The Refuge

Chapter 27

There is no terror in the bang, only in the anticipation of it. —  Alfred Hitchcock                     

It was a solemn affair.  

The outfits of the group reflected their moods. Timothy and Juan spotted navy blue blazers and matching trousers with sparkling button-down white shirts. 

The ladies — Iris and Paloma looked elegant in grey sheath dresses with black pumps. 

Paloma's eyes drifted out the window of the car and connected with the building she called home. Sober eyes of her mother, Alexa, and Salvador stared back at her from their place on the porch.  Her lips broke into a reassuring smile as she gazed at them.

"Are we set?" Timothy asked from behind the wheel. 

"Yes!" Iris and Paloma chorused. 

With a nod, Timothy turned on the engine, veered out of the driveway, and onto the road. 

Silence loomed over them as they drove to their destination. 

Paloma clutched the bag placed on her lap—the bag that held the reason for their journey. 

Familiar buildings and structures flashed passed as they sped down the road. 

And then they zoomed into the heart of the city. The part that housed the fortresses of the rich and wealthy. 

Paloma's eyes dimmed as she stared at the exquisite automobiles parked in the driveways of mansions with manicured lawns gleaming under the sun. 

"Vanity upon vanity is vanity," Iris muttered. 

You got that right! Paloma thought. 

They flew past more properties that reeked of wealth. Paloma's eyes touched on most of them. Anger welled within her as she thought of the glaring difference between that part of the city and the part where she came from. 

Her hold on the bag tightened.  

How can things be so unequal? 

Why do some people live in squalor but others reside in abundance?

Anguish coursed through her as the unanswered questions raced through her mind. 

Her anguish shifted to unease as their destination came to view. 

Steelfort’s government house was a looming presence smack dab in the middle of the city. A pretentious piece of architecture combining the stark features of old stonework with sleek modern touches. The building looked heavy, bearing down on its foundations just as the men and women inside kept their subjects downtrodden. 

The tension in the car thickened as the group stared at the intimidating structure. 

A lump formed in Paloma's throat and she struggled to push it down. 

"I guess this is it!" Timothy said with eyes gazing at the towering building. He maneuvered into the guest parking lot and turned off the engine. 

The group sat in silence waiting for someone to make the first move— a move everyone was frightened to make. 

Finally, Paloma heaved a sigh and pushed the door open. "I guess we should be going." She slipped out and hoisted the bag on her shoulders. The bag was sparsely filled but the pressure weighed down on her shoulder. 

Juan opened his door; Timothy and Iris repeated the action. The group approached the stone steps. Eyes of the people littered around landed on them but they remained unfazed. Soon they reached the front entrance much narrower in breadth than expected based on the wideness of the steps out front.