When a curse is broken

7. To awake

Chapter 7. To awake

The last bus passed by when Marlyn finally jolted awake.

She felt like she was dreaming. Dazed, she watched as the bus was long gone, then she took in her surroundings.

She huffed, then puffed, then got up and kicked the bench. Then yelled, it hurt like hell. Her poor foot!

She was too tired to deal with her stupidness at that hour.

She could walk for one hour or more and get home, that is if she didn't get lost, or she could sleep right there on the bench.

She looked around, maybe it was not such a bad deal, no one had robbed her yet so it had to mean something. It wouldn't be the first time she might sleep in the open either, although wearing a skirt was not a great idea, the weather was freezing and she felt too vulnerable. But beggars couldn't be choosers, so she was thankful that she was safe and sound, and there was Alice to take care of Ellie. Her poor, poor baby! She had not checked on her since lunch, she felt such an awful mother!

Will she cry when she wakes up without me?

She thought about calling Alice to pick her up, but then she wanted to thwack herself because her phone was out of battery.

"I'm sorry baby, I'm so sorry, mommy will try to be a better person, yes? Please forgive mommy..." she mumbled, sitting back she signed.

In the middle of her reverie, a car stopped on the road. Marlyn looked at it frozen, just go away, go away.

The window rolled down and a male face looked right at her, "How much for a night, doll face?"

Marlyn looked around herself, not really hearing the words. Then looked back at him, "What?" she blinked.

"How much for a night?" He grinned, the man had black hair and a face that gave her a creep alert. Those alarms were usually right.

How much for a ni- Marlyn gasped when the words registered in her mind.

"I'm not up for sale, go away," she retorted back, and looked away. Luck had to be right with her, she was internally dying, waiting for him to go away.

"Oh, come on, don't be like that," he insisted, getting out of the car.

"Listen, I'm calling the police if you don't go away," she said, fumbling with her purse to get her dead phone, but he didn't need to know that.

He was getting closer and closer, and her panic arose. She turned to make a run for her life, but the man clutched her wrist tight, knocking the phone out of her hand.

"Ok fine I will come, I WILL COME! Just let me go," she screamed, hoping someone would hear her.

Right when his hold relented, she kneeled him at the weakest point of a man, then gave a hard shove with her bag right on his nose.

"You bitc-'' She kicked his knee hard for good measure. The man went down, but clutched her foot before she could run away. She fell on the tar, with the free foot she kicked him on the face twice, then ran for her life.

She followed the turns and twists of the streets trying to get as near as she could to a residential area. In case the man decided to follow her, she would at least have someone that could help her. Hopefully.

When no one seemed to be following, she slowed down to a walk, trying to catch her breath.

Just when she was dreaming about napping in some corner, she heard a car's engine nearing. Frantically, she looked around and slipped into a little alley where the car wouldnot fit. She screamed in hope of someone noticing her,"HELP, HEL-mmmhjbp"