The Junk Drawer

02. Starting Point: Tacoma Washington

02. STARTING POINT: TACOMA, WASHINGTON
TACOMA, WASHINGTON
1900 HOURS
ECHO VALLEY DRIVE

➳

"Run." There was a soft click and the line went dead. Swallowing the lump in my throat, I lowered my phone, my hand falling limply to my side.

Tensing my muscles, I continued walking at a normal pace in order to not throw off my stalker until I hit the third building down from our apartment. As soon as I passed the Pattersons' light silver mailbox, I put on a burst of speed and sprinted towards my house as fast as I could. With my heart pumping in my chest, hurting my ribcage, I panted heavily as the footsteps behind quickly turned into a jog until it was chasing after me.

This couldn't be happening; I was in complete shock. If this was another moment, in a completely different situation, I would've scoffed at my mother and just have ignored my instinct. I sure as hell am glad I didn't. Fighting the nervous tears threatening to spill, I kept my gaze forward, locked on the pavement that acted as my runway and I was the plane.

Passing by our next-door neighbor's home, I saw my mother in the distance, lugging a large suitcase and my backpack to our small car. She slammed open the trunk and practically threw everything in with a burst of strength. I had no time to be amazed, only relieved. "Mom!" I screamed, waving my hands like a lunatic in order to gain her attention.

She glanced up, fixing her gaze on my running figure, eyes widening in horror. It was then that I realized she wasn't looking at me; she was looking behind me. My sneakers hit against the concrete of the driveway, roaring as loud as the blood pumping in my ears.

"Get in." Mom ordered, hurrying me once I made it within two feet of the car. Asking no questions, I obeyed her command like I always did —like I was trained to do— and slid into the passenger seat. My arms wrapped around my shivering body as I rocked back and forth slightly from a mixture of fear and anxiety.

The driver's door opened seconds after I scrambled to put on my seatbelt, and soon my mom was revving the engine, glancing repeatedly at the rearview mirror. A small bead of sweat trailed down her forehead, making me subconsciously wipe at my own sweaty face.

I glanced at the side view mirror, noticing how my pale cheeks were considerably more flushed than usual and how my blonde curls were frizzy and sticking up in odd angles around my face. My grey-blue eyes were wide and I squinted when they focused not on my face, but on the figures behind our vehicle.

I counted seven of them— all were wearing black suits with matching ties, and dark sunglasses hid their eyes from view. Judging by their body compositions, the majority were men except the two women off towards the end of the line. They were slowly edging towards our car, and in their hands were not guns, but tranquilizer guns. The morbid side of my thoughts reassured me that at least they wanted us alive.

"Hold on, Gwen." My mom muttered and I barely had enough time to grip the armrests when she backed up with great speed, hitting two of the suited men while the others managed to dodge out of the way. I let out a scream, watching as the one man's head cracked against the glass right in front of me.

Not even batting an eyelash, my mom swerved, throwing the man off to the side as she spun a donut and veered off towards the city exit. My hands gripped the edge of my armrests so tightly that my knuckles began to whiten. My jaw clenched and wouldn't relax. All I could think and see was the blood trailing slowly down on the glass, like raindrops against a windowpane.

My mother could've just killed a man.

"Mom-" I whispered hoarsely, unable to find my voice at the moment.

"Not a word until we're out safely. Understood?" Mom didn't give me a glance, keeping her stoic eyes on the road and occasionally at the rearview mirror.

"Understood." I stammered, shakily rubbing the temples of my forehead. We made it out of the neighborhood, and Mom chose to take the forest shortcut— a road that was long forgotten by the state but used by locals who needed a shortcut into the city.

While we drove in silence, I hit my chest, trying to calm my erratic heartbeat. The worse of the trouble was over, I guessed, and I was glad.

Damn, I jinxed myself.

A loud bang made me jump in my seat as I saw something flash and whizz past my window, hitting the tree ahead and causing it to lurch from the impact. Horrified, I clamped a hand down on my mouth to keep from screaming again as more bullets started shooting in our direction. So much for wanting us alive.

