IF: Nowhere To Run (Camryn Morgan Series Book 1) Read online

  * * *

  "Gosh! I don't care what the person did it's is so gruesome!" Kathy said.

  * * *

  "I don't think the people are sitting around with popcorn and taking pictures. I think it's this person has done such horrible things people go to make sure their dead it’s not a rumor." Alison said.

  * * *

  "I don't care! It's vile." Kathy said.

  * * *

  "Calm down sweetheart." Lance places his hand on his fiancée's knee.

  * * *

  Alison bet the worst thing in Kathy's life is breaking a nail. Self- righteous cunt. Alison thinks.

  Camryn returned early from her interview. She's been staying with Anna four weeks and she is dreading going back to the apartment. She's woken up two more times finding Anna standing over her when she was sleeping.

  * * *

  Anna brought a guy home the other night and she could hear --- everything! Her guest topped off his visit by using her toothbrush! She continues having weird dreams and last night Anna was masturbating with her bedroom door opened. Camryn must find a roommate!

  * * *

  She enters the apartment to find Anna trying to work her foot into one of her shoes.

  * * *

  "Anna!" She said

  * * *

  "Oh, hi Camryn." She smiled sheepish. "Girl you have the world tiniest feet!"

  * * *

  "If you wanted to try on my stuff all you had to do was ask…your hair is braided?" Camryn said.

  * * *

  "I got this done today. I thought your hair looked cute." Anna said." I need to let the manager know you're staying with me and everyone fills out this tenant information form." Anna hands Camryn a long form. Camryn frowns.

  * * *

  "They need my elementary school?" She said.

  * * *

  Anna shrugs.

  * * *

  Camryn digs a pen and book from her bag. She sits on the floor props her back against the couch.

  * * *

  "I'm not filling out some of this stuff. Please put my shoes back in the closet." Camryn said.

  * * *

  "You may not get permission to stay." Anna said.

  * * *

  "That's a chance I will take." Camryn stated.

  * * *

  “Just do it the right way." Anna said.

  * * *

  Camryn places the document on the floor next to her. "What's going on Anna?" She asked.

  * * *

  "What do you mean?" Anna said.

  * * *

  " ... If you don't want me here I can figure something else out." Camryn said.

  * * *

  Anna rolls her eyes and chuckles." I guess being around each other as grown women is different." She said.

  * * *

  "We got along well as kids. We've responded to life's demands differently." Camryn said.

  * * *

  "Responded to life's demands?" Anna mocks Camryn. "Why are you trying to sound so white?" Anna said.

  * * *

  "I'm not." Camryn said.

  * * *

  "Yes you are. Listening to classical music...name me one black classical music person." Anna said.

  * * *

  "Off the top of my head... Samuel Coleridge- Taylor and Thomas Wiggins-he was blind, a slave and autistic and still played classical piano. Anna come on I was raised by Grandpa Ariel and Grandma Sarra ... jazz musicians." Camryn said.

  * * *

  "I forgot." Anna admitted. "You've lost your blackness." Anna stated.

  "It sounds like you never found yours. Music and hair is part of the culture... it's not what defines any of us. "Camryn said.

  * * *

  "No, black people like you make it harder for the rest of us. You're a sell out?" Anna said.

  * * *

  "Anna, this sell out knows more about the history of this country than you do." Camryn stated.

  * * *

  "That must come in handy with your white guy dates." Anna said.

  * * *

  "I'm not talking about the so-called history taught in school. I mean American history- the good, the bad and the very ugly of it. Its popular to America bash, so much so I think we forget literally millions of people come to this country for a chance at a better life... and no their not all here illegally." Camryn said.

  * * *

  Anna claps and pretends to wipe away tears. "You have sex with white guys...no credit-ability in the argument!” Anna said.

  * * *

  "That's what this whole argument is about isn't it? You bang strangers but the color or in your view the lack of color of my dates is an issue? You want to go there...fine! Anna, you're a bigot. Who I allow in my body is my business. "Camryn said.

  * * *

  "I can't be a bigot. I'm black." Anna said. She rolls her eyes.

  * * *

  "Your defense is...somehow the rules of racism don't apply to you?" Camryn asked.

  * * *

  "Exactly." Anna stated.

  * * *

  'Wow." Camryn is disgusted. “You bigots are all alike and every one of you believing your unique.” Camryn said.

  * * *

  "There is one born every minute." Anna stated.

  * * *

  "Yes there is." Camryn said.

