Sunshine came bursting through the window of this makeshift home, one that had been made in the remains of an abandoned motel. The light slapped a young girl in the face, making her roll over and groan groggily in a vain attempt to deny her mind the chance at waking up. A night lacking in the ways of slumber had left her without any desire to crawl from the warm haven of those sheets; even as the sun ascended ever higher into the sky. Yet, in a world where little seemed to remain consistent, the sun had never failed to wake her. It was crude but given her circumstances it was one of the few things in life that could be counted on.
The space she called home was small. Quaint even. The near empty room of an abandoned motel suite. It’s queen sized bed having far outlived its comfort and the pillows that she used having long ago lost their fluffiness. Sheets that she wrapped her form in lacked any softness to them. Rough, rugged, and filthy. Even still, they managed to keep her body warm on cold nights. The lights in this place had long ago burned out which gave reason to leaving the windows without coverings. And other than herself, no one lived here. Something that she was vastly thankful for, though never understood why the many vagrants and homeless refused to shoulder in on the space that she had claimed as her own.
It was a rude awakening to be certain. Though, after crawling from the mediocre mattress and dragging her body across the room to look out the nearest window, cerulean eyes caught on something that they always dreaded to see...the alternating, flashing, red and blue lights that indicated that the police were nearby. She'd been lucky this far to have found such a perfect location to crash after each day of hard hours. One that allowed her the continued capability to live off of the street. This sight however gave her the inclination that maybe she'd gotten too lax. Maybe she'd botched her normal run to get into the motel and had tipped someone off that she was trespassing. Eyes stayed glued to the lights as if they were lulling her into a trance, mind racing with what she could have done differently to have kept them from showing up. Even considering other possibilities as to why they were here and what they might be after if not her.
Her heart pounded in her chest to a point that the thrum in her ears deafened the world around her. Forcing her to focus further on the flashing lights and the start of pain that grew in her chest.
Then she heard a shout.
Male, gruff, and modulated from the speaker that most police vehicles had, "This is the police! There is no use in running! If you have any honour then you will turn yourself in!"
No sooner had the policeman started his textbook delivery than the girl was in stride to the opposite side of the room. Launching herself through partially broken glass out into the chilled morning air. An afterthought granting the realization that she had made her haunt on the third floor and that she was now hurtling through the air, and thus the ground, at a rate that caused a renewed level of panic. There had been many times that she'd put her reflexes and body through no small amount of strain but this had to be a first. Closer, faster, the ground came up towards her and at the last moment, she clenched her eyes shut.
A dull, "thud", it was the sound that echoed through her body even as her instincts kicked in. Eyes blinked open in that next instant. She'd landed. Without pain or injury. Rolling forward with the momentum of the fall as if by instinct. It resulted in one foot being planted firmly on the dusty pavement with the other pushing off the ground to help her work into a run. A run that she was all too ready for; muscles tensing and straining against themselves as her body shifted into a sprint. Heading in any direction that wasn't here.
It wasn't until the sirens were out of earshot and she had taken enough cuts in her path that would confuse all but the most well versed street-rat that she eased into a jog. Heated breath pushing out pant after pant from the exertion but dry lips could be wiped away with a quick lick and the pain in her muscles could be numbed. Being put into confinement would be something she wouldn't likely have an answer for. So, she kept up her jogging until a particular place came into view. It was an industrial complex that had been abandoned a few years back but it served its purpose as a hangout spot for rebellious kids or street orphans. Many of whom only would ever risk coming out this way near nightfall. Though, in this case, she figured it would be one of the better places to wait out the police.
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Reaching one of the many concrete pillars that denoted being in the construction area proper, she fell against it for support. Her shoulder pressing into the cold stone as she struggled to recapture her breath; finding that she'd developed a cold sweat during her run; it wasn't long before the onset of worry gripped at her gut. If the authorities had found where she had been staying, wouldn't that mean that they'd done enough to figure out where she frequented most? It wasn't a comforting notion but it was also one that left her with a stony set to her features. It wasn't exactly as if she had anywhere else to go...and aimlessly wandering around this city would be far more dangerous than trying to wait out everything here.
Besides, no one was meant to be by today. The last meet had gone down a few days prior and the whole thing ended up going to hell due to some in-fighting among the groups over money or something. This meant that she wouldn't be putting anyone else at risk if the cops did eventually come by. Such a thought bringing a wry smirk to her lips and a sharp "tch!" from her lungs.
It was easy to come to the decision that she could finally relax a bit. Shifting from the concrete pillar to find her way further into the perpetually under-construction building. Slowly stepping her way over some pieces of rubble until she found herself standing in the room that typically held the gatherings. The smirk turning to a somber smile as she easily strode over to a far side of the room. Reaching the wall in a way that let her turn, put her back against it, and sink to the floor with a huff.
All of that running and worry had taken its toll. And, even though she'd just recently woken up, she was already feeling exhausted. With no water to draw from and no breakfast to speak of, it was much easier to simply sit and try to catch her breath. The steady rhythm of her heart beating in her chest lulling her into a quiet state for a moment of respite.
The sun had risen into the sky overhead letting her know that time had definitely passed since she started her sprint to safety. Her lungs having settled into a more normal breathing pattern. Finally able to take stock of what she still had and if she'd actually managed to nab anything important in the flurry of movement that had seen her charging off to this abandoned construction site. Hands patting at her pockets in a test that granted her the confirmation of what she already kind of knew. She was empty handed and empty pocketed. A breath catching in her throat as she bit back the panic that began to fill her head. Of all things to have forgotten, she'd forgotten the one thing that was more important than everything else. Her medication. The one thing that she made sure to have on her at all times...and she'd forgotten it.
With the panic welling quickly, there was a fleeting rational thought that told her that there was no reason to freak out about it now. She'd just have to bide her time and make sure she didn't need the stuff. Loosing a sigh that tugged at her chest, a new resolve resided in her head; she was going to have to spend the majority of the day away from her pseudo home, and then some, if she was going to wait out the police. And, with that in mind, she swiveled on her spot on the ground. Using one fluid motion to see herself back into a standing position. With another easier breath, she started to look about the place. She'd only been here once or twice when the sun was still out...and it was far different than how it appeared in the moonlight.
There was a heavy layer of dust that covered just about everything. The musty scent of sun-dried concrete and earth filling her nose. Battering her senses with how everything seemed so dirty as opposed to how things seemed when she had been here during the night. Thankfully, the light gave a much better chance to actually watch where she was stepping so that she could avoid the rubble that did litter the ground.
Maneuvering her way to the center of the large open space had her eyes looking skyward. Looking past the decrepit sections of half-completed roofing had her releasing another sigh, heavier than previously, that drew at her shoulders. Closing her eyes and dropping her chin to her chest. She took another moment to compose herself, trying to think of what she could possibly do to waste time. Hands clenching at the fabric of her shirt tightly until she decided on what seemed so plainly obvious.
She needed to eat. To drink. That meant that she would need to venture from this place of solace to one of the various market districts of the city. It wouldn't do to sit here all day on an empty stomach along with being dehydrated. So, with a self-assuring nod, she pointed herself back out of the quaint meeting place. Starting the trek to the district she knew to be closest that would afford her an opportunity to nick some essentials.