Chapter I Marisol
I hate driving at night, but when my brother called because he was too drunk to drive and stranded, again I had no choice.
GPS led the way to a place I had never heard of one ninety-six miles away from home, the signal cut in and out.
An unnecessarily long, dark drive, to the middle of nowhere.
As I approached, I could hear I was in the right place, crazy sounds and terrible music reached me long before the giant farmhouse was visible.
I pulled up unsure where to park, there was no driveway, cars were parked on grass and in mounds of dirt. I parked far enough away to avoid someone hitting my car or blocking me in. I stepped out onto the uneven, wet ground littered with plastic cups and empty bottles.
I get out to search for my brother, I called his phone repeatedly, straight to voicemail, typical.
I nearly tripped over people having sex out in the grass, they remained unbothered. I awkwardly nod at random greetings I get from tipsy people who swear they know me.
I screamed my brother’s name over the music in vain, no one could hear me and the one guy that responded was not even named Miguel.
Why did I agree to come get him? Why did I leave my warm and comfortable bed for this? Why do I always rescue him from the dumb situations he puts himself in?
I reluctantly pushed through a group of sweaty bodies attempting to dance although it was more a mix of jumping, offbeat swaying, and sloppy grinding. I shoved away drunken hands that took the opportunity to grope me as I passed by.
I disregard the inebriated come ons and what they consider to be compliments, but really are crude sexual advances.
I desperately looked for someone who might know my brother or at least seen him, no luck.
Why do I keep calling out his name knowing no one hears me or cares?
I unknowingly crossed through an indoor game of football and a large shirtless guy sends me flying into a table. I crashed into it, soaking myself with a variety of alcohol, no apology.
Great, now I am wet and sticky.
A guy who thinks he might know who my brother is, said he thinks he might have seen him go upstairs. I listened because it is the best lead I have.
I avoided a guy vomiting into a plant and two girls wildly making out in the middle of the stairs. A group at the top of the steps offers me shots. When I said no and asked for my brother, they ignored me.
I checked upstairs, smoke pours out as I open one door, I squint through the fog, no brother. One room is locked, another hosts a card game, still no brother.
Did I hear my name? I did.
What a relief to see Alyssa, my brother’s girlfriend, standing there. Something I never thought I would think.
By the look of disgust and annoyance on her face I knew she was mostly sober.
She played innocent, but she always willingly follows him into these situations knowing how they turn out. I did not feel bad for her, or really care that she had to work, I was there for my brother.
She led me to Miguel, passed out on a lawn chair in the backyard. I knew trying to shake him awake would not be enough, so I poured a water bottle on him to save us the time and effort.
He sat straight up and said something that made no sense.
We managed to get him up and started walking him towards the car. He’s wasted, his legs kept buckling beneath him, but it never stopped his desire to reach for whatever drink was in sight and greet everyone he knew.
He mumbled as if he was having a conversation, but it was not with either Alyssa or me. Then he looked at me as if he suddenly realized that I was there and told me I am the best big sister. I said the same thing I always do, coming into this world two minutes earlier hardly makes me a big sister.
We put him in the back seat, and I started the drive.
The navigation announced, “In five miles make a left on Overhill road.”
Alyssa sat in the passenger seat apologizing for his condition again and promising to finally get her license to save me from these nights. She always said that and yet here I was, as always saying it was the last time.
She went on about how they ended up at that party, her nasally voice was like nails on a chalkboard. I could care less about their ventures; I was over this night.
Alyssa reminded me of the speed limit to hint that I was going too slow as she smacked her gum loudly.
Shut up Alyssa, you cannot even drive, I bit my tongue, so it did not slip out.
It was so dark; my headlights barely had an effect at their brightest setting. I could see only a few feet in front of my car, so yes, I drove slower than the limit. I did not know the area and the roads wound into shadowy, sharp bends.
I turned around a large fallen branch in the road and suddenly there was a girl. She ran out of nowhere, she was in front of the car, then under it.
I shrieked, slammed the brakes, put the car into park and leaped out in one swift motion.
To my dismay I saw the blood covered yellow dress beneath my car. I cried out madly for Alyssa to call the police.
What have I done?
Poor girl, it’s all my fault. I got down to try to see her condition, it was bad, I knew it had to be.
I called out again for her to call the police. I looked up and saw Alyssa standing over me, giving me this look of shock and disbelief. She kept screaming my name over my sobbing.
She grabbed my shoulders and shook me, and I stopped. She yelled at me, she seemed scared, worried, and asked me what was wrong with me.
“Why would you do that? Why would you jump out of the car like that? Of all the places to have an episode, you could’ve killed us!” she erupted. She questioned if I was drunk. She knows I do not drink.
Was she blind? Was she stupid? Was she intoxicated? Had she been so into blabbering about the stupid party and how fast I was going and scrolling through her phone that she did not see what happened?
I pointed behind me at the girl wedged underneath my car and she stared at me with a dumb, clueless expression.
She asked me what girl?
I looked back and the girl was gone. She must have managed to get up while we argued.
I started running around looking for her, she could not have gotten far. She must be disoriented and frightened.
Alyssa called me crazy, asking over and over, what girl? She said maybe it was an animal and it ran away. Did she really think I did not know the difference between a girl and an animal?
I ran around searching for anything that might lead me to her.