"Damn it." My mother swore, swerving from side to side in an attempt to evade the shots. The gravel underneath our tires caused a small cloud of dust to trail after the car, making it harder for my mom to see as she accelerated.

As she stuck to maneuvering through the forest as best she could, I glanced over my seat to look behind, gulping. A black Ford trailed behind, still a distance away but closing in quickly. "Mom..."

"I said not a word!" she yelled, the stress of the situation finally managing to crack open her usual calm. I hiccupped, swiveling back in my chair and sitting in a fetal position.
We're going to die, we're going to die, we're going to die—

"We're not going to die, okay?" Mom hissed out, casting me a quick look; I hadn't realized I spoke out loud. "I won't let it happen, honey." It was the first time in years that she looked at me with tenderness in her eyes rather than fierce protectiveness. It was the first time in years that she called me honey and wiped away my stray tears. And it was then that I knew.

We were going to die.

A bullet crashed into the back window, causing shards of glass to erupt into the backseat while making me scream in horror. Mom gritted her teeth and took a sudden turn to the left, veering off the gravel path and hurtling us into the forest.

The bumpy terrain had both our teeth chattering, and I squeezed my eyes shut to force the nausea down. Opening them just a smidge, I squinted at the mirror, relieved to see that the van following us had tried to maneuver through the trees as stealthily as our small car did but failed. It crashed headfirst into one of the great oaks spiraling upwards into the sky. Ravens cawed in surprise and a horde of them took off into the sky, shrieking and flapping their wings in a hurried manner.

Relief shot through us both, and we both let out shaky sighs. The silence only lasted for a minute. Our car screeched as we ran over a fairly large boulder and I nearly hit my head on the top of the vehicle. Still not speaking, I watched as the trees became a blur and we continued our descent down the forest hill to reach the main roads. I swallowed and fiddled with the bracelets on my arm as my mother stroked her key necklace— a gesture she always did when she was nervous or unsure.

The golden hue of the accessory shone in the sunlight, causing a glare in the mirror. Little did we expect that the very thing my mother said would save us, ruined our lives completely.
The key's refraction of the sunlight hit my mom's gaze, making her squeeze them shut for a split second as it pierced her eyes. In that second, the car screeched as my mom's hands involuntarily turned the steering wheel ever so slightly to the left and we slid over a patch of mud and rocks.

There was a horrible grinding sound underneath the car as pellets of pebbles hit the exterior and the squelching of mud echoed. Mom's eyes widened as she realized she was losing control of the vehicle and our car began to spiral out of control.

"Shit!" she yelled, as the two of us were thrown around the inside of the car. The hill we were driving down became a nightmare as my mom tried to avoid hitting trees when the car wasn't in her control. A loud pop made me wince as the back left tire exploded under a sharp rock, making the vehicle even more hazardous than before.

I bit my lips to keep from crying out when all of a sudden, a distant figure broke the dam and sent me shouting. "Mom! Look out!"

She grimaced as the looming, enormous boulder just yards away came into sight. The car wasn't obeying her orders and instead, sped up as it continued spiraling downwards. Without a moment's hesitation, Mom turned to me and started unbuckling my seatbelt, simultaneously glancing up to see how close we were to collision.

"Mom!"

The snap of the seatbelt unlocking resonated as she reached over and slammed my door open. The boulder was getting closer and closer. I made a choking noise as she gave me one last, determined look.

And then I was being shoved out of the moving vehicle.

I had no time to react; one second I was airborne, the next I was crashing spine first into a pile of crunchy, autumn leaves. The impact left me breathless, jarring my thoughts and leaving me gaping at the crystal blue in bewilderment and confusion. The breeze blew my hair into my face, rustling the leaves underneath my body.

And then my ears were ringing with the sound of an explosion, frightening the wildlife and more importantly: me. It was deafening; I could feel the tremors as I lay and the sound of my ears continuing to chime deafened me.

Yet, my thoughts were singed with the thought of a single person: Mom.

