Don't Run

Maya

When I get off the bus, I take a deep breath that evaporates in the air as I exhale. It is an unusually cold spring day, even though the thin rays of the sun still light up the afternoon. I hold on tightly to the strap of my backpack as I throw it over my shoulder.

I’ve been on the road for two years now, and it never gets easier. I squint at the sign in the middle of the bus station, “Old Bern Station”. This will have to do. I quickly realize that I am the only passenger who got off at this station and that suits me perfectly.

When I finally get out from the bus platform, I look around. This may be an even smaller city than I had first thought. In front of me is a large road, with individual houses on each side and a dark forest framing the facades of the houses. The sun is low on the horizon, with only an hour or so left of the precious sunlight.

My first priority is to find accommodation, a motel to begin with and then after a couple of days I can look for a better arrangement. Even though I know that I won’t be here for long, I never am, it’s better to have an apartment than a motel. It is important to always be on the move and not get too attached to a city or the people who live there.

I start walking down the street towards what looks to be a smaller town square. I am greeted by a large round cobbled opening with shops on either side of the square. It’s late and the shops don’t look open. I can apply for a job there tomorrow I think to myself. Today I’m just going to fall down onto a bed and pray to all the gods that the nightmares won’t haunt me.

Those who walk past me are giving me strange looks, but I’m used to it. A newcomer in a small town like this always causes a stir at first, but I’ve learned that the curiosity always settles down after a while.

I look out over the square as I walk straight through it, beautiful trees surround the otherwise bland surface.

Further ahead, a young woman walks with a small child by her side. She looks at me with raised eyebrows when the baby suddenly points at me while saying something that makes the woman pull the child towards her. The woman bends down and gives him what appears to be a silent scolding.

I can’t help but laugh before I continue walking in between a few shops, through a dark alley until I come out on the other side. Where are the motels in this city? Have I ended up in such a small town that they don’t even have accommodation to rent?

I sigh, grab the strap of my backpack before throwing it over my other shoulder. I massage the shoulder that just carried the backpack, I’m stiff and I need a long hot shower. I sat on that bus for 6 hours and no one can say that they feel fresh after such a long trip on a public transport.

I’m just about to turn around and walk back towards the square when I see a sign with “Café and Bar” on it. Okay, a beer with my muffin please? What an unusual combination of establishments, but hey, who am I to judge? I can stop there and warm up for a while, maybe ask the barista or bartender where the nearest motel is.

I walk towards the bar, the sun has already started to set and my stomach is rumbling loudly. Before I step in, I put my hand into my jeans pocket to pull out my last cash. 50 dollars, that should be enough for some food, a beer and one or two nights in a shabby motel.

I grab the wooden door that creaks when I open it and step into the warmth. My body relaxes somewhat when I am greeted by music, laughter and clinking glasses. It’s not a big venue, but the feeling there is very homely. The walls are painted in a dark green colour and paintings are hanging asymmetrically throughout the room. The roof is painted in the same green colour except for the thick wooden beams that extend over the entire surface. Large plants are placed around the room and mustard yellow curtains hang by the windows. There are a few small tables to the left with chairs around them and a long wooden bar counter to the right as you enter through the door. Behind the bar counter you can see bottles of various liquors, but also a large espresso machine. To the right of the bar counter is a glass display case full of pastries. Some of the guests are drinking beer and eating snacks, while others have a teacup on the table and a plate of cookies. Two large men are sitting at one of the tables, deeply immersed in a conversation. In front of them are empty shot glasses and a plate of cheesecake. It must be the strangest combination I’ve seen in a long time.

Suddenly the door slams shut behind me and everyone turns towards the doorway. I swallow hard when their eyes land on me. Oh my god, have they never seen a stranger before?

I straighten my back before confidently walking up to the bar. I let the backpack sink down in front of one of the bar stools before I sit down. I feel their eyes burning on my back but I do everything to ignore it when the young girl standing behind the bar walks up to me. She has fiery red hair, green eyes, a tight black t-shirt and ripped jeans. Her beauty is from another world and I can’t help but stare at her with wide eyes realizing that she has said something.

“Uh... what?” My voice suddenly sounds hoarse and raspy, and I’m ashamed that I come across as a drooling idiot. I clear my throat and continue, “Sorry, what did you say?”

