a place we know| ✓

forty two

"And find a place where every single thing you see tells you to stay."
S E E K E R
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January 20th
11:21 AM
New York
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They walked up the outdoor staircase, greeted by the ginger-haired woman, whose keys jingled against her belt as she led them down a narrow hallway. "This way," she said with a warm smile, gesturing towards the farthest door on the left. "We'll give you this room. It's a good size for just the two of you."

The woman came to a gentle stop, turning towards Audrey with a practiced smile that seemed to be a staple of her customer service training. Audrey noticed the artificiality of it, having employed similar tactics during her time working at the diner.

"Thank you, uh," Audrey's gaze scanned the nametag the woman wore briefly, "Clarissa."

"Anytime, Miss Rahal. Make yourself comfortable."

Clarissa walked past the two, her figure retreating down the hall. Audrey and Leah exchanged a worried glance, silently acknowledging the danger that surrounded them.

The shelter they had arrived at was reminiscent of a rundown motel - a place where hopes and dreams went to wither and die. Despite the grey winter sky and the bustling city streets filled with the sounds of life, the two-story building seemed isolated and disconnected from the rest of the world. The wooden staircase leading up to the entrance seemed to act as a bridge between two worlds - one they desperately wished to escape and the other, a harsh reality they were forced to confront. This was a place that pimps and drug dealers would frequent, where nearby parks would be littered with broken glass and used needles. Danger seemed to lurk around every corner, and drunken screams would undoubtedly rock them to sleep at night.

Since leaving her old home, Audrey had been holding back tears, trying her best to maintain a brave face for her daughter. She knew that the situation they were in was not one she could easily explain to a child. But as they entered the room, the weight of their reality finally caught up to her. With a heavy heart, Audrey collapsed against the door, sobs wracking her body as tears streamed down her face.

Leah looked up at her mother with concern, sensing the depth of her distress. She was too young to fully understand the situation, but she knew that her mother was hurting. Without a word, she walked over to Audrey and wrapped her small arms around her mother's shaking form, offering a wordless gesture of comfort.

"Mommy, are you okay? What's wrong?"

They were homeless.

She clung to her daughter, holding her tight as the tears continued to flow. It was a moment of raw emotion, of pain and heartbreak, of a mother trying to protect her child from the harsh realities of the world.

Everything she had ever known, everything she had ever loved, had been stripped away from her. She had given up everything in the hopes of proving a point to Gunner and her parents, of retaining sole custody of her children, but now she found herself questioning if it was all worth it. What was it all for? Was the pain and suffering they were enduring worth the end goal? She couldn't say for sure. All she knew was that she had to keep going, for the sake of her children if nothing else.

Had she tried harder for Gunner and Leah, then there would have been no reason to walk away.

She was lost.

Lost and afraid of what fate had in store for her.

"I-I don't know what I'm d-doing, Leah." There was no calming her rough intake of breath and brassy sobs. "I can't go back to Gunner, I can't even go home to my mom and dad...I just don't know what to do."