My fingers on my right hand curled as I tested them out to see if I had broken anything in the fall. Everything was sore, but as I tried to sit up, I was instead overcome with a numbing sensation that erased any feeling of pain. I glanced at my hands, shaking and quavering, before I hauled my ass off the ground and began walking in the direction of the carnage.

Leaves crunched underneath my converse as I made my way down the bare path that the car had etched onto the forest ground, until I came to a stop two feet away from an image I doubt I could ever erase from my mind.

The boulder had cracked in half from the impact, and my car looked as if a giant had scooped it up and crushed it as if it were a soup can. The windows were smashed, glass everywhere, and steam was still emanating from the popped hood of the vehicle. But what scared me the most was the hint of golden honey pressed against the cracked glass of the driver's seat, still shining in the sunlight.

The window, or what was left of it, was smeared with red, making me clasp a hand to my mouth to keep from letting out a sob. Ignoring the numbness, I sprinted to the driver's side, prying the caved-in door to open and grabbing my mother's body before it collapsed to the ground.

I set her down to the floor gently, holding her head in my lap, feeling the tears beginning to stain my shirt. A tear fell on her cheek, and I brushed it off with gentle tenderness, hiccupping and brushing back her hair as well. Mom's head had a gash on the side, oozing out blood onto her clothes, while her arm bent at a crooked angle. She looked so broken, so in disrepair. I didn't know what to do.

But what I did do was rip my jacket off and apply pressure to the wound, while checking for any sign of a heartbeat. My fingers groped at my jacket, ripping it to sizable pieces while muttering unintelligible words under my breath. I fished out my phone from my pockets; it was chipped and cracked, but at least it still worked. Dialing in the three numbers engraved it into my mind I waited until the call went through directly to 911. It was a little choppy and hard to get the sentences through, but the one bar signal I had in the forest managed to save the day.

The tears were running down my face profusely, and every often I had to wipe at my face with the sleeve of my shirt. I don't remember the last time I've ever cried like this, except for the night my father left. Just as I reached out to stroke her hair, a hand grabbed my wrist, making me gasp and drop the piece of cloth I was holding.

"G-Gwendolyn?" Mom choked out; I felt her hand trembling on my arm. I let out a pained smile, relief coursing through my veins.

Squeezing back gently, I whispered, "I'm right here, Mom."

"Do you remember what I told you when you used to ask about your father?"

"Yeah, of course."

"Repeat it back to me." Her voice cracked as she wheezed.

"Mom, I don't think now is a good time. Please, you have to save your strength."

"Gwen, say it."

"S-some secrets are meant to be kept."

She smiled; a broken smile that twisted at my insides and tore at my heart. "Not this one. Not anymore." Her hands clawed at her chest weakly, until she managed to scoop up the thin chain that wrapped around her neck, connected together by a simple, gray key. Ripping it away, she grabbed my arms with shaky hands and forced the necklace into my own palms.

"The answer to all your questions is in the junk drawer." Mom whispered, her hands escaping my shaking fists and falling limply to her sides. "Honey, your father is still alive. You need to find him before they find you."

"They? Mom, please." I cried, balling my hands around the necklace, holding it in a vice-like grip. "You're delusional right now. Once the ambulance gets here, everything will be alright, okay? I promise. Look at me, mom, I promise."

"Don't," she whispered, cupping a weak hand around my cheek. "Don't make this harder than it is. You need to take your bag and leave. Right now. Head for the house, open the junk drawer, grab your stuff and go."

"Mom, I'm not leaving you." I hissed out firmly, gritting my teeth as helpless tears escaped my eyes.

"You know I love you, right baby?" she crooned softly, coughing. Spatters of blood hit the collar of my shirt, making me choke back a sob.

"I know, Mom. I love you too."

There was that small smile on her face again, the one that held many secrets, much like she did- does. She squeezed my cheek lightly as the light began to fade from her eyes. "Go." My mother whispered to me, as she closed her eyes and did not open them again.

➳➳➳

Ever since I was little, I was always an obedient girl. I was brought up to listen to commands and obey them, no matter what. Favors were always a difficulty to turn down, solids and promises were always kept, and I never once questioned anything.