  * * *

  "I think you need to hurry up and find your own place." Anna said. She glares at Camryn a moment and walks away.

  Camryn sits in the university library since assholes took guns to school instead of their lunch some universities stopped allowing the general public into its buildings. She always remain on the main floor the more isolated the floor it increases chances of running into a predator.

  * * *

  She used to feel sorry for Anna and Lisa. Uncle Milton accused eight year old Anna and 11 year old Lisa of being pregnant. He always told Luke his son he's stupid and useless. He beat him up ... she'll never forget it. Luke graduated high school and two days later joined the Marines.

  * * *

  Milton would go from cracking jokes to yelling the slightest things would send him into a rage. Her dad was an easy going jazz man. Milton was a tone deaf closet musician. He get drunk and play horrible guitar to the dogs. He made his family the target of his rage. Uncle Milton killed himself a few days after learning Luke died in action. Luke was 25.

  * * *

  Camryn works on the 'Take Back Your Life" section of her program. She realizes her biggest fear is watching others live the life she wanted. It's a great time to take a break from thinking and checks on the bulletin board. She may find favorable housing arrangements. Tonight she’s back renting at a motel.

  Camryn told Wesley that she’s planning to clean out her parent’s storage unit in Austin. He told her he’ll show her around town. What girl doesn’t want a handsome tour guide? He didn’t need to know it’s taken her six years to get to the storage unit.

  A girl stands next to Camryn viewing the boards with her.

  * * *

  "Not much huh?" She said.

  * * *

  "No, I guess that depends what you're looking for." Camryn said. "Boy, that's a statement." Camryn and the girl chuckled.

  * * *

  "I'm Katrina." She smiled and extended her hand. Camryn shook her hand.

  * * *

  "Camryn. Katrina, the Spanish language newspaper. Could I look at it?" She said.

  * * *

  "Sure. I'm on my way for some coffee. I need it back so come with me to the café." Katrina said.

  * * *

  Camryn frowns as she scans the apartment listing. She realizes she didn't read Spanish very well.

  * * *

  Camryn hangs up the phone and shakes her head. "She told me my Spanish is shit but thanks me for trying. The place is rented." She laughs.

  * * *

  Katrina laughs. "I took Spanish in high school and if you need to count to ten I'm your girl. You speak Spa
nish well." She said.

  * * *

  "Not well enough." Camryn said. She laughs.

  * * *

  Camryn leans back in her chair. "Katrina, if you don't speak Spanish...why are you carrying around a Spanish newspaper?" She asked.

  * * *

  Katrina smiles sheepishly, "I think Latin men are hot. So it's a conversation starter for me. I ask them how well do they speak Spanish then I tell them I learning and would like someone I could practice with." She said.

  * * *

  Camryn laughs. "How are your results with the technique?"

  * * *

  "Amazing! I've given a man a problem to solve. But not all Latin men speak Spanish." Katrina smiles.

  * * *

  "Thank you for letting me use the paper. My ride is here so good luck on...your dating strategy." Camryn said.

  * * *

  "Oh wait! Let's keep in touch." Katrina said. "Let me see if I can find you on Facebook."

  * * *

  "Let me give you my email address. I have the settings so only certain people can contact me... an ex I'm actively avoiding." Camryn said. She jots down her email address and waves bye to Katrina.

  * * *

  Richard sits next to his sister. "So?" He asks.

  * * *

  Katrina locates Camryn's Facebook profile. "This one's not going to be wrapped up so easily. She...she doesn't realize her power. Image for a moment what's going to happen when she realizes ... gets a hint of her power..." Katrina stated.

  Kathy laid on her stomach. She’s blindfolded. Every time she attempted to rub her face on the mattress to remove the blindfold she's hit with something.

  * * *

  "Th--there's some money in my wallet, I think about $40 or $60 bucks." She said. She could feel the person sitting on her back.

  * * *

  Alison smiles as Kathy struggles to get out of the restraints. She overheard Kathy telling Deborah, Lance would be out of town. It is the perfect opportunity for Alison. Alison’s main purpose of this exercise is to scare Kathy -rock her perfect little world.

  Kathy's blind folded, she placed ear buds playing loud rock music in her ears, and she places a candy ball gag in her mouth. Alison squeezes Kathy's breasts and applied nipple claps to them. She takes photos of Kathy's vagina. Kathy's hands shake.

  * * *

  Alison didn't leave Kathy's apartment for six hours.

