‘’Are the pedestrian lights broken or something?!’’ I muttered trying to crane my eyes up the road to see, as cars were still speeding their way by me and I’d not yet had an opportunity to get back across the road.
Fuck it…I thought when hearing another three dongs chime from the church nearby, and I made an on-the-spot decision to just brave it across the road dodging what I could.
‘’Wait! Don’t close the doors!’’ I called out to Eleanor, one of the staff members working the late shift at the shelter that night, as I could see her step out and turn around the OPEN to CLOSE sign that sat outside.
Beep beep beep!!! ‘’Bitch are you crazy?!’’ roared an angry driver shaking his fist angrily out the window at me, as I sprinted past his car almost knocking into another, but finally made it safely across the road as the last dong chimed out.
‘’Eleanor wait!’’ I called, not turning back to grab my boot which had fallen off, in my hurried haste to reach the door in time before she locked it.
HUDSON POV:
I jumped out the car faster than my legs would carry me when seeing Taylor sprint across the road, and into the shelter I’d visited a good six times already that week, only to be told every time that no one by that name was staying with them.
Securely beeping my car shut by a side road, I sprinted with my raincoat over my head down the road toward the shelter I’d seen her enter. It was definitely her alright, even with the heavy blur of rainfall I recognized Taylor immediately. And in case I was mistaken, her boot which I could see lying by the side of the road that came loose from her foot when running, erased any doubt I may have that it was her.
Knock knock knock…
I glanced to my right at a face appearing behind a curtained window of the shelter, rapidly signaling to me the establishment was shut for the night.
Bang bang bang! Boomed my fist now against the curtained window, as I was in no mood to be ignored tonight.
‘’Sorry, we’re closed’’ came the stern voice of a woman through the shoot in the door.
‘’I know, and I’m so sorry to be calling here so late, but you have a lodger inside that I desperately need to talk to’’ I said looking at her with pleading eyes.
‘’Are you family?’’
‘’No. I..I mean yes’’
‘’Name of the resident?’’
‘’Taylor Wainwright’’
The lady was quiet a moment…
‘’Sorry sir. We have no one staying here by that name’’
‘’Yes you do, I know you do’’ I said stepping up to the small shoot with Taylor’s boot in my hand ‘’…because this belongs to her’’
‘’And I already told you we don’t have anyone by that name. Now good night sir’’
‘’No wait!’’ I said, almost getting my fingers severed as I pushed them through the shoot trying to talk with her still.
‘’Sir, I will call the police if you don’t leave’’ she warned me.
‘’I’m not here to cause trouble, I promise. I just need to see her, please’’ I said softly, and saw the door carefully open and the woman’s eyes look up at me.
‘’Thank you’’ I smiled kindly at her, and she nodded quietly tucking away the few hundred dollar bills I’d slipped to her through the shoot.
‘’Follow me’’ she said and led me down a rundown dingy-looking hallway that led into another, before pointing her finger at the fourth door on the left.
‘’You have 20 minutes Mr. Avery’’ she said, and I looked at her and smiled again with a nod, realizing now that she’d actually recognized who I was, and trusted me enough to know I wasn’t here to cause any trouble.
TAYLOR POV:
Knock knock knock…
‘’Oh, you found my boot, thanks Elano-…Hudson!’’