BEAUTIFUL CRIMES ▹ Mama!Nat

FOURTEEN. in which international travel is free (almost)

[ BEAUTIFUL CRIMES ]
chapter fourteen; in which international travel is free (almost)

❝ I think I have come up with a solution. ❞

IT'S DARK. Cheap disinfectant wafts through the air. There are sticky spots on the ground, probably the aftermath of a child's temper tantrum. The place is absolutely deserted.

Perfect.

Adelina had snuck into the supermarket with ease. She had grabbed a medical mask and some sunglasses that she had found in the man's truck. Her hair is tied in a bun, effectively hiding its length. She moves quietly, perusing the supermarket with ease. She holds multiple plastic bags in her hand, ready to be filled.

Adelina begins putting food into the bags. She doesn't choose many things; the goal is to be as portable as possible. The bags are light yet full with food and water. She even grabs a couple pieces of candy. She doesn't remember the taste of sugar, she's gone so long without it.

Adelina finds herself staring into space more frequently. She's stuck in her own head, and it's obvious. There's a roaring sadness in the back of her mind that seems to be growing stronger. It's probably the withdrawals.

You're marble. You're marble. You're marble. You're marble. You're marble. You're marble.
You're marble. You're marble. You're marble. You're marble. You're marble. You're marble. You're marble. You're marble. You're marble.

She drops the water bottle that she had picked up. It bounces at her feet, and it takes a moment for Adelina to realize that she had even dropped it. After a moment of silence, she stares at the bottle as her discombobulated thoughts swirl around her inside of her head. She shuts her eyes for a moment. She breathes. And then she picks up the bottle and continues to fill her bags.

She gets to the front of the store, slowly approaching the register. She slips a bobby pin from her hair before trying to open the register. It takes a few tries, but it opens with a pop! Adelina quickly grabs all of the money inside. She doesn't bother to count how much loot she had acquired.

Adelina sneaks through the back. She had unlocked the door with a piece of metal she had found on the ground, so getting out is easy. She returns to the stolen truck, placing the bags in the passenger's seat. She slips into the driver's seat, quickly speeding away from the supermarket.

You're a failure. Dreykov is mad. No he's not. I'm free. You're ok. Stop it. Go home. What is home?

Adelina continues driving, even if her feet feel like cinderblocks atop the gas pedal. Everything in the corners of her eyes are swirling around. All she can do is keep driving.