to venture out and explore, but staying in one place made me feel like a sitting duck.  I tried to relax myself, thinking of soft pillows and silk pajamas.  It was bad enough sleeping in jeans and a t-shirt on a hard hotel bed.
Movement snapped me from my trance.  In the near pitch black, I could see Epona's outline as she slipped out of bed, donned a robe, and left the room.  
I was perplexed.  Why would she be leaving?  I decided to follow.  I jumped out of bed and grabbed the other robe.  Instinct told me to peek out the door carefully.  Down the dimly lit hotel hall, I watched until Epona rounded a corner and disappeared.  
I waited two more seconds before following her.  Every step I made seemed to be magnified tenfold due to my caution.  She didn't notice me, however, for down the next hall, she was chatting on a telephone.  
I wanted until she was turned away from me before scooting closer.  I ducked in to an alcove close by, and listened.
"Yes, tell him we're at Cushman's Motel in New York on tenth street.  That's right.  September the twentieth?  Okay, I'll try to keep her here until then."
I could hardly breathe.  All I could assume was that she was working for Douglas Wright.  She was telling them where I was!
"She's thinking about going back to Chicago.  I know, right?  He wouldn't be happy about that.  It would be worse if she was trying to get back to Colorado, I'm sure."
Scared out of my wits, I waited until an opportune moment to sneak away.
Back in the room, I lay in my bed, thinking hard.  I wasn't sure if I should leave right then.  She'd only find out and follow me.  I'd have to play it safe.  After all, I had until the twentieth, which is in two days.
Epona re-entered the room.  She quietly shed her robe and slid in to bed, oblivious to my knowledge of her leaving.  I silently fumed under my blankets, contemplating any possible revenge.  My rage turned in to sadness.  I trusted her, and she betrayed me.  
I hardly slept.  My mind was flooded with horrible memories, making me cry silent tears of pain.  I finally shifted and thought about the night I spent with George in Chicago.  He'd been so kind to me back there.  I wanted to badly to be curled up in bed with him.  I could almost feel his comforting arms around me as I drifted off to sleep.