The Guard To My Sanctuary - Chapter 4: Chapter 4

"Come on," Manny one of London's workers yelled at me aggressively from behind the door. He hated me more than anything or any other person in the world. He hated that London looked at me with lustful eyes and never at him the same way. When London wasn't around he treated me like a dog but when London was around he'd switch it up to pretend like he was my best friend. If only he knew how much I'd give for London to not look at me with those eyes and to never have him kiss my skin again.
I got up putting my bag over my shoulders and walked out of the room where he was standing. Manny had skin the color of coffee beans and he always wore a hat on his head. He looked down at me with disgust that I returned back to him tenfold. Jack came from the hallway and used his hands to tell us both to come on. Jack was the kindest to me as he seemed to be one of the few people that worked for London that didn't like to do what he was doing. Still, the white guy garnered no sympathy from me as a victim of various crimes. Him standing idly by was just the same as committing the acts himself as far as I was concerned. I didn't have the emotional storage to deal with feeling sorry for a person who could freely walk away from a situation.
They walked me out of the building to the garage and told me to get into the back of an Escalade. Both flanked me like I was some celebrity who needed bodyguards. I had trouble climbing up with the pain in my back but I managed to get inside all on my own. I knew if Manny would have 'helped me' I would have fallen on my ass. I buckled up while the two servants got in the car and adjusted their guns in order to be more comfortable.
"Where are we taking your punk bitch ass," Manny asked angrily while scratching his heavily tattooed arm.
"You better stop before London hears that you said something to him and he comes and beat your ass," Jack said turning around to look at me when he was done talking to Manny who flicked him off.
"Could we go to Marshalls please, They had these spring sweaters last time I want to see if they have any left," I said in a quiet voice not any different than any other time I would speak.
'I'm pretty sure the Amtrac isn't too far from that location.'
"Okay ma, as you wish," he said opening the garage and cutting the car on.
"As you wish, bitch ass," Manny said mockingly under his breath.
"Why do you always have to be so rude," Jack asked as we pulled out of the driveway. He cut the music up blasting a rap song I didn't know the words to and rapped along. He must have gotten some sort of pass because he was openly saying the word nigga. After all the books I've read about history I knew he should have gotten his ass beaten but I wasn't in control. They soon began arguing like children which I found to be annoying since it made it harder to focus on my plan. I had no idea how I was going to slip past them yet. They were always to go into a stall with me if I had to use the restroom and they would be looking at me at all times. I'd have to make a distraction.
'A fire'
'No you could harm someone if it gets out of control. I can't hurt people who haven't hurt me. Plus nigga you're not Bear Grylls, you don't know how to make a fire.'
'Bomb threat'
'In the movies and television, people always run during a bomb threat that would make a commotion.'
'People could get trampled, children could get hurt.'
'Fire alarm would be the happy medium. People leave in a panic but more out of annoyance if there isn't any smoke so it should be calm and orderly then I could run.'
I looked up to see Jack stealing a glance at me. I knew that he liked me in some sense but I wasn't interested in anyone who wasn't going to help me get free. In another life, if I would have grown up with my father and done really well in school, I wondered if I was still smart enough to make it to college. Maybe I would have gone to college in New York and somehow ended up meeting him then maybe we would have ended up together but not in the reality I was living in.
"Ma we're here," he said knocking me out of my daydream. I looked around seeing that we indeed were parked in front of a Marshalls. The doors unlocked and I got out casually. Nothing would be different from how I normally operated in order to not give off suspicious vibes.
"Hurry your dumb ass up," Manny said the moment my shoes hit the ground. I didn't respond just moved onward. We walked into the store and Jack grabbed a buggy that I wouldn't need.
"I want to check the shoes first," I said. We walked over to the shoes and I looked at all of the generic brands and walked passed them since my main focus was on finding a fire alarm. We walked to the purse area the women's intimates section and still, I didn't see an alarm the further we journeyed the more scared I got that my half-baked plan would fall apart because there wasn't an alarm present. I started to get a pit in my stomach that grew with every step till we got to the dishes aisle. There it was, the fire engine red box with the white lever. I glanced at it for a second before thinking of how to switch it without them noticing. I looked around and saw a wicker gift basket on the top shelf that looked like it would take two to retrieve.
"Can you get that basket for me, Jack," I asked pointing at it.
"Sure you know I will," he said immediately going to reach for it. He wasn't that tall so he definitely needed Manny's help.
"Why are you getting that can he even afford it," Manny snickered.
"If he can't then I'll get it for him, "Jack replied, "Now help me dumbass you see I'm struggling."
Manny sucked his teeth and went over to help him, it must have been heavier than I thought because they both seemed to have trouble getting it. With their backs turned to me I slowly walked backward till my back hit the fire alarm. Using my arms I reached behind myself and felt for the lever. When I felt it I lifted it up and took three steps forward. The bells and sirens started to blare and the people inside the store sat their items down and began to walk out. Manny and Jack both put their objects down and started to walk after I began to move towards the door.
"He just had to pick the place that wants to go up in flames," Manny complained.
"It's okay Elm we'll wait till they say it's a false alarm I didn't see any smoke then I'll get you that goodie basket okay," he asked in a patronizing tone that I wasn't sure he meant to use. Being twenty years old I didn't need to be babied.
