I Can't Die Alone (3 page)

The bus driver made an announcement that we’d be stopping soon. We’d have to let some passengers off, and gain a few in the process. I didn’t feel much like riding anymore so I made the quick decision to get off when we stopped and stay the night in a motel. 

Craig stretched his long arm across the aisle to grab his backpack and I used the brief moment to clench my teeth again. I didn’t want him knowing the kind of pain I was in.

The bus made a screeching noise as it rolled to a stop. 

“I’ll be getting off here,” I said, lifting my bag onto my shoulder. I wanted off that bus, and on a soft cushiony bed for the night. And maybe some room service. 

He smiled once more as he stood up and made his way into the aisle to let me out. It was when I stood up that I realized the pain was much worse than I thought. I began to sweat. 

Maybe it was best I stayed where I was on the bus.

No.

I couldn’t do that. 

“Tori,” I felt Craig’s arm just under my elbow. “You’re not okay.” His voice was stern. It wasn’t a question. The pain must’ve been written all over my face. 

I just shook my head no. He was the only person that I knew, although I really didn’t know him, but I needed a helping hand. 

He steadied me and eased me closer to him. “Should I take you to the hospital?”

“No,” I replied quickly. “I just need to get someplace where I can lie down.” My eyes pleaded with his big brown ones as he nodded. 

I sucked in a deep breath as he pulled me to his side. He was very gentle, but there was a firmness that let me know he wouldn’t let me fall. I slipped my left hand up to his back and gripped his t-shirt for support as we slowly made our way off the bus. Each step hurt worse than the one before it. What would I have done if this boy hadn’t been there to help me?

As soon as our feet hit the blacktop he whispered to me, “I’m going to pick you up, okay?”

He didn’t leave any room for me to respond as he swiftly cradled me in his arms. I groaned and put my face into his chest. His steps were quick, but it hurt a whole lot less than when I was walking on my own. 

“There is a motel just across the street. Are you okay?”

I nodded my head, but never looked up. “I’m sorry,” I said into his chest. 

“It’s okay. Shh,” he responded.

It seemed like the motel was farther away than he thought, but I didn’t look up for confirmation. I’d finally found a position where it didn’t hurt too badly, so I wasn’t about to move. 

He never seemed winded as he carried me, and I knew I wasn’t light. He walked at the same speed the entire time. 

“I’m going to sit you down here while I go in to get you a room.”

“My credit card is in my bag.” 

I hunched over as soon as my feet were back on the ground. Wrapping my arms around my stomach, I hugged myself as tightly as I could. Craig had already made his way through the double glass doors of the building.

Without my credit card.

When he came back outside he handed me the key card to a room, and picked me back up. 

I never felt afraid to be with him, until the door to the motel room closed behind us. The pain had been too great for me to think about anything else. It had clouded what little judgment I had. Suddenly, I thought about all the times that my Mom had told me not to talk to strangers. 

It was a little late for that.

Besides, what was worse than death?

He laid me down on the bed and took a few steps back. A killer wouldn’t do that, would they?

“What?” He asked wiping his forehead with the back of his hand.

“You don’t even know me.” The words spewed from my mouth like vomit. I never had the gift of gab. “I mean, why would help me?”

“Honestly?” There was a slight hesitation in his deep voice. “You remind me a lot of my sister. You’re young and beautiful and my Mom would kill me if I didn’t take care of someone who needed it.”

The tears welled up in my eyes. His generosity and kindness were almost too much for me to handle. “Your mother would be proud,” I replied, and I meant it.  

I slowly turned over to my side and watched him as he scooted a chair next to me. 

“I don’t think she would.”

Gripping my stomach to ease the pain, I tried to understand what he meant. It was too hard for me to think. With my emotions running high, and the pain, I was lucky to be coherent. 

“I’ve done a few things I’m not proud of.” He admitted. “Now I can’t go back home.”

I didn’t ask because it wasn’t my business. 

He stood up from the chair and walked over to the window. He seemed nervous all of a sudden. 