She giggles, her eyes sparkle and I can’t help but be enchanted by her smile.

“I just asked what the young lady wants?” she says happily.

“Ahh, okay...” I look around behind her and then to the glass case. “A beer... and a blueberry cupcake?”

“Coming right up!” She turns around, picks up a beer bottle and opens it before placing it on the bar in front of me. The foam slowly seeps up through the neck of the beer bottle and I quickly pick it up to lick up the cold liquid that has started to flow out.

She then walks with light steps towards the glass case to fish out a muffin that she places on a small platter next to my beer.

“Thank you” I say and give her a small smile before I let my eyes rest on the beer bottle. The label is damp and has started to loosen at the edges and I can’t help but fiddle with the wet paper.

“You’re not from here,” she says, more as a statement than a question.

I lift the bottle to my mouth before taking a sip of the beer. I don’t know if I’m imagining it, but it feels like the people around us are talking quieter now that Redhead has asked me a question.

“No, I came into town today” I hesitate before continuing. “By bus.” I meet her gaze before taking a bite of the cupcake. It’s divine, oh my god, who made this? “I’ve never seen a Café Bar before, it’s a bit of an odd combination?”

She laughs before dragging a rag across the bar in front of me. “Yeah, a little weird maybe, but me and my partner wanted to open something together. I’ve always loved being a bartender and she loves to bake, so why not combine the two?” Her smile is contagious and I can’t help but feel my muscles relax in her presence.

“Yeah, why not? Whatever floats your boat” I answer as I take another sip of my beer. I can feel how the liquid thaws me from the inside out. “Hey, one more question, where is the nearest motel?”

She gives me a surprised look before smiling at me again. “Um, motel... well, we don’t have that many of those here, but we do have a Bed and Breakfast. It’s located further up this street and then on the left, you can’t miss it. It’s called Missys B&B.”

”Okej, Bed and Breakfast… sounds expencive.”

“Don’t worry...” She clears her throat. “What’s your name?”

“Maya.”

“Don’t worry, Maya, I know Missy so if you say that I sent you there you can get a discount” she says before winking at me.

“Wow, thank you. And your name is?” I have to remind myself not to get too attached to anyone, even though this girl is really nice.

”Samantha, but everyone calles me Sami.”

“Sami! Can I have two more Tequila shots!” One of the cheesecake-eating men comes up to the bar and places his body next to where I am sitting. His perfume is intrusive, and I can’t help but see how he stands unnecessarily close to me.

“Of course,” Sami replies with her usual smile. She immediately takes one of the bottles behind her before pouring the contents into two small shot glasses and sliding them towards him.

“Hey you” he says when he turns to me.

“No thanks” I answer coldly without even bothering to look at him. His frame is huge, it reminds me of the ones from home, but I hope I’m wrong. The bar stool creaks under me as I lean my body away from his presence.

“Shit, you don’t have to be so rude” the man says when he looks down at me. He is not only muscular, but also very tall and I need to turn my head up to meet his stare.

I don’t say anything, I just give him a stern look. We stare at each other until he gives up, mutters something inaudible and brings his shots back to his table.

“Don’t mind Jeremy, he’s always been an idiot” Sami says as she smiles reassuringly at me. I glance over at the two men when I feel a worry gnawing at me. Maybe it would be best if I leave early tomorrow and go to a new town. I hear Sami clearing her throat which breaks my train of thoughts and makes me turn my gaze back to her.

“Maya, how long will you stay here?” Sami leans on her elbows against the bar while holding me hostage with her gaze.

I bite my lip. This is the hardest part of being on the road. You meet people you don’t really want to lie to, but I don’t have a choice. And in answer to her question? I don’t know how long I’ll stay here. I could use some extra cash, and a few days here can’t hurt... or can it? I think of Jeremy and his companion, and I see out of the corner of my eye how they both drink their shots. I’m thinking, unsure of what I’m going to say to the unexpectedly kind bartender.

“I’ll stay here for a couple of days” I answer and Sami smiles broadly at me.

“How fun! Old Bern may not be a big city that gets many tourists, but I think you will enjoy it! What do you like to do?”

I have a hard time letting go of her bright green eyes as I think about how to answer her question.