This wasn't an exception.

I lifted the bag I managed to haul out from the trunk onto my shoulders, grimacing at how heavily packed it was. Out of the corner pf my eyes, I caught a view of my reflection in the remains of the side mirror. My hair was dirty and in tangles, eyes puffy and red, cuts on my face. With a creak, the mirror fell to the ground and I was plunged back into reality.

My mother's body lay propped on the side of the broken car, her eyes shut peacefully and a last smile playing softly on her lips. Walking over, I gave her a kiss on the forehead and forced back the tears once more. "Goodbye, Mom. I love you, okay?" As soon as my voice broke on the last word, I knew I had to leave otherwise I would be held back with my many emotions. I pictured my mother's stoic but determined gaze, one that she always wore, and tried to replicate it on my face.

Gripping the key in my fist, I turned to walk away and I never looked back.

➳➳➳

Stepping over the dead body of one of the men who my mom ran over in the driveway, I barely made it to the front door before I collapsed on the ground.
This was all just too much to handle for one day; my brain was fried and my heart was blasted to smithereens. All I could feel was exhaustion and sorrow and I just didn't have the energy to keep going.

Go.

My mom's voice echoed in my mind and with a grimace, I got to my feet and unlocked the front door. I went with the routine movements, walking through the corridors as I felt as if I were wading against a current instead. But I had to take a detour and venture down the road I've always been told not to go into.

In each house or apartment my mom would rent, there would always be one room that was completely off limits to me. This was the first time to even step foot in one of the restricted rooms. In this particular apartment, the restricted room was an office room, to which I cautiously opened the door and peered inside.

Flicking on the switch, I was met with an empty room, devoid of anything except for a familiar mahogany desk that was coated in a fine layer of dust. I recognized it as the one piece of furniture my mom would always move with us, no matter the location. She always referred to it as the junk drawer.

Slowly, I made my way around the desk, coming to a stop in front of the one drawer smack in the middle of the furniture. I'm sure that was it, I could just feel it. Taking the handle, I pulled at it, only to find that it was locked.

Dumbass, I chided myself as I opened my fist to reveal the key tucked inside. With a shaky hand, I stuck it in the slot and turned, hearing the successful click as the drawer unlocked.

I didn't know what I was expecting, really. Maybe just a handful of documents, money, and contacts. Or at least anything valuable to find my missing father. But I wasn't expecting a solitary piece of ripped paper to be sitting in the middle of the empty drawer.

Frowning, I scooped it up with my free hand. It was just a stupid piece of paper. Nothing was even written on it! Letting out a frustrated growl, I flipped it over more than one occasion, just to make sure I wasn't hallucinating or anything.

I wasn't.

So this was it? My mother died for nothing? My father is still off doing who-knows-what in who-knows-where? I screamed, not a shout of horror or shock. No, this was pure rage.

I threw my hands up at the ceiling, about to let out another scream, when I realized something miniscule about the paper that I didn't notice before un it was held up to the light. It had slight indents on it, not from being crumpled, but something else...

Quickly, I tore off my bag and scooped a pencil, thinking of those criminal shows I used to watch with my mom. Praying that it worked, I scribbled the piece of paper with the flat side of my pencil, shading it. Slowly, numbers began to appear on the paper, making my eyes widen in realization. It was a phone number.

Dad?

I took out my phone, frowning at the cracked screen as I rapidly punched in the numbers: 555-3145. Pressing the device to my ear, I held my breath and waited.

One ring.

Two rings.

Three rings—

"Hello?" A gruff, male voice answered on the other end of the line.

My voice hitched and I managed to choke out, "Dad?"

➳➳➳

I'm actually really digging this story, not only because I literally have the entire story mapped out, but because it's action and adventure, and I love those genres.

Expect tons of twists and turns, because nothing is as it seems. c; Hope you all enjoy! Quick note: this was all written on a mobile device, so it hasn't been edited yet. I'll get to that soon, and if you see any mistakes, just let know!

Picture on the side is the actress who plays Gwen Rogers. c: Her name is Ashley Olsen.

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-Isabelle