Midnight Rider

Murphy showed her the small area where he’d been sleeping. He have her a thick blanket and told her he’d wake her in a few hours. She realized she was still shivering, and she still had his coat on. She thanked him as she set the coat aside and threw the blanket on the cot. She sat down to remove her shoes and felt the utter exhaustion within herself.

Paige stood up and walked over to a dusty old mirror, she flung off the cover onto the floor and pulled up her shirt, dried blood was smeared everywhere, and the scabs that had started to heal weren’t clean. She noticed that she had bled on Murphy’s coat. She felt bad – she’d felt pain all night long but the adrenaline had kept her from thinking about it.

She peered out of the room and down the hallway. It was still very early in the morning so the bar wasn’t open. She didn’t know where everyone had gone but she needed a sink – and something to clean these cuts up with. She found a first aid kit in the kitchen area where Duffy had been before, and there was a sink back there too.

Paige held the fabric of her shirt with her teeth while she used a near by cloth to clean the smeared blood. She gave up trying to clean the cuts when she felt the sting from the alcohol wipe. It hurt, and it bothered her.

“You’ve got to clean it if you don’t want it infected.” She heard Murphy say. “Arent you supposed to be sleepin’?”

“Thought this was more important.” She said turning around. Although she was embarrassed by them she let him inspect them anyway.

“fuckin’ hell. What’d you do to piss them off?” he asked her as he lightly touched her abdomen.

“Nothing.” She replied. “He was a little drunk – and wanted to prove a point.”

“What that you were human? I think you bled quite enough.”

“That I was nothing, actually. Wanted to prove that I was nothing but a fly in his city and that he could squash me if he wanted.”

“He was probably trying to piss Connor off. Fucker won’t give him anything about us.”

“It certainly got him out of his chair.”

“What do you mean?” he asked.

“After Mauricio gave me to his goons – he got them off me, killed them.”

“That’s Connor. The both of us wouldn’t have let that happen. It’s what we stand for I guess.”

“Yeah I heard about that big speech at the Court House.” She said, she flinched when he put the alcohol back on her wounds. She bit her lip trying to redirect the pain.

“Yeah well, celebrities we may be: we’re still only men, men of God.”

“Really God? You don’t seem like the type to devote yourself to him.”

“I’m Catholic, what can I say?”

“You even go to church? Say your prayers?”

“Every Sunday, and twice a day.” He told her.

She winced again. He was really digging into the cuts trying to get them clean. After several swipes from the alcohol they started to bleed again, and burn.

He gave her a bottle of whiskey – something for the pain. She realized her instinct told her not to because of what she was used to. Men would try to drug her, o get her drunk. So she always refused kindly or didn’t drink when they weren’t watching. But Murphy was giving her his bed… without him in it – she had to remember he was different.

She took a swig while he grabbed several butterfly bandages to help close the wounds tighter.

“Probably need stitches.” He told her, “If you don’t want scars.”

“No insurance.” She told him.

“Oh right.” He said, crossing his eyebrows. She felt uncomfortable having him so close to her, only hours ago had she feared strangers that wanted to do nothing but touch her. She tried to focus on the differences with his versus those with the others. He had no sharp weapons, no intentions of taking off her clothes. He was one man, instead of three. And he didn’t smell like whiskey and tomatoes. More like Hefavisen and cigarettes. Something she had grown accustomed to. She was slightly lost in her thoughts when he told her it was all done.

She thanked him, “would’ve had no idea what to do,” she said. She turned to leave taking one more swig of whisky before giving him back the bottle and returnin.
______________________________________________________

Paige laid awake for an hour before she sat up realizing it was no good. If she closed her eyes and pictured darkness she would feel hands all over her body, and if she tried to think of something else it always brought her images of what those men did to her. She could still remember the smell of her own blood, the heat of her tears, the sound of her screams.

Meeting these men put the idea in her head that she should start praying. But she shook the thought from her head.

She sat up when she realized she had no money. She had expected to receive some last night… but now she’d be short on the rent. She signed and rubbed her temples. She had argued with Duffy about paying the rent – Duffy knew where she lived and he had in fact gotten her a job at a nearby restaurant, which did in fact – pay her rent. But it wasn’t hers she was concerned about it was her mothers.

After Paige’s father left their family. Paige was the one who had to go out to find work. Her fathers drunken beatings had rendered her mother paralyzed from the waist down, leaving her unable to work. Paige also had a little sister Cecelia for whom she cared deeply. It was them she was really worried about – it was them she worked so hard for.

She left room without sleep. She found Murphy sitting at the bar, drinking a beer and looking solemn. She joined his solemn demeanor as she took a seat next to him, both had family problems. Both were worried.

“Thanks again…” she said. “for the help.”

“No problem. Did ya’ get any sleep?” he asked.

“None.” She replied.

She took the map from under his arm and looked at what she had written. She begam making notes about certain buildings. Some were business buildings, places kept nice – for show. But the others were hide outs. Adrienne knew where Mauricio’s office was, where he kept his prisoners and where his goons took a piss. Some had cameras, and some didn't... for certain purposes.

She instructed him that the regular hideouts were more likely. Some were far away and others weren’t.

“Do you have a way to get around?” she asked, “Walking isn’t always the quickest-“

“I’ve got Romeo’s car. He won’t mind.” He said. Paige didn’t know who Romeo was, but she had heard his name mentioned the other night. Doc brought her a cup of coffee and offered her a little whisky – which she accepted on account of her thinking she needed it. She also took his Tourettes quite well on account of her being a woman – she thought he was cute, the funny old man. That made Doc blush and smile. Murphy just laughed. They both drank their spiked coffee before they realized… Paige had nothing left to tell them.

“Where ya headed after this? You 'outta be layin' low.”

“Yeah… I –“ she thought for a moment. “My mothers, I need to make sure she’s alright.”

“Well now’s hardly the time to have a family reunion.”

“He… mentioned her the other night. Like he knew where she lived. I’ve got to check on her.”

“Right, well Doc you got cab money?”

“I’ll just take the bus, It’s far out.” She told them. “Don’t worry about me.”

“Check in ya?” Murphy told her nodding his head.

“Yeah. I can manage that.” She told them. “I’m just going to use the restroom before I head out – long drive, a lot of coffee.” She said.

Paige walked into the dual sex bathroom. It was obviously the bathroom of a bar owned and used by men. She waited a moment, taking her time. She washed her hands and stared at herself in the mirror, she didn’t notice the tears until she was wiping them away. She took her blond wig out of her small bag and placed it back on her head – but she realized… now she was better off without it. She took it of her head and tossed it in the trash. She pulled out her flat shoes, the ones that folded neatly into her tiny bag and slipped them on her feet. Her heels were then strapped to the strap around her shoulder – she lastly wiped the last bit of stained makeup off her face. She looked up and saw in the mirror that Murphy had been watching her – slightly smiling.

“Thanks.” He said when she turned around. “I at least have somewhere to start.”

“You can call if you run out of places to check,” she said walking back to him, “I hope you find your brother.” She said touching his arm tenderly. “I hope he’s safe.”

“Me too.” He sighed. “Don’t forget to check in.” he said without turning around. She waved goodbye to Doc who was standing behind the bar and took one last look at Murphy. Then she stepped out onto the street and headed for the nearest bus stop.