Oh my god, what should I answer? The question comes so suddenly that I have a hard time coming up with a lie as an answer.

I clear my throat. “I like to read” I answer honestly after not being able to come up with something other fast enough.

“You do?” Sami laughs. “The only thing we in Old Bern have to be really proud of is our bookstore! It has floor-to-ceiling bookshelves and an incredibly beautifully carved spiral staircase up to the second floor where you’ll find even more books. It is known to be a gold mine if you like old books. Or, famous, I don’t know, no celebrity has been here or so.” She laughs nervously. “You just have to check it out. It’s in the square next to our hardware store, wait here!”

She jumps away from the bar and goes behind a door further into the room. The murmur of the people sitting behind me muffles the sound of the door closing behind her.

My first impression of her is good, I can probably come to like her, even if I shouldn’t. She could be a breath of fresh air in my otherwise dark everyday life. She’s holding a phone in her hand when she returns to the bar.

“Give me your number and I’ll send you a pin on the map where the bookstore is.” I hesitate, can it hurt to give her my number? I quickly make the call and decide that she is harmless and nod in response.

She hands over the phone and I type in my phone number before saving it under my first name. Calm ballads are pouring out from the speakers that are mounted on the wall. I finish my cupcake before taking a last sip of my beer as I meet her gaze again.

“I’ll text you tomorrow!” Sami says happily before going to take care of another guest at the bar.

“Thank you” I say as I get up from my chair and put the money on the bar. I bend down to lift my backpack up before throwing it over my sore shoulder. I avoid looking at those sitting at the tables, but I can feel their eyes burning against my back as I open the door and leave the bar.

The wind has increased and send chills all the way into my bones as soon as I take a few steps out on the road. The gravel crunches under my boots as I make my way along the road. It doesn’t take long before I see a small house with a glowing sign outside: “Missy’s B&B”, right where Sami described it to be.

Carefully I knock on the door before I open it and step inside. I hold on tightly to the strap of my backpack as I step up to the reception desk. The walls are covered in wallpaper in floral patterns, and it smells like it always does in an elderly person’s home.

“Hello?” I call into the dark house, the only light that shines is a small red table lamp that stands on an old vanity desk behind the reception.

“Hello! Maya, right?” An elderly lady steps out from one of the doors to the right of the counter.

“How... How do you know my name?”

“Sami called me, of course!” the older lady replies and laughs. “I’m Missy Fleur!” She reaches out and I hesitate a little before I take her hand in mine and shake it.

“Maya” I say briefly and give her a stiff smile. She reminds me of June as feelings bubble up inside me that I would rather push away.

“Maya...? No last name?”

“No, no last name,” I answer and shrug. “Do you have a room available? I can take the smallest room in the house, I don’t need much.”

Missy grimaces as she walks behind the reception desk and bends down to flip through her booking book.

“Hmm... Yes, you can take the green room,” she finally replies before turning to walk up the rickety staircase. I follow her, alert to my surroundings as I always am, I look around and make mental notes about where all the exits are and possible escape routes. We walk through a short corridor with numbered doors on each side until we stop outside the door that is furthest away.

“Here!” she says as she unlocks the door and shows me into my new room. It’s not big, but it isn’t the smallest room I have ever slept in. Bright floral wallpaper adorns the walls, a window with bars faces the street. To the right is a small bed in a steel frame and opposite it is a chest of drawers in oak with worn edges.

“Here you have your toilet,” she says as she opens the only door in the room. I peek inside, a small shower, a toilet and a sink, that’s enough.

“Thank you” I answer when I receive the key to the room. The key is heavy and the pink fluffy chain feels soft in my hand.

“Breakfast starts at 7 am and ends at 10 am! Welcome, dearest” Missy says before giving me a smile. She closes the door carefully behind her and I sink down on the bed. I’m completely exhausted, my body is screaming for rest. I get up laboriously before I unpack my clothes and fold them into the drawers. I take off my clothes before I go into the shower and turn the faucet to the warmest position. I scrub my body clean before I put on a big t-shirt and a pair of cotton panties. The bed creaks noisily as I crawl under the covers. I take a deep breath that ends in a heavy sigh. My eyelids are heavy and it doesn’t take long before the world of sleep takes me away.