So Long Soldier (Jalex)

Chapter Seventeen - Oh Shit

Alex’s POV

I was awoken to the sounds of screaming coming from across the carriage. They were coming from Elizabeth as two ticket men were grabbing her and lifting her up from her seat. “I’VE DONE NOTHING WRONG LET ME GO!” I panicked and didn’t know what to do or how to react. “Hey leave her alone!” I went to grab one of the men but the other pushed me back down into my seat. “She’s a criminal young man. She’s been on the run for months so I suggest you shut down and keep your mouth shut.”
“ALEX DON’T WORRY. AUNTIE IS PICKING YOU UP AT THE TRAIN STATION!” Elizabeth winked at me before she was dragged through to the other carriage. “Is that true young man?” I nodded, looking up at him. “Okay. Well you can sit here for the rest of the journey.” He began to walk off to follow them. “Wait!” He turned back round to face me. “What’s going to happen to her?”

“She’ll be kept in the driver’s cabin until we reach Manhattan.”
“And then?”

“And then she’ll be sent back to jail.” I frowned. She seemed too nice to be a criminal. She’d given me money and a seat in first class. The man turned round and walked off again, leaving me sat alone in the first class carriage for the rest of the journey.

Jack’s POV

Amanda walked into my room as I was packing my things up and walked towards me. “We’re leaving in ten minutes. Are you almost ready?” I just nodded, not saying anything. “I’m sorry about this. I know it’s going to be even more further away from Alex and Baltimore but I promise you’ll get to see him again once this has all been sorted.” What Amanda didn’t know was that Alex was probably almost in Manhattan and then he’d be on his way to Ohio on another train. “I’ll be waiting outside in the car. Bring your stuff down whenever you’re done.” She walked out and I stood motionless. Everything was packed apart from the Polaroid’s, which were still stuck up on the wall beside the bunk. I took the box out and opened it up. “Aw man.” I saw Alex’s handwriting in crayon at the bottom of the box again saying ‘I love you Jack’. My heart sank and tears started streaming down my cheeks. I took each Polaroid off the wall carefully and placed them in the box before shutting the lid and carrying that along with my bag and guitar case down the hallway and out of the care home.

The car had been moving for around 2 hours now and we were still going to be in the car for another 6. “Amanda why do we have to go so far? 8 hours is an awfully long car journey.”

“It’s the only place that’s got a suitable care home for you and the only place closest to Manhattan that’ll be far enough from where your parents might be right now. You don’t want your parents to find you do you?” I shook my head. “No I don’t.”
“I thought so.” I let out a deep sigh, resting my head against the car window, feeling each bump on the road rattle against the glass. My phone rang in my pocket. I took it out and answered it. “Alex?”
“Hey Jack. You know that woman I told you about?”
“Yeah what about her?”
“She was a criminal who’d been on the run for months and some people took her away to the driver’s cabin.” From what Alex had said earlier, I really didn’t think the woman sounded like the criminal type. “I would never of guessed that.”
“Neither would I. Anyway, are you in the car to Ohio now?”

“Yeah I am and there’s another 6 hours left of the journey yet.”

“I’m guessing Amanda is there with you?”
“Yeah.”
“Okay. I’m just getting into Manhattan now and then I’ll get on the train to Ohio. As soon as you get to the care home I need you to tell me where about in Ohio it is so I can find you.”

“Okay.” A short silence appeared. “I love you Jack.” My heart stopped and I fiddled with the charm on my bracelet. “I love you too Alex.” I felt the tears begin to sting at the corners of my eyes. “I’ll see you soon.” The phone line went dead and I placed my phone back in my pocket, returning my head to rest against the window again. “You two are a lovely couple you know Jack. You should be proud to have found someone like him.” I didn’t reply. I just watched the other cars pass us on the highway. I hope Alex would find his way to Ohio safely.

Alex’s POV

I hopped off the train in Manhattan and looked around the platform. “I best get some food and drink first.” I walked towards the help desk where a man was sat, sorting through various receipts. “Hello, could you tell me where I could get some food and drink please?” The man ignored me and continued to sort through his receipts. “Excuse me?!” He looked up. “Oh sorry, what’s the problem?”
“Where could I get some food and drink around here?”
“Oh, just around the corner there are a couple of shops.”
“Thank you.” I made my way around to the shops and wandered in, purchasing items of food and a couple of bottles of water and juice, still making sure I had money for the train to Ohio. Walking out of the shop I stopped and focused at two figures across the station from me. They were both covered in black clothing and scarves around their mouths. Eye contact was made and that’s when I noticed who they were. It was Jack’s parents. They had clocked me and his dad had pointed at me and began to run at me with his mother following. I began to run out of the station with my food and drink in my hands with my bag and guitar slung over both of my shoulders. Running across the road in front of traffic I tried to cut them off but they were both still chasing me. “Oh shit…”