I Need a Hero

A few hours later and we now had our new identities. James and Jessica Andrews, Zachary Hughes, Brian Johnson, Jonathon Williams, and Matthew and Brenda Ryans. Why did Matt also take my name? Well…

“So Brenda,” Evan, Michelle’s friend, suddenly interjected in the conversation that was going on. Everyone was talking as Evan and Michelle were off to work at making everyone’s passports, driver’s licenses, and birth records. “Did you want to stay your current age?”

My eyes narrowed in thought. “Well, kind of. I mean, I don’t want to try to pretend to be eighteen.”

“Well then we have a problem. We can’t just have a sixteen year old wondering the streets. If you guys are still planning to go to somewhere in California, sixteen year olds aren’t allowed to live on their own yet.” It fell silent in the room.

“I’ll be her older brother,” Jimmy offered, raising his hand. Jessica rolled her eyes, smacking his shoulder.

“She looks nothing like us. It’ll never work,” Jessica pointed out.

“But I wanted a sister!”

“You have one numb nuts.”

“You’re no girl,” Jimmy retorted. Jessica shoved him off the couch and kicked him in the back in one fluent motion. Jimmy groaned on the floor as I looked at the ground. Now what?

“I’ll do it.” We all looked at Matt with wide eyes.

“Really?” I squeaked. He nodded with a grin, showing off his dimples.

“Definitely. I mean, we both have hazel eyes and dimples. It would make the most sense,” Matt replied with a shrug. I jumped up and gave him a tight him, burying my face into the crook of his neck.

“Thank-you so much Matt,” I whispered. He simply hugged me back and patted my back. As we separated Evan spoke up again.

“So are we putting Ryans on the paperwork or Samuels?” Matt looked down at me and then smiled.

“Ryans.”

Now we were all headed back to Michelle’s in the same vehicles as on the way. I was leaning onto Johnny’s shoulder as he drove silently. I was still letting it sink in that we were free. No one could find us now. Suddenly Johnny took a turn that made us head off the main road. I looked at the shops around us in confusion. I turned to Johnny who was smiling, still facing the road.

“Do you like your current hair color a lot?” Johnny asked randomly.

“Well, not a lot. Why?”

“We’re going to need to dye our hair to completely make sure we lose everyone who could point us out. It’s just a precaution Jessica mentioned,” Johnny explained.

“When did she do that?” I asked.

“When you fell asleep.”

“Oh.” You see, it had taken so long to make everything I had passed out from boredom. I really didn’t understand how I could sleep so much lately, but I managed. “Well what were you thinking?”

“I was thinking I needed a hair cut and blonde hair,” Johnny chuckled.

“Fine, then I’m dying mine black,” I stated.

“Oh, so now we’re trading hair colors?”

“I like the idea,” I replied with a shrug. Johnny pulled into a parking spot and climbed out of the truck. I followed suit as we walked into a store called “Sally Beauty”. We walked in to be greeted with the sight of anything you could need for hair care. Dyes, shampoos, conditioners, straighteners, extensions. We walked to the dyes and began to look through them. I located the black and turned to look at Johnny who seemed to be concentrating very hard on the bleaches. “What are you doing?”

“Trying to find out what shade would be best…” Johnny trailed off, trying to decide on a color.

“Spoken like a true girl.” I leaned over with him and grabbed a box towards the middle. I turned it around and saw the before and after colors on the back. I nodded and shoved it into his arm. “This one will fit more.”

“God, trying to make my hair white?” Johnny asked as I led the way to the front.

“No smartass. When you dye your hair it won’t be that blonde. That’s if you had a darkish brown. You have full on black so it should come out the right color.”

“And if it doesn’t?”

“You can blame me forever,” I replied, setting my box of dye on the counter. Once Johnny showed up and placed down his, the woman rung up the items.

“Twelve eighty-two.” Johnny pulled out a crumpled up twenty and placed it in her hand.

“Where did you get money?” I demanded.

“Val.” I rolled my eyes and grabbed our bag, thanking the woman. As we climbed into the truck Johnny mentioned again about getting his hair cut.

“Nu uh. I’m saving us money and I’ll just cut your hair.”

“Should I trust it?” Johnny joked, turning back onto the main road.

“Believe me, I’m beast at cutting hair,” I laughed.