“I think the bus will be leaving soon. Will you be okay by yourself?” He asked.

“Yeah.” I hadn’t planned on having someone rescue me. “I’m going to take some more medication, and sleep it off.”

“I’ll get you some water from the bathroom. Where’s your medicine?” 

“In my bag.” 

He shuffled around the room quickly gathering my things. When the water cut off he came to my bedside and handed me my pill bottle and the plastic cup of faucet water. 

I offered a slight smile. It was the best I could do. “Thanks,” I told him as I lie back down and shut my eyes. I didn’t want to talk anymore. I just wanted to lie there and sleep and hope like hell that the pain would be gone by the time I woke up. I also hoped I didn’t drool or snore while Craig was still in the room. 

“I’m going to go now. I’m glad I met you Tori. I hope you feel better soon,” Craig spoke softly. 

“Thank you for everything,” I whispered keeping my eyes closed. I didn’t stay awake to watch him go. I didn’t even hear the door close, but I didn’t care. The medicine would soon take over, and all I wanted to see was my dreams. 

The clock on the hotel nightstand flashed 5:21.

“Already,” I groaned. It seemed like I’d just fallen asleep. 

I rose up slowly assessing my pains, and realized with a sigh of relief that they were almost nonexistent. It was as if yesterday hadn’t happened. I knew there’d be good days and bad. I remember as much from when my Mom was sick. She’d be miserable one day and able to walk a mile the next, at least up until she was bedridden. 

The early sunlight of the day was shining its warm rays across the room through the crack in the curtains. With a quick shower, I’d be ready to get back to my journey. 

I took my medicine and hopped in the shower. It needed to be quick because I didn’t want to waste one single minute of my day. 

While the warm water beat down on my face I closed my eyes. I thought about Craig. Though yesterday was a blur, his face kept coming back to me. He was like an angel in disguise, an angel with a man bun. 

I smirked at the thought. 

Who’d have thought that I would make a friend on my first day of traveling? It wasn’t by choice, but I’d always remember him. I just wish I hadn’t been so sick. That way I could have thanked him better. Or at least got to talk to him more. Our meeting was brief and the whole time I was in pain. 

I threw on a pair of loose fitting jogging pants and my favorite t-shirt that said – Training For A Marathon on Netflix. Sums up my life in six words. 

Tossing my backpack over my shoulder, I grabbed the room key and headed for the front desk to check out. The sun was bright in my eyes and I made my way across the parking lot. A young woman was playing on her phone as I approached the desk. 

“I need to check out,” I said, and she looked up. She mean mugged me like I was I intruding on her personal time.

“Room number?” She asked.

“One nineteen.”

“Here,” she said as she snatched the key from my hand. “Someone left a note for you.”

Craig. Who else could it have been?

I politely thanked the witch behind the counter before walking out.

Walking slowly back to the bus station, I unfolded the piece of paper. Scribbled on the inside was a note from Craig, just as I thought.

Tori,

I’m sorry I couldn’t stay with you to make sure you got better. I’ll be thinking of you, and I wish you well. My Mom used to say that strength is the one characteristic that can be seen in someone’s face. I see it in yours.

Get Well Soon,

Craig

All of my doubts and wonderment about him, all of the wrongful thoughts that crossed my mind, they were all wrong. I’d been on this trip for less than forty-eight hours and already learned things about myself that I never knew. Meeting Craig was just what I needed, a stepping-stone to who I truly could be. 

I folded the note back up and slid it into the side pocket of my backpack while making my way inside the bus station. When it was finally my turn I asked when there would be another bus going to Chapel Hill. Unfortunately for me, it would be two days. 

“Is there any other kind of transportation I could take? Maybe a cab that will take me?” I asked the gray-haired man behind the counter.

“I’m sorry Miss. The nearest cab company is half an hour away, and chances are they wouldn’t take you that far.”

What was I going to do?

I rubbed small circles over my temple contemplating my next move. I hadn’t planned for such a setback, and I didn’t have the days to waste. 

