A place to sleep

My stomach twists and growls at me, begging for anything other than puddle water. The neon sign in the distance "Evelyn" Is a welcoming, warm glowing sign. I check the road, letting the growl guide me to the door.

I step into the diner with the doorbell announcing my arrival. A woman wipes the sides, and I see the bars and biscuits laid by the till. Hands trembling; I look around, I slip one into my pocket and then another a hand grabs me, yanking me away from the counter, "You planning on paying for that, son!" He voices low. I panic, I look for my escape. I punch him in the nose. A drop of blood falls into my mouth; I touch my own nose and spin the woman standing there. "If you call the cops, let me finish the biscuit". As my body starts to give way. She smiles and guides me to a booth on the other side of the diner, hands me a napkin and heads over to the man I punched.

I sit there and look out the window, waiting for the sirens to ring out and alert the whole world I am here, but nothing. The silence hovers through the night. The guy is now staring at me as he leaves. The woman comes over with 2 plates of chips and sits opposite me. She passes a fork and nods for me to start eating. The chip hits my mouth, and the crunch echoes around my head; the salt and grease travel to my brain, and the potato is heated, I shove 3 in a row into my mouth, and it hits me. I'll be starving before tomorrow ends. So I let each particle travel around my mouth slowly, allowing every grain of salt and oil to soak into my blood like an IV.

"You're not from around here, are you."

I shake my head and put my hands into my pocket, the rustle of the bar echoing stabbing my hand.

"Rough day?"

I nod, She smiles as we keep eating, I place the bar on the table, and stand up to leave; the bell rings as I push the door.

"You can't run forever, kid."

I look at her.

"You could work here as a server and stay in the small room back there if you need somewhere to stay."

I close the door and walk to the counter.

"Why would you do that? I could be a criminal."

"Not all who run are criminals."

She takes me back behind the counter and into the back room.

She opens the door as the smell of laundry detergent and toilet cleaners faintly floats around the room. Staring at me is a bed with a side table and a bathroom. What if she traps me in here till the police come? No one in all my time since leaving that orphanage has offered me a room, not even a chip; this feels like hope.

"I know it's not much."

I look around, and I see the window my glimmer of faith. I know it will be my escape, she places the bar on the side table.

"Thank you." I tremble before stopping them. I wrap my arms around her, waiting for her to pull away.

"So you'll work in the morning"

I smile and fall onto the bed; she leaves me alone. I open my wallet and see the photo of Mia my little sister her teeth growling as she hold the teddy bear close to her chest.

I wake up and see a shirt, trousers, and a cardigan on the side table; I jump into the shower and put it on; I step out. The diner is quiet on the counter, a plate of 4 stacked pancakes, "For you", I hear someone call.

"Thank you" I grab a fork, stand by the counter and start eating; I notice an empty coffee cup, grab the coffee and gesture to the woman she nods. I fill it till it reaches the brim. The woman from last night comes around the corner.

"Well done, I knew you would be perfect."

Perfect, no one has ever said that about me. It sticks to me like a badge of honour. Just then, a cop call pulls in, and 2 men get out and come in; I duck behind the counter, grab a cloth, and start wiping the floor. Evelyn makes eye contact with me, then the cops, and she begins to serve them.

"Could you take the bins out?"

I nod, grabbing them and keeping my back turned.

I take a step out and sit by the bins.

4 boys start coming towards me. Mocking tones. Cruel reminders. "Oh, look who it is" " his voice low like a warning. "Heard your parents got killed, maybe they were just getting away from you " A menacing laugh. My body freezes as they gather around me; I squeeze the bag against my chest. My legs superglued to the ground. "you've left your sister just like your parents did" They all laugh. "You couldn't save them so you won't save her" The cruel hand rubs against my chin. Shame and guilt wash through my body. I blink, but they stand there. There shadows suffocating the air. The breath in my lungs was lost. I fall to the ground.

A hand touches my shoulder, and Evelyn stands there.

"Sweetheart, what's your name?"

I shake my head.

The boy's laughter echoed around my skull.

"Can I call you Seth?"

I nod as the voices fade away; she takes my life raft and throws it in the trash, helps me up, guides me into the room and places me on the bed. She smiles. "Rest".

I drift off to sleep, thinking about what got me here. The road I walked, the nights I couldn't close my eyes their laughs drilled into me forever a reminder, The boys and girls stuck inside and now I sleep feeling safe.

The next morning was the safe routine of breakfast of whatever I wanted from the menu, wiping sides, cleaning the counters, saying hey to the cute guy in booth 3 and heading back to bed; this went on for weeks; I slowly felt this was my life, and I wanted to live it. My shift ends,

I say night to the chef and head back into my room, my wallet is poking out from my bed; I open it to find notes , £5 and £10; I look up Evelyn stands there.

"You said my pay was food and shelter."

"You must start a new life somewhere; I needed to know you would have money."

I wrap her into a hug.

"My name is Arlo" I feel her pull me tighter.

"Arlo, the perfect boy." She grabbed my face just like a mother should. I was safe, like I had a family. I just need my sister.