“I’m holding you to that,” Johnny informed as he pulled down the path leading to Michelle’s home. When we got there we discovered everyone else was already there. We headed inside where yelling could be easily heard. When I opened the door Will ran by with an angry Jared following. After them also ran - a now pink haired - Jessica. Me and Johnny shared a look before Matt walked in, his hair that was reaching his ears was now close to his head.

“So, uhm, what happened?” I asked slowly, still staring at his missing hair.

“Jessica wanted to make her hair pink and then Will came in, accidentally hit Jared who was putting in the dye, and now Jared has a pink patch of hair in his bangs. I’m not sure why Jessica is chasing them anymore, and stop staring at my hair!” Matt whined.

“Sorry! You’re just so….bald!” I exclaimed, moving my hand where his hair used to be. He rolled his eyes, walking off down the hall. I walked up the stairs, planning to go find my room. Up there Johnny and I ran into Michelle who’s lips were attached to Brian’s.

“Ahem,” Johnny fake coughed. The two split apart lightning quick and smiled shyly at us. “As happy as I am to know Brian is finally getting some, where are our rooms?”

“Shuddup short shit,” Brian warned. Johnny made a fake scared face which cause Brian to flip him the bird.

“Boy, boys, act mature for once,” Michelle huffed. “I hope you two don’t mind, but I ran out of guestrooms. I put you two together in the third door on the left. I gave you one of the ones with a bathroom attached though.”

“Thank-you. Continue sucking face,” I stated as I headed to the room. I opened the door to show a nice looking room. “This is a guestroom?”

“Well Michelle and Val are Italian. They probably inherited some money from the Mafia,” Johnny pointed out, shutting the door after he entered.

“Not everyone who is Italian is related to the Mafia Johnny,” I remarked, rolling my eyes.

“I truly believe the twins and Zacky are.”

“Then I would be careful what you say. Don’t want to piss them off then get the don to take off your head,” I teased.

“I'm putting my first wish to get you whacked,” Johnny joked.

“Oh, I see how it is Johnny. Fuck you too.”

“When and where?” Johnny asked huskily, coming up behind me and wrapping his arms around my waist. I melted into his touch and smiled faintly.

“Nu uh buddy. Let’s get your hair fixed.” Johnny groaned as I walked away into the bathroom. I looked through the drawers and successfully found scissors and a comb. I pushed him to sit on the edge of the tub, his feet on the outside. I climbed in and brushed out his Mohawk. “I’m going to miss you Mr. Mohawk.”

“Loser,” Johnny muttered. I rolled my eyes and began to cut away at the black locks of hair. After twenty minutes his Mohawk was gone and in place of it was short hair that went about an inch off his head. Suddenly running feet was head approaching the room.

“Brenda, Johnny! Come here, you have to watch this!” Will yelled, running away again. I left Johnny to follow after me. When we got to the bottom, Jared was waving us over. I couldn’t help but laugh at the pink tips across his bangs.

“Shut up and go watch,” he muttered. We walked in to see the television paused on a news station.

“They’re here, play it!” Jessica demanded. Michelle obliged, pressing play. It dramatically turned to a man sitting at a desk.

“And the latest news, conspiracy in Utah. An anonymous source sent us a file about this institution in the small town of Terrance, Utah. The so called hospital named Bridgeview is not on the map. There is no license for medical practice and, what everyone believes, there is no medical practice even going on there. Here is Sandra on the frontlines. Sandra?”

The view changed to a petite blond in front of Bridgeview. “Thanks Peter. Behind me is Bridgeview. Over twenty occupants have lived here from four months up to ten years. All kinds of horror movie torture has happened here. The men in charge, Adrian Knight, Ronald Stevens, and Glen Stiles have been taken into custody along with the fifteen other people who worked here. Even more across the nation are being arrested as we speak. Local police has also informed us that there are a number of bodies found, one including Knight’s nephew Nicholas Knight. We will be broadcasting more as the story continues to unfold.”

At the end everyone was silent, most of us with our mouths agape. Finally Matt broke the silence. “How did they find out?”

“Nick told us if he didn’t call by one to just send the file to the nearest news station. While you guys were gone we dropped off the files,” Jared replied.

“Not Nick,” I whispered. Johnny hugged me tightly, petting my hair.

“Don’t worry, they’re going to pay for it.” I nodded my head. “We’re going to go back upstairs and fix our hair.”

“Have fun,” Jimmy called. I rolled my eyes as Johnny and I climbed the stairs.