You Put My Finger On The Trigger

Chapter Two; A New Life

   I look at the lone clock hanging from the barren rooms north wall.. Ten past eleven in the morning. Five more minutes.
  They tick by slowly, but finally, an officer knocks on the door, at which I call for her to come in.
  "Hi Miss McKendry, how are you feeling?" — the kind faced lady flashed me a sympathetic filled smile before continuing — "The therapist you spoke to and I, along with Sheriff McLeoud, Officer Liam Skye, and Mrs. Joanne Williams, the child protective services representative, have arrived at a decision of where to send you. It will probably be a bit hard to hear, but I need you to understand that your safety is our number one priority, and sending you through the foster system will be too easy to track as well as quite traumatic for you."
I nod to show her I understand, but my heartbeat is betraying me as it thuds dramatically in my chest. What, exactly, are they going to do then?
"Audrey, what we have decided is the best option for you in this scenario, is a full name change and a drop off the map."
  Her words hit like a semi-load of bricks. I shake my head, the information not settling in.
"Say what?" I ask, my mouth agape like the idiot I must currently resemble.
"We will be changing your name and relocating you under terms of absolute secrecy. You will be flying out to a therapeutic horse ranch near Rock Springs, Wyoming. We tried other places more up your alley, but this is the only one that could take you on such short notice. I understand this is a lot to take in, if you would like a moment, just let me know."
  Her tone has remained guarded and wary of what my teenage reaction could be. I remain stunned, my mouth quite close to hitting the floor. Seeming to remember that it should be doing something more useful, it pops open and closed a couple times before remaining shut.
"Um, what about Mama..?" I query, not appreciating the idea of not being able to attend my own mother's funeral.
"You can leave her here and let the authorities give her a burial in the local graveyard, or you can choose to keep her ashes with you to dispense or keep at your own will." She answers without missing a beat.
"I would like her ashes please." I reply, softly, brokenly. I cover my face in my hands. I have nothing left in me. I feel like a taco shell without the rest of the taco.
  Her gaze of sadness deepens when she sees I'm not about to put up a fight about the arrangements.
"Alright. I will let them know." She scratches in her notepad again. "Try to think of a name to change to, honey, you fly out tomorrow at high noon. Be sure it doesn't match the names of any of your relatives or close friends, and doesn't sound similar to your real name."
  I merely nod my head. I am shocked to the core. 48 hours ago I would've never imagined myself to be in the position I am now. Motherless, homeless, nameless, and a fugitive. Not to mention I was going to a horse ranch? What the frick fudge was that about? Horses smell funny and they're kinda big. Not that they were all bad but they kind of scare me. Some therapy, if you ask me.
  I go back to the cot and sleep once more, not because I'm tired but because I don't want to be awake anymore.
 

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  Gracie Ruth Swift. It sounds ok. I actually kind of like it. Sighing I circle the name on the filled up page with the red pen. Finally, my name was decided on. Not that I like that part of it... a piece of my soul flattens with a feeling unknown to me as I close the notebook and walk over to the desk where several officers are punching away on their computers. I shove it wordlessly at one of them. Not speaking much came easily to me in my normal, prior life, and now, as Gracie, I am currently destined to be assigned the label of mute.
  The therapist I had spoken to had told me it was probably a sign of the trauma I was sure to deal with in the future. Hence why I am going to a stables for troubled teens. I was told it took a lot of qualifications to get into that place because it is so high in demand that every mother whose daughter had been spilled on in school thought it was necessary to put her through the 100% successful program. I have my doubts. Already damaged from before this whole incident, I can't see how anybody in this entire world could help me now.
  Numbly, I listen to the officer exclaim over what a great name I had come up with. I think to myself that she should be working in a daycare, not the police station. What does she think this is, exciting? And birds have hair?
  I take my seat again and draw on sheets of paper to pass the time. The three hours pass slowly, but finally, after a million discussions and a few arguments with officers and foster care workers, I am bundled into a police vehicle along with my meagre belongings recovered from the house. Strangely, the test I brought home that day is one of the items in the backpack. They hadn't been able to find Pooka, my teddy bear that my dad had given me in the hospital when I was born. I was mad, seeing how Pooka was my only comfort in this forsaken world, and demanded that I be taken to go find him, but I was not allowed since the killer was likely after me and my home would be first on his watch list. My thoughts are a steady whirl of confusion and questions on the half hour ride to the airport in Oakland. Who was my dad anyway? Leo William McKendry, obviously. Why did he leave us, when we needed him so badly? I have one lone memory of him helping me finger paint. I can't remember what he looked like though, only that he has jet black hair. I remember his rich strong voice that made me feel so safe. Apparently the police had tried to track him down once they figured out who I was, but the records of him ended shortly after my third birthday. He had vanished off the face of the world. Well off the face of technology anyhow. Sheriff McLoud told me it was common for this to happen in the drug dealership. Once they make friends with a hacker, the rest is history.
Also, what is this ranch I was going to? I tried to remember the name, I really did, but I had been in such a daze that it skipped me. I had been told there were eight other teens on the ranch, four girls and four boys, as well as the owners son. The owner is apparently a single woman. What was her name again? Rachel? Rhonda? Rylee! That was it. Congrats, I think, you know the name of one whole person on a ranch of ten people. And you just LOVE socializing, so making friends should be easy as pie, the sarcastic voice inside my head replies. I ignore it. It usually has nothing good to say anyway.
  We arrive in front of the airport and two police officers accompany me through security and onto the plane. One is the woman who had told me the news of what was going to happen. Her name is Rosalee Brighton. The other is a guy I hadn't seen much of, but was supposedly involved in my case. However he is cute and with the amount of flirting going on between him and Rosalee, I can't help but hope they will make it official. His name badge reads Liam Skye. They are both going to accompany me directly to the ranch. I wasn't about to complain, I like them both.
  I get the window seat, just one row ahead of the left plane wing, and the entire take-off I am silently enthralled. I can't understand how these rich people around me could all act like it is nothing more than a nuisance, a way to get them to where they were going. Have they really never felt what Iam feeling right now, this surge of absolute exhilaration knowing I am soaring above the earth? I decide they are all idiots, and turn back to the window.
  Beside me Liam and Rosalee are going at it. I turn to them half in annoyance and huff, "Can't you guys just, like, kiss or something and get over the fact that you like each other?"
  The look on their faces is priceless. Their cheeks turn red, and awkward silence ensues. I turn unbothered back to my window. A few seconds later I hear a movement behind me, then a couple of people behind my seat and across the aisle from us start clapping. I turn around, then return twice as quickly to my window gazing when I realize they have taken my suggestion. The remaining hours of the flight fly by with me trying desperately not to eavesdrop on the two talking excitedly about their uncovered love for each other. Finally, at hour five out of an eight hour flight, they fall asleep on each other. See if I EVER make suggestions like that again!
  Little did I know that suggestion changed my life forever, some months down the road.

A/N: HEY IM BACK. I didn't leave you hanging after all. I didn't even delete the book what would you know 😂 I hope all grand eight of you will stick with me wish I knew who you were because you inspired me to put up this chapter (after I looked at the reads thinking nobody had read the book) if y'all wanna share this to death I'd appreciate you to death!!!! Love yalls and I hope you enjoy this chapter. Would you ever feel kind enough to vote and even maybe comment? 🥺😥❤️❤️❤️