Elsa's POV
In the normal daylights of Mexico, its citizens roam freely as of their own will. Only, not all of its citizens had this privilege.
My mother and I waited for the best opportunity to sneak out of our home with our hands full of big loads of luaggage and bags. When we arrived at the densely packed train station, we were more than relieved that everything has been going as planned.
No crowds from the media. No reporters. No cops. It was as if God was finally on our side this day.
I look around the area in admiration. Not really. The benches placed there are at least thirty over years under the scorching sun. The sunlight always has a timeline of shining on the rusty metal bench from seven in the morning to six in the evening.
I am Erica... or at least until I leave this horrible nightmare.
In the eyes of the Mexican cops, they knew me as a visious, wanted criminal on the run. Formally known as Erica Carter by the vast majority of Mexicans, my new life will be unfold. Starting with the name of Elsa Tilden.
I feel very unease: not the name, not the people. It is my overall. My dirty blonde hair is now hanging losely on my shoulder. Even though I was not used to this change with my hair usually tied up in a high ponytail, I found it a great protective shield to hide my face and it worked especially well when dealing with the public. And my outfit, usually just skirts and blouse, was now a top and jeans. Not my style, but really who am I to nip-pick when I'm the one running away from the cops?
The worst part was, I forced myself to wear a pair of sunglasses. Not the kind your Granddad wears when he wants to look cool in his old fly-boy jacket. No. These are more like something you'd expect on the face of an astronaut. They are utterly shiny, dark silver and so seamless. They simply wrapped around my face from one side to another, perfect as if only ever touched by gloved hand. And like all sunglasses, they hid the part I always found easiest to read and without that all I could do is take note of the mouth, the posture and sense of personal space.
Thee only reason why I wore my one year old sunglasses is to pretend that I wasn't there. The dark shade of my sunglasses blocks most of the penetrating light, the sun. I could hide my identity behind that large lens. I could be invisible, like the gods above, staring keenly at the anonymous crowd at surrounded me.
At that moment I noticed a group of people lurking just a mile or two away from us and I caught a few words of what they were saying.
"— train. California —"
The speaker was a teenage boy - fifteen- roughly the same age as I am. He seemed too foreign in the local train station. Another tourist he was, trying to find the train that departs to California. Oddly enough, his group held fairly similar expressions I frequently wore.
I have been lost for so long it was what I had long already been used to, kind of like a person who gets used to being beat, I suppose. It was not that I like it, quite the opposite. Being lost sucks. There's nothing more lonely, nothing that brings more desolation to the soul.
I had to do something.
I walked over to the man that the group had asked for help from and got to understand the situation instantly. Just as I figured: another class of clueless tourists asking for directions, using English to communicate with this man who was clearly a Chinese tourist. That man definitely was starting to get annoyed, as though the group was being stupid on purpose, and in the end muttered about time-wasters.
* "先生,请您不要生气.他们也是旅客,想问问地点在哪里.真的好对不起耽误您的时间啊!"
The man darted his eyes at him and back to me as I spoke. When I finished alliterating my message to him, he managed to give a weak smile and said,**"Gracias, senorita!"
At least someone did his homework before coming to Mexico.
***"De nada!" I called back.
_______________________________________
*(these are Chinese translated)
I quickly apologied,"Sir, I'm sorry. They are also tourist, trying to ask you for directions. We're really sorry for wasting your time!"
** (Spanish translated)
"Thank you, Miss!"
***"Your welcome!"