The Road

Everyone stops running eventually, at least that's what they say.  You stop, settle.  Things become ordinary, repetitious- normal.

But she'd tried normal and normal hadn't brought her anything other than a seriously vindictive ex-husband and a mountain of debt so overwhelming she couldn't bear to face it- so she didn't.  She packed a bag (or rather just violently shoved some clothes, tooth brush and paste, deodorant, shampoos and other necessities into a duffle bag which she'd tossed into the back seat of her truck before screeching out of her ex-driveway.)

When she started driving she had no idea where she was going, why, or what it would lead to.  At first she'd managed to convince herself it was supposed to be.  One of those crazy, life-altering universe interventions that made no sense at the time but ultimately ended up putting one exactly where they're meant to be.

But now a glance at the signage let her know that she was most definitely NOT where she was meant to be.  In fact, she had no earthly idea where she was.  Jednota- who the hell had ever heard of Jednota, ever?

A familiar site- in the form of a gas station advertising the brand of cigarettes she'd been smoking since she was 16- prompted her to pull over.  She lingered in the convenience store, mulling over the best choice of snacks and contemplating the origins of the word convenience, when she saw her. 

She was looking at the flavors of frozen slushie with the same discerning eye one would use when considering a choice in diamonds.  The eyes were faded, somehow and there were scars on her face that hadn't been there 18 years ago but there was no mistaking the site of her old roommate.

She hesitated for a moment.  Perhaps out of shock or sheer bodily rejection of movement, but frozen she stood.  Eventually, her brain started working, started playing out the options.  But before she could envision either possibility the woman felt herself being watched and looked up.  She turned her head to look at her more closely, and then her eyes widened.  She displayed no hesiation whatsoever, she was not frozen- she was angry.

Apparently time doesn't heal all wounds.