“Miss,” the man spoke, gaining my attention. “If you can afford it, there is a limousine company that might take you. They’re only about ten miles away, and there is a business card with their telephone number on it just over there on the bulletin board. I don’t know if they’ll do it, but you can give them a call to find out.”

Limousine? Why not?

“Thank you so much,” I responded, pulling my backpack over my shoulder. It was worth a shot. Otherwise, I’d be stuck in this town for a lot longer than I planned to be.

Once I dialed the number and spoke to the nice reception lady on the phone, she told me that it’d be no problem for them to take me. Of course, the expense of it wasn’t cheap, but I didn’t mind. Can’t take money with you when you die…

I know. It’s not funny. 

The lady told me that the driver would be there to pick me up within the hour. He would need to gas up before heading over. 

It was all settled. Chapel Hill wasn’t too far, and in a private limousine, I’d be there in no time. 

I grabbed a seat next to an older couple inside the bus station and waited for my ride. The couple hadn’t even acknowledged that I was there. Their eyes were glued to the television set just off to the corner. The morning news was playing and they seemed to be engrossed in it. 

“Have you seen this man?” I heard the news anchor say. Looking up I saw Craig’s face plastered on the television screen. It was enlarged so his face was as plain as day. Under his picture was a telephone number for the local police department. 

“Craig Eddy is wanted for robbery. The security camera inside this Chevron station caught Eddy stowing away the cash that the clerk was handing over. He was wearing a white t-shirt and jeans. His mother has come forward with this statement.” An older woman with white hair was sitting in a wheelchair that looked like it was sitting on the porch of a rundown shack. The home behind her was missing windows and the screen on the door was off the hinges. She cried when she pleaded for her son to come home. 

My breath caught as I stared at the frightful scene in front of me. What had he done? I thought he was good. His note… It was so nice. He was an armed robber and he was alone in the hotel with me. I scanned the room hoping no one would notice me. I was with him just a few hours ago. Then it dawned on me. Had he robbed me too?

I reached inside my bag for my wallet, and dug through it. I had a whole lot of money on me. Inside the wallet every single bill was intact. He hadn’t stolen a single penny from me, and he had the chance. He was alone in my room while I slept, but nothing was missing. 

I stood up, careful not to move too quickly, and made my way outside. His poor Mother’s face kept flashing in my mind. She sat there on that porch that barely held her up, wearing a nightgown that looked like it’d been eaten up by moths. It was obvious that they were poor. Maybe he stole because they needed food or medicine. I didn’t know. What I did know was that he was kind to me in my time of need, and from the way he talked about his mother; I’d say he loved her. There was a good heart in there. I wasn’t going to be the one to turn him in, and if that meant I was an accessory than so be it.

After about twenty minutes of standing in the morning sunlight, the limousine finally pulled up. It was white and big enough to hold an entire wedding party. But this party was for one. I felt mighty important as I walked up to it. The man introduced himself as Bert and held the door for me as I climbed inside. 

Holy cow.

The inside was just as impressive as the out. Bert asked if I knew the address of where I was going and I quickly searched in my bag for the envelope that had Benjamin’s address. Once Bert was inside he lowered the glass between himself and the back where I was sitting. 

“The journey should be pretty easy. I don’t suspect much traffic, or no more than usual anyway. If you need to make any stops just push the intercom speaker just to the left of the window next to you. There is also the control for the window that separates us just below it. You need anything, you let me know.” He smiled sweetly. 

“Okay,” I replied still amazed at my surroundings. I ran my fingers along the leather seats and lifted the lid on what I quickly found out was a built in cooler. It was awesome, and if I could’ve thought of a better word than awesome I would’ve used it.  

“First time in a limo?” He asked. There was happiness to his voice that I suspect matched my face. 

“Yeah,” I nodded. 

He grinned once more before raising the glass between us. I moved over to the seat next to me so that I could stretch my legs out and watch out the window. It was then when I realized I should’ve taken the limo in the first place. 

But I wouldn’t have met Craig. 

Scratch that. I was thankful for meeting him. Everything was going just as it should, or so I thought.