When The Devil Comes

Chapter 5 : Temporary Solace

It was quite some time around to midnight, after my mom had unceremoniously and wrecklessly driven us miles and miles away from our former glorious home. She had proceeded to pull over on the left hand side of the road where there was an intersection. Perhaps it was leading to somewhere but I sort of didn't care.

I was completely exhausted and drained to a point where my eyelids felt really heavy. I had barely enough energy inside me to even keep my eyes opened. Simply glancing at my mom in confusion, when she had harshly pulled open the driver side of the car and then jogged over to a particular spot.

The road was deserted and held quite a bit of moisture to it. My mom had left the engine running and the dew of the night was making the glass misty. Seemingly not wanting to be left out of whatever that held my mom's attention. I had used my hand as a windshield wiper to clear the mist from the back seat of the car.
Upon realizing I still couldn't see a thing, I pressed the little button beside me. Where my elbow had previously rested and watched the window slowly rolled down. Finally.

I merely observed where my mom had been looking and saw a large blue rectangular sign. There were some letters written all over it. That had really peeked my attention now as I saw my mom tilted her head back and let out a small laugh.
Simply not wanting to be left out, I had pushed my head through the window and try to peer even more at the sign ahead.

That was when I had realized that it had stated for bold display,
'Welcome To Summerville'

Despite the fact that I could barely see much that night due to the thick darkness that slightly obscured my vision. Somehow the name of such an odd place sure seemed and felt like it would offer a safe space. That would provide the blanket of security that my mother and I more than desperately needed.

My mom quickly returned back to the car and press a kiss to my cheeks. Then drove for a mere short distance to where I am presuming would lead to this Summerville place. However it seemed that I was proven wrong a few minutes later. When she had parked the car next to a flat bridge looking area.

In a hastily manner she then unbuckled me from the back seat and removed the luggages also. My favourite SpongeBob blanket was thrown over my shoulders to brace the cold. While my mother was busy spinning in circles trying to locate something.

" Ah finally gotcha ".
She muttered to herself with a large piece of stone in her hand. More like boulder size.

What she did next was completely out of context, I was frightened but still surprised. My mom had placed the big rock on the foot of the gas pedal of the car. I watched disappointedly as it sped off at full speed into the water. Slowly it sunked down to the bottom of the body of water along with her phone and credit cards.

" Mom that was a great car ".
I said to her in a tone of despair, while still gazing at the sinking car.

What did she think she was doing, that was our only way out of the mess we were in.

" Yeah but it was the devil's car ".
She replied back to me quite dejectedly.
As we by both watched the bubbles resurfaced on top of the water. When the car had finally sunked down below.

" Can't we go live with abuelo y abuela? ".
I ask my mother tersely.

" No Little Bug, your daddy is too clever. He is probably tracking the car as we speak for our location.
That's why I had to withdraw a lot of money and then destroy the credit cards.

More or less I figured he's already working on closing them.
What did I tell you huh ?. When someone knows your moves it becomes too predictable. So what do we do Todito? ".
She asked me as she relayed the information to me ever so patiently.

" First you strategize a plan. You'd have to think outside of the boundaries that they have placed you in. Then do what they least expect you to do ".
I gingerly responded to mom. While a bright smile was on my face.

" Good job Bug. Somebody pays attention to mom's hacks to life 101 ".

We both said the last sentence simultaneously and then just smiled at each other. Our bond will always be something special. As we had started to look for a mode of transport. To commence the beginning of a new chapter in our life.

After a brief moment of silence I had decided to cheer up my mom. Upon seeing the dejected look upon her face along with an awful frown.

" Mommy I may not know exactly what's going on or why we are running. I want to let you know I appreciate it and I love you so much. We'll definitely get through this mom ".
I said to her so self assuredly, as I tried to portray what adults called confidence these days.

" I love you so much Todito and we'll definitely get through this ".
Mom said as she gazed down at me with teary eyes as she gave me a hug.

It was about five minutes later, when a yellow cab stop at our feet and ask if we were headed to Summerville.

This feels like the beginning of a brand new chapter. This is something that my mom always says, the grass is always greener on some or... is it the other side.
Whatever side the grass wants to be greener on. I simply don't care.

Yet some place new, is a place where we can start over. We are given opportunities to turn a new leaf and be someone different.
A chance to amount to something great amongst strangers. That doesn't know the dirt that we were born in that clouds our past.

Upon entering the vehicle, my mom had told the cab driver to let us off at a place where we could rest. He had given us a nod seemingly realizing that we were on a mission and in no given mood to converse.

Shortly thereafter we had arrived at a little yet dingy and rundown motel in Summerville called, 'Sweet Summer'.
The yellow and light blue building merely looked unfit for any form of living. Even the some of the illuminated letters on the sign had stopped working. This was a sanctuary for anything unsanitary.

This was where I was supposed to lay my head tonight. I couldn't even bear the thought as my eyes begin to be filled with water. Now I really did miss home. I could have sworn that I had seen a giant rat ran out through the door.
I digged my feet into the ground as my mother tried to pull me along. She realized the problem, I wasn't used to this, well neither of us. My mom start whispering words of encouragement to me and begrudgingly I walked along with tears streaming down my face.

When we were finally inside, my mom had marched her way up to the curvy receptionist that was smoking a cigarette. She blew it out in my mom's direction as she was heading up to the counter. My mom had turned her head away while me on the other hand was coughing my lungs out.

Quickly keeping the formalities and the conversation frank. My mom had managed to reserve a room for us under a name that I have never heard before. A name that wasn't even hers. I looked at her in utter astonishment. She really was going to stand there and just lie like that.

Yet then again the bitter reality of the cruel situation we were in. It required reverence secrecy or else my dad would find us and that would be way much worse than mom's little white lie.

It was in that moment when I knew that was when I knew running for one's life never felt more real.