Forever Bound

Through it All

“Everything?” asked an inquisitive Kayla as Karen tried to gather up their few belongings from off the cot.  As Karen hurriedly stuffed a few drabs of clothing into a duffle bag, Kayla sat on the cot’s edge staring at her.  Surrounding them were the voices of many other people, some disheveled, most however angry.

“That was my ticket you ass, give it back!” shouted one man a few paces away from Karen.  The loud tone startled Kayla as she hopped closer to Karen, who paused her packing to take notice of the situation.  With the desperate intent steadily forming in the eyes of the man who yelled, Karen zipped up their bag and grabbed Kayla by the arm.

“Let’s move, now!”  The look on Karen’s face prompted Kayla to adhere to her every word.  Without hesitation, they both left the area of their cot and headed towards one of the various crowds near the few exits to the stadium.  Within seconds of leaving, the shouting between the two men grew into a fracas that saw the men tumbling on the floor, knocking their cot over in the melee.

“Stay close Kay, grip my hand tight.”  Karen held Kayla closer as the two fought their way through the crowd to make it to the gateway near the exit.  The sounds of people arguing and panicking drummed on Kayla, scaring her more and more with each step.  Exasperated, she stopped in place and kneeled down, pulling Karen back as she tried to move forward.  Angrily, Karen turned to scold her until she noticed how terrified she has become.  With no one around them paying their existence any mind, Karen lifted Kayla from off the crowd and made it to a semi-secluded area away from the maddening crowd.

“Hey, hey….” she whispered, rubbing her head as she sat next to her. “.. its okay sweetie.  I know you’re scared but the only way we gonna get out of here is through that crowd.”  Through teary, tired eyes Kayla rose peered at her.

“Once we are out of here, I promise you things will get better.  Just stay with me Kay, can you?”

“Will you take me to momma?  I really wish she were here.”  The question lingered in front of Karen as she tried to keep her face from betraying her words.  With a long blink and inaudible sigh, Karen answered her the only way she felt was right.

“We’ll find momma, and you’ll be safe.  But you and I have to stay together.  Alright?”  With a  forced smile that reassured Kayla, Karen was able to avert delaying their exit any longer.  Just as the two made it to their feet, an uproar of noise turned their attentions to one of the exits in the distance.

“Damn, now what?” murmured Karen to herself as a nervous Kayla clutched closer to her.

“Attention everyone.  Attention.  We will only be running 3 buses from this location today.  Please have your tickets ready.  If your bus number is not called please move away from the exit locations.”  A collective chorus of frantic worry swept through the voices of the hundreds of displaced people within the cold stadium.  Karen looked down at Kayla who returned her stare with a dreadful one of her own.

“I can’t stay another night here.  I need momma!” Kayla bellowed as her voice became muffled with her face burrowing into Karen’s side.  Karen tried her best to ease her but she knew none of her words would work at this time.  Over the loud speaker, a series of numbers were called until the first two buses were filled.

“For the final bus, please head over to the north exit if you have the following numbers.  K06.  L24. W98.  V99. B…”  Karen jumped to her feet, pushing Kayla slightly to the side in shock.

“That’s us Kay, grab the bag and let’s go!” shouted a relieved Karen.  As Kayla arose, Karen immediately noticed a few shaded looks thrown her way due to her celebration.  Holding Kayla tight, she quickly checked herself and returned to a reserved state.  Just as they passed a few people, a man’s voice caught Karen’s attention, halting her pace.

“Momma’s Daycare.  Did you work there?” asked the man as he stepped directly in Karen’s path.  With a puzzled look, Karen chose not to immediately answer him as she ushered Kayla behind her.

“Your shirt, it’s a staff shirt.  Just wondered if you worked there of if you just found the shirt somewhere.”  Karen sized up the man as he spoke, but still did not feel comfortable having him near her.  Noticing that no one around was going to interject, Karen swallowed her fear and erased any worry from her face the best she could.

“I found the shirt.  Didn’t have any time to pack so I’m just gathering what I can.  Now if you’ll excuse me I have a –. ”  As she tried to step around him, he intercepted her movement which prompted her to roll her eyes.

“Yea, I heard you celebrate.  Congrats.  But I think you might want to consider lending me those tickets for mine.  See that burly looking fellow on the line, that’s my good friend and he just got on that bus.  But, I didn’t.  You understand the situation I’m in right?”

“Yea, looks like you have a tough goodbye ahead of you.” she remarked without fully thinking through her words.  The comment causes the man to smirk, only momentarily.

“Simply put little girl, if you get on the bus instead of me, I’ll see to it that my friend makes life very unpleasant for you and that sweet lil girl clutching that fine ass of yours.  So give me your tickets and buy yourself some safety.”  With sweat trickling down her back, and fear boiling within her stomach, Karen can’t remember ever feeling so afraid.  With no time to come to a better solution, Karen balled her fist and swung with malicious intent towards the man’s groin area.  In unexpected pain, he buckles to one knee long enough for Karen to grab Kayla’s arm and rush towards the exit.

Within distance of the safety of the exit gate, Karen hands over the tickets to the lone officer by the door who lets the two of them through.  With one last gaze of the many denizens of the stadium, Karen walks Kayla out with no intent of ever seeing that place again.

Outside, the morning sky brought to light many of the horrors that the stadium walls hid so well.  Buildings collapsing and the sound of gunfire and explosions hummed in the distance.  Through panicked voices, Karen and Kayla were told to hastily make it onto the bus and secure a seat.  Safe passage from that location won’t last forever, so the bus needed to move immediately.

As the bus pulled off, wading through abandoned cars and passing by residential areas blighted by carnage, many of the passengers remained quiet in contemplation about what came next.  With a heavy yawn, Kayla comforted her way into Karen’s lap, who had now become comfortable with the feeling.

“Why did you tell that man you didn’t work at my mommy’s daycare?” asked an ever prodding Kayla.  With the sun shining through the window, Karen puts on her shades to comfort her eyes from the glare.

“Until we are safe Kayla, we need to be careful what we tell people, okay.  And I promise you, once things start to get back normal, we will find your mother.  Now, let’s try and get some rest sweetie, okay.”