  * * *

  Alison knew how to maneuver around the security cameras. She sat on the train and walked through her alibi. She left early and went home sick. She stopped at a store outside her work and bought some Alka Seltzer's. She made Kathy eat her so she knows the person attacking her is a woman. She shaved so no pubic hair is left behind. A tip from a sex offender when she was in a juvenile detention center. The body soap Kathy uses she's spent the past week bathing in the same soap—it gave her a rash.

  * * *

  The night personnel at the Y often fell asleep or went on extended breaks so no one to deny or confirm her whereabouts if it got as far as a police investigation. She videotaped Kathy having orgasms during their time together. She gotten a special mini tablet specifically for occasions like this. She would edit the material and send the finished video on a memory stick.

  * * *

  Alison smiled she believes she thought through all angles. When she arrives back to the Y. She found the night guard not at his desk. She waited two minutes the cheap security equipment always malfunctioned around 4am. She saw the monitors screen turn to snow. She enters the lobby pushes the elevator button. She got off two floors down from her floor and returned the elevator to the main floor. She ran up the flight of stairs and to her room. She smiles, "Ha! 20 seconds left”. She usually got home around this time so anyone on her floor whom heard her coming into her room---it's all normal.

  * * *

  Alison is giddy for the next growth group meeting. She looks around her room her last day seeing this place.

  2

  Before

  SHE WOKE. She lay in bed listening to the rain. It's nature's whispered reminder to take a moment and enjoy the silence. There is always a calm, a stillness comes with a light shower.

  * * *

  She picks up her cell - 3:48am. Camryn tosses back the sheet. Andrew rolls over and farts--she thinks it's the most intelligent thing he's said in a while. She enjoys sitting in the darkness. A few hours earlier, she and Andrew sat in this room with the nightly routine.

  * * *

  Andrew complains about the assholes at work.

  * * *

  Andrew complains she's gotten too fat.

  * * *

  Andrew complains about her being broke.

  * * *

  Camryn is shaken awake.

  * * *

  "You going into work today?" Andrew asked.

  * * *

  "Maybe" Camryn said. She didn't realize she fallen asleep on the couch. Andrew shakes his head.

  * * *

  "I'm sick." She said.

  * * *

  Andrew sucks his teeth "What was the reason last week?" He picks lint off his shirt. "The flu... we work in a call center it's not like you're running around. We can't afford for you to be out too long." He said.

  * * *

  "Andrew. I went to work yesterday and had to leave early. I don't think our co-workers appreciate me sharing my germs with them. "Camryn said.

  * * *

  She's out sick with the flu for two days and every day when Andrew returns, he asks if this is a paid sick day. She inserts a thermometer into her ear. When Andrew's having a morning tantrum, it's best to avoid him. Beep. 103 temp. Camryn wants to go back to sleep, but with Andrew around... she wouldn't rest.

  * * *

  "I'm going to work now." He said.

  * * *

  Camryn coughs. "Andrew, I'm paying the rent, utilities, car insurances, food, and, and, and... No money." She said.

  * * *

  "Don't act like you're a victim here. A few months ago I paid for everything. "Andrew said.

  * * *

  "That was a year ago... for a month." Camryn stated.

  * * *

  "He thinks you're hot and said if you screw him, he'll call it even." Andrew said.

  * * *

  "You're the one who started gambling. This is your debt so you pay the terms." Camryn said.

  * * *

  "I'm not gay." Andrew said.

  * * *

  "I'm not your whore." Camryn replied. She coughs.

  * * *

  "You're well enough to argue with me... you can go to work." He said.

  * * *

  "Aren't you going to be late?" Camryn asked.

  * * *

  Andrew frowns. "You have enough energy to act like a bitch this early in the morning you're healthy enough to go to work. I hope this flu helps you lose some weight. "He said. He leaves.

  * * *

  Camryn started the relationship a size 14 ---now she's a size 22. She's only 5'5 not many areas for the weight to go. She starts an eating plan, but lack of money... Andrew would bring home cookies and fast food. She's aware of his sabotage.

  * * *

  Camryn takes four 1,000 mg of vitamin c hoping the mega doses would help her recover faster. She turns on the TV. She rarely views any ministers on TV after witnessing a well-known minister comparing Jesus' death to a Thanksgiving turkey. God must be proud.

  * * *

  She stares into the warm mug of green tea when something catches her attention.

  * * *

  "There are people you do not need in your life. Some people you're going to love from a distance. Doesn't mean they are a bad person but they're toxic in your life. Evaluate your connections. If you're unwilling to let go of the turkeys don't expect to soar with eagles." The TV minister said.