Desperation

(Chapter One: Runaways)

Olivia drove. She didn't know where she was going. But she drove and didn't look back. She couldn't. There was nothing for her back there now. She trembled a little half cold from the freezing rain that had soaked her body and half from the adrenaline of the events that had taken place less than an hour before.

"Mommy," she heard a small voice from the back seat.

A tear slid down her cheek and she wiped it quickly away before turning to face her five year old daughter.

"Yes baby," she said softly as their brown eyes met.

"Where are we going?"

"I don't know sweetheart. Far away from here."

"Mommy," the little girl said softly still shaken from all of the horrible things she had seen. "Daddy went to Heaven, didn't he?"

Olivia gasped for air trying not to break down in front of her child. She placed her hand over he mouth and nodded her head. "Yes, baby. Daddy's in Heaven now."

Things were quiet for another twenty minutes or so as the child stared out the window into the night. Olivia shifted her eyes to stare at the gas light when she heard the chime.

"Shit," she said hitting the steering wheel. Her husband was horrible at putting gas back into the car. Now here she was, alone on a dark highway. In the middle of the night. In the pouring rain, with a child and no way to get any help.

She looked around the dark road. According to her GPS she was seven miles from the nearest gas station and the needle on the gage was now below the orange line. She crossed her fingers and kept driving. Minutes later she pulled into the closed filling station. She pulled her black SUV around beside the building and shut off the engine.

She looked over her shoulder in the backseat.

"You okay baby?"

"Yeah, mommy I have to go."

"Okay," Olivia said looking around the deserted parking lot. "Come on," She said opening the back door and picking up her daughter. "Mommy has to go, too."

She put the little girl on the ground and pulled a flashlight from the glove box. She pushed the button on her keychain to set the car alarm. She held tight to her daughter's hand as they walked around the building until she found a door marked 'Ladies.'

"Hold this," Olivia said handing the flashlight to her daughter.

"Mommy, it's locked."

Olivia attempted to push the door open, but the padlock holding it shut only allowed it to open a few inches. She slammed her hip against the door with no luck.

"Step back," she said looking down at the little girl. Then she raised her leg and kicked the door open.

"Wow, mommy that was cool."

Olivia laughed reaching for the child's hand. Obviously her days with the New York police department had left their mark on her. Even if it had been nearly six years since she had been back there.

She turned on the light and looked around the room.

"This is gross," the five year old said staring up at her.

"It will have to do for now. Put tissue on the seat and don't touch anything. Here, mommy will help you." She lined the toilet seat with toilet paper and lifted her daughter to sit on it. "Mommy's gonna be right next door."

After washing their hands, Olivia turned out the light and pulled the door shut behind them. She lead her daughter back across the parking lot to their car. She opened the passengers side door and boosted the little girl inside.

She climbed into the backseat and folded down the seats making them a place to sleep for the night. "Push the button and come back here with mommy."

She watched as her daughter pushed the button to lock the doors and made her way between the seats. Olivia balled up her jacket and helped her daughter lay down covering her with the blanket she had grabbed wrapping her daughter in as they ran from the house.

"Mommy?"

"Yes, honey?"

"We didn't brush our teeth."

"Mommy forgot to pack our tooth brushes. I will buy us new ones tomorrow, okay? Just this once."

"Yeah. I love you mommy."

"I love you too, baby. Now close your eyes and try to get some sleep. Mommy's right here with you," Olivia said pulling the little girl close to her and tucking the Disney Princess blanket tight around her. She kissed the little girl's forehead and closed her eyes.

The next morning Olivia climbed into the front of the car and riffled through the glove box searching for the twenty dollar bill she kept there for emergencies. She pulled it out also finding her wallet under the passenger seat.

She laughed as she opened it to find seven dollars cash and a Visa Platinum card. She pulled the card and her drivers license from the wallet and slipped them into her back pocket. She started the car and pulled around to the gas pump.

"Baby," she said softly reaching to the back of the seat.

The little girl stirred and opened her eyes.

"Hey sweetheart. Mommy is going to pump some gas. Then we need to try and use the bathroom again before we leave, okay."

She nodded her head and rubbed her eyes. "Okay, mommy."

"Are you hungry?"

She nodded her head again.

Olivia winked at her. "Wait here and let me full up the gas tank, okay. Then we'll go get something to eat."

The little girl leaned forward and kissed her gently on the lips. "I love you mama."

"I love you," Olivia said brushing her fingertip over her daughters freckled nose.

She pumped the gas and took her daughter to visit the restroom again. They walked around the little convenience store for a few minutes as Olivia grabbed a few necessities. She got them tooth brushes, some groceries, a couple of travel games for her daughter and a coloring book and crayons.

"That comes to forty seven fifty, ma'am."

Olivia stared down at the cash in her hand then tucked it into her pocket. She laid the credit card on the counter and pressed her lips nervously together. "Can I get a cash advance off that?" She asked knowing very well that every transaction she made with the card was easily traceable.

"There's an ATM in the corner. You can do it there. Up to two hundred, I think."

"Thanks," Olivia said as he bagged her things and she signed the receipt. She pulled two hundred dollars cash from the ATM and tucked it into her pocket. "Where is the nearest bus station?" She asked the man behind the counter.

"About seventy miles up this road. In a little town call Millspring."

"Millspring," she repeated. "And a department store?"

"Yes, they have one of those as well."

"Thanks," Olivia said holding the door for her daughter as they headed for the car.

Olivia drove to Milspring and found the department store. Inside she bought them each some clothes and a couple of duffel bags. She walked around the store for a few minutes trying to think of anything else they needed.

"Look mommy," her daughter said pointing to a doll on a shelf. "Isn't she pretty?"

"She's very pretty," Olivia said kneeling beside the little girl to inspect the doll.

"She has brown hair and brown eyes. Just like me."

"She sure does. Would you like her?"

Olivia watched as a smile spread across the little girl's face. For a five year old she was very well mannered and very seldom asked for anything. But they had left so quickly that she didn't have any of her things with her.

"Yes, please."

"Okay, you carry her. We need to get going."

They checked out and Olivia carried their bags to the car and quickly stuffed their clothes and what few groceries and personal things they had inside.

"Okay, baby. We have to hurry." They walked a few blocks down the street to the bus station leaving her black SUV parked in the store parking lot.

Olivia paced the floor of the bus station waiting for the bus to arrive. It had been so long since she had been back and she didn't exactly leave on the best terms. She and Elliot had fallen out of touch just before she had moved away six years ago and she hadn't heard from him since.

Now, she couldn't think of anyone else in the world that could possibly help her. New York was the only place she knew to go. And Elliot, the only person she knew she could trust.

Finally they were able to board the bus and in two days, they would be back in New York. Olivia watched as her daughter curled up with her new doll and her blanket coloring a picture. She had been through so much more than any child should ever have to face.

Olivia closed her eyes and tried to get some sleep. Soon they would be back where she belonged. Soon they would be safe.