Escaping Parker - F.T. Zele Page 0,10

hand to help me up. “You are safe right now. You don’t have to be scared.”

“I know, I guess it’s just kinda normal to expect the worst.”

“I hope you like cheap burgers. I could only find one drive-thru open.”

“I love them, especially when I’m this hungry. Thank you,” I say as he hands me a burger, and I sit on my bed with my legs crossed in front of me like a preschooler. I inhale the food quickly, not realizing how hungry I was with everything going on.

“So, Mark. How did you get into doing this?” I hope I’m not being rude or pushy.

He takes a deep breath before he answers. “My mom. I always knew my dad wasn’t a good man. I just never knew how bad it was. She shielded my brothers and me from the evilness. I was sure that once we were older and moved out, she would leave him. She never did. She now lives in a state prison for the murder of my father. She snapped during one of their fights. Since she never spoke about what was going on, never alerted the police, there was no record of abuse. The jury did not understand what my brothers and I witnessed our entire lives. Just because we didn’t see it, we knew, we heard. The bruises, the big sunglasses to hide her swollen eyes.”

“I’m so sorry, Mark,” I say in a soft voice.

“Don’t be, she may be in a different type of hell now, but she is away from him. She didn’t want him around us. My mom is perfectly content knowing he’s gone, that was enough for her. She’s a strong woman, and she is up for parole in two years. We’ve been working her case non-stop.”

“How do you have time to do this if you’re busy working her case? Do you ever feel it distracts you from . . . I don’t know . . . this?” I say cautiously.

“Absolutely not.”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to imply you aren’t good at what you do.” Shit, I can’t believe I just said that. I was just merely making an observation, and it came out so wrong.

“I only do this two times a month, which is about three to four days at a time. I have a normal job I go to when I’m home, and at nights I work on my mother’s case. I’m fully committed to getting you get to the next stop safely, it’s my top priority,” he insists.

“Mark, I really didn’t mean to suggest you weren’t qualified. Not my intention. I just was asking. I’m going to stop talking now.” Feeling horribly, I close my mouth before more stupid comes out.

“It’s ok. I understand your concern. I just wanted you to know why I do this. I hope it makes it easier to trust me a bit more, at least until you get with your new guide. I promise you, this is not the end.”

Not the end. I think about his last statement a bit. Although it feels like an ending, I know this is a beginning.

“What time do we leave tomorrow?”

“Around 6:00am.” He looks at his watch. “That only gives us a couple hours to get some rest. I’m going to turn in; I think it’s best you get some sleep also.”

“Ok. Sorry again,” I say quietly, and try to get comfortable. I lie in the bed and stare at the ceiling, hoping I can actually fall asleep as things run through my mind. I’m worn out and hope sleep finds me soon, knowing tomorrow will be another adventure on the road, learning the new me.

We’ve been on the road for four hours already, and I’m becoming restless. Being confined to this car is driving me crazy. I know I shouldn’t complain; I should accept the fact that freedom is almost in my reach. But I feel useless sitting here, unable to do anything, and continuing to give control to someone else.

I want to be in control.

“Parker,” Mark says.

It takes me a minute to realize he’s calling me. This is the first time he has called me this. “That’s me, for now.” The last part I whisper to myself.

“Whoa! You are Parker from now on, for always. This is your new life. The faster you come to terms with it, the easier it’ll be. We don’t go risking our lives for others who don’t want this.” Mark frowns. “You agreed to come, to save your life. If that has