Hunger

Epilogue: The Watcher

The woman stood in the shade of a scraggly tree, slapping at the ants that crawled up her legs. She had been here for four hours, waiting in the unbearable heat while the mosquitoes ate her alive and the sweat poured down her back. And now she watched.

Several times Nikki found herself not breathing and had to gulp another dose of hot summer air. Some part of her felt that not breathing would make her invisible, make them not notice her.

They wouldn't notice me anyway though, she reminded herself. They were too busy carrying suitcases and duffel bags down from the third floor to the Mustang parked near the scraggly tree.

Emmie was dancing with excitement, her blond curls flying around her face, hopping from foot to foot, peering into the stuffed trunk of the car and yelling,

"Come on! Let's go! I wanna go to Disneyworld! We're gonna miss Elsa!"

"Our plane doesn't leave for three hours!" said the girl with the red hair.

Rory. That's what Austin had called her the other day when they came home from work. Yes, Nikki had been here watching even then. She had been here watching for almost seven days. By the looks of things, they were going on a trip and she would have to spend the next few days on the streets thinking about what she would say to them if she dared to make her presence known.

Austin appeared now with what was probably the last bag. Nikki thought this because she noticed him toss the keys to Rory after he stuffed it in the trunk. On his way to the passenger's side he shared a kiss with her, and it made Nikki smile to see how in love he was. Then he ruffled Emmie's hair and said something that made her laugh. The little girl's giggles filled the air like butterflies.

The engine started then. The Mustang pulled away from the curb. But Nikki could still see them in the car. She watched and watched until the car was only a speck in the distance.

The End