"Okay Jack," I said with a small smile. We walked outside and stood just past the margin for the fire apartment to come. I could have waited for the police but London had a lot of them on the payroll so I would be gambling trying to receive help from the law so running was my last chance. We all stood there for a good five minutes. I was waiting for an opening and when Manny and Jack started talking and turned their eyes off of me I took the chance. I reached in Jack's waistband and grabbed his gun and tossed to the floor then kicked it away from him. Before they could say something I used my knees and drove it into their balls with all of my might and they fell to the floor yelling in pain causing the people around us to shift their attention to the scene.
"MY NAME IS ELM EUTHENIA, I WAS KIDNAPPED TEN YEARS AGO FROM SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA. THESE TWO HAVE GUNS AND ARE PLANNING TO KEEP ME AS A SEX SLAVE," I yelled as I took off down the street looking for someone on the sidewalk to help me. My coins were jingling in my backpack and my shoes felt tighter on my feet but I kept running until I saw an older black man near a barbershop. I could feel my heart beating and my muscles burned with fatigue since I hadn't had the space to run in a very long time.
"Sir, I need to know where the Train Station is," I asked out of breath.
"You alright son," he asked concerned disregarding my question.
"No I need to make it to the train station, I know this is asking a lot but you may know London, I escaped and I need to get to the train station to get home," I said crouching to put my hands on my knees. The old man's face changed and I realized he could be one of London's men. He reached out and gripped my arm and pulled me into the barbershop. I started to fight against him with all of my might but I was barely one hundred and ten pounds and the man gripping me looked to be twice that.
"Calm down son I'm not going to hurt you, you can't make it there on the street it's a two-mile run and you already look winded I can get you there in my car in just a few minutes," he said and pulled me into a hug which calmed me down. The other old barbers who had nothing to do since the shop was empty immediately went to the window and closed the blinds.
"London came through here and ruined the whole neighborhood," said one of them with dreads. He stood in front of the glass door to block anyone from seeing inside.
"Come on out back," the old man said pulling me along. He stopped for a second and handed me a water bottle from a case that was sitting in a corner.
"Thank you so much," I said following after him and uncapping the bottle to take a sip as we snuck out the back entrance where an old bronze colored Cadillac was parked. He unlocked his door with a key and reached over the passenger side and unlocked it for me to enter into it. It smelled like moth balls and old coffee but I wasn't in a position to complain. He revved up the engine and pulled off.
"Duck down, what's your name," he asked pushing me down in the seat so I wouldn't be seen.
"Elm Euthenia," I said in my soft voice.
"That sounds familiar," he said from up top. We drove for what felt like hours but it was only four minutes before we stopped.
"I can only take you this far if someone sees me helping you London could come after my wife and daughter," he said.
"Thank you, Earl," I said lifting up.
"How did you know my name," he asked. I pointed to the crushed coffee cup on the ground with his name scribbled on it in permanent marker. I looked at the clock and saw that it was almost three thirty which was when most of the San Jose trains left.
"Oh, well be safe. I hope you make it home safe and sound" he said. I got out the car and he immediately pulled away and I began a brisk walk to the train station that was in front of me. I walked in a hurry but not a run because I would probably pass out from exhaustion. I took a sip of water as I passed by an alley just a mere block away from my destination. Out of nowhere, I was shoved inside I felt my forearm scrape against the concrete my water falling to the ground in the process.
"WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT BACK THERE BITCH," Manny yelled while walking up to me.
"YO CALM DOWN BEFORE YOU GET US KILLED BY LONDON," Jack ran over and positioned himself in between us. Manny shoved him out of the way and stooped down to me on the ground and grabbed me by my collar and yanked me up.
"YOU WANNA PLAY FUCKING GAMES BITCH," he yelled. I looked at him and didn't say anything I was too scared. He looked as if he was really about to kill me. I felt tears start to fall down my face and my knees trembled.
"DON'T FUCKING CRY NOW BITCH SHOULD HAVE THOUGHT ABOUT THE CONSEQUENCES WHEN YOU DID THAT BULLSHIT. YOU WILL NEVER FUCKING ESCAPE," he said and punched me in my gut so hard I saw stars.
"YO London is going to kill us," Jack said trying to pull Manny away but was only pushed off into the brick wall. Manny began kicking me while I couldn't do anything but protect my head. I felt the blood flow from my arm wounds and the pain from yesterday resurfaced.
"I FUCKING HATE YOU."
"IM GOING TO KICK YOUR BITCH ASS"
"DIE."
He screamed at me with every kick and pushed Jack away every time he tried to get him off of me. The kicks hurt but I knew I had to find a way out to catch the bus. Every kick was a second I was missing the train and I had to get on that train. Manny kicked me in my head and my ears started to ring and I felt a little dizzy.
'Freedom by train or by death'
I prepared myself to die and waited for the embrace of nothingness.
"HEY," a deep clear voice boomed into the alleyway echoing off of the bricks. There was blood in my eyes but the tallest most attractive man I had ever seen stood in front of the alley entrance. I must have been hallucinating because I could swear I heard my mother's voice in my head.
'You asked for a miracle Darling'