Land of the Rising Sun

The blood on my overalls is starting to smell.  I try to hum away the thoughts that are occupying my mind.  It's hard to imagine that a woman with a dead body in the trunk and covered with blood is going to be readily accepted. 

I pull the car over to the side of the road.  For the first time in what seems like eons I see a grey light peek above the horizon and know that the sun will rise before I've reached town.  I walk towards the trunk of the car and try not to pay any attention to Annie laying there lifeless as I reach past what's left of her towards my knapsack.

Somewhere in my knapsack there has to be sunglasses. 

I've resigned to the fact that they will most likely shoot me when I approach the town limits, and so, for that reason I've embraced whatever damage the rising sun will do to my body. 

As I rustle around in my knapsack I come across something I had completely forgot about...

"Ha!" I say half laughing as I place my sunglasses on my head and turn the phone over to see if it has any juice left in it's batteries.

I press the power button.  For a second -- a brief second it lights up; and I see what's left of an emblazoned text message before the screen goes black.

"Come here, we're fine." the text reads. 

My eyes begin to well.

"Jesus," I whisper under my breath.  My heart has almost stopped.  Here, standing on the side of the road about to be blazoned with poisonous rays, I am given a new hope.

I stare down the road and know that if I approach the way I am -- death is certain.

I look to the west, and watch as Hope sails towards me.  4000 miles away my sister is alive -- and waiting.  I look down the horizon then back at Annie, then at my phone.

And in that moment, I decide to fight.  I tell Annie I'm so sorry, as I drag her body out of the trunk and leave it on the side of the road.  I don't have a chance if they see her.  And I know that she would want me to have a chance.  I use one of the blankets in the car to cover her and then take a deep breath before taking off my overalls and throwing them into the brush.

I use some of the water in the trunk to rinse myself clean.  As the first rays of light break and a yellow colour can be seen - I know that perhaps, in this new light, I might be ok.  When I'm certain there is no more blood on me, I change into some clothes that make me as presentable as I can be; a t-shirt and shorts and some very out of date cottage shoes that have never been in fashion.

With a deep breath I slip my sunglasses on my nose and say a quiet thank you to the sisters that helped me get this far.  From here, I am on my own.  But I have good news -- and if the others will listen to me; then maybe this nightmare is behind us.

I try not to cry as I pull away from Annie.  She wouldn't want me to suffer.

As I head towards town -- freshly bathed and with a bit of hope in my heart that all is not lost; I notice that the haze has lifted. 

The sun begins to pour its light pink rays towards the heavens as if to tell me that the worst of it has indeed passed.  And as the cloud of gravel and dust from the back tires grows in fury like a space shuttle about to launch, I know that I too am orbiting towards a better alternative; one with new horizons, high above the danger that once was so very real.