I was taken to the town where I was placed in a motel room with a female agent. She was there to make sure I don't escape. I waited till she looked the other way and mixed laxative into her coffee. A few minutes later instant diarrhea occurred and I managed to slip out and find my way out without the Feds knowing. Instead of meeting me where I asked them to, they met me across a few blocks down. They found an empty building where I got to change my clothes and burned the ones I wore. I even destroyed the charm bracelet I wore. I was promised that I will get a new one from my friends. I used dyed my hair blueish purple and used a few eyeliners and hairspray to give myself a few fake tattoos. I used henna paste on my face to give it freckles. I changed to khakis and a sleeveless t-shirt and high heel boots. I wore heavy makeup and huge sunglasses. I even sprayed myself liberally with deodorant. We walked to the woods as quickly as we could. Aby's stomach growled so we stopped at the diner and ordered a few sandwiches, fries, water and orange juice. We paid in cash and hurried to the woods where we can hide once and for all.
We made it halfway when we heard a vehicle and I realized it was Dimitri here to help me. He helped me get as far as the next town where he got me a bus ticket. He hugged me and promised to find me when the time was right and he also promised not to join any law enforcement agencies but I knew he would join the Army and the next time we meet he will be working for NCIS.
I got in and kept my head down. I stayed quiet as a mouse making sure no one noticed me. I got out the moment the bus stopped. I wore the jacket and pulled up the hoodie. The underground map had a timestamp that must be followed to a T. I had few hours so I quickly opened my secret sketchbook and looked at the drawings. I made my way to the nearest convenience store and paid for what I needed and disappeared.
The FBI showed up and I had to remain out of sight. So whenever they came close I either lowered my head or picked up the newspaper. I even followed an elderly couple pretending I was their grandkid. Each time they miss me by inches. I had to wait till the assigned time before I could go underground. I met a blind lady and I helped her get to the train station. I walked to the nearest iron gate in the tunnels and slipped in. I used the map and walked in the direction according to the time mentioned. I walked around for six hours like a top spinning around. The exit was pointed at eleven pm so at precisely eleven I got out and walked to the convenience store and cleaned myself before I walked to the address I scribbled.
It was the blind woman who opened the door. She had applied for a helping hand and I pretended I was it. She let me in immediately and I dropped my stuff on the table in the foyer. She happily babbled about how she was certain it was me who will be her helper. I told her I had to take a tour of the city before I got to work so that I can find faster routes to get to and from places. She seemed the admire my gusto. She showed me my room and she ordered pizza and we sat down to chat. She was always depressed because she was visually impaired but one day she was listening to the radio and realized she has nothing to be depressed about. She is perfect the way she is. I explained that I have schizophrenia. I am taking therapy so I am doing ok. I was depressed too until I decided to grow up. We talked till we felt like we couldn't keep our eyes open. She showed me my room and told me to wake her up if she doesn't get up by ten am. I promised to do so and wished her goodnight as I closed the door to get some sleep. She did the same and went skipping to the kitchen to get a glass of milk. I was getting comfortable when the doorbell rang and she answered it. The Feds were doing door to door and they asked if she had seen anyone looking like me at all. You might as well be holding a blank page but these guys were a little more respectful. She managed to send them away. I slept in relative restlessness.
The next morning I woke up and felt rejuvenated. I took my paper and pencil and drew. I drew a park where a man with dark hair and a long coat was sitting on a Harley Davidson. He looked familiar but I didn't know who he was but I felt safe looking at him. He was in Phoenix, Arizona and he looked like he was waiting for someone. I jumped when the alarm clock signaled that it was nine-thirty. I walked out of my room and she walked out of the bathroom. She wished me good morning and hurried to change her clothes. The place looked like it had seen better days. So the first few days I had to spend using a vacuum cleaner and a mop. The next day I got boxes to sort through the place. Some were sent to the salvation army. Some were sent to the nearest orphanage. Some sent to storage. Few were kept and the rest was thrown out. By the time we were done, I was as exhausted. If I get more whipped than that I would be butter. Her name was Cecilia Aldridge and she wasn't a musician or a painter like the ones you see in movies. She worked as a dishwasher in the diner. I got a job as a kitchen helper to make ends meet. I lived with her for the better part of seven years before I moved to Pheonix, Arizona. She and my other friends threw me a going-away party. It was gloomy that I was leaving a safe place for a dangerous environment. I decided that the man was worth the risk. I arrived at the park and saw it was Dimitri but he was waiting for someone else. He kissed her on the cheek and she hopped on his bike and they drove off together. I made peace with the fact that I would have to find someone to spend the rest of my life with but fate had other plans.