“RUNAWAY” Chapter 8 “It Defines Who You Are” by brokenwing
Join brokenwing in "RUNAWAY" Chapter 8, titled "It Defines Who You Are," as passion ignites in an erotic journey of self-discovery and desire. Explore the thrilling intersections of love, lust, and identity that will captivate your senses. Dive into this tantalizing chapter now!<br/>
Follow along as Holly, traveling by the name Sammi Shepherd, hitchhikes alone across the country facing the dangers any teenager might encounter while she tries to establish a new identity and life for herself. She also struggles to face the horrific memories of the sexually depraved things Roger, her mom’s boyfriend and his friends did to her,. , As Sammi stared out the windshield watching nothing in particular and petting Ol’Jack Joseph was driving and singing with his country and western music a practice he had that kept him awake and helped him keep his eyes on the road.
He was trying to let his passenger not feel like she was being interrogated but he also couldn’t help question the things she did that seemed odd. He took a deep breath and decided to ask something that was bothering him, “Did something happen back at the cafe…with you and Ben?”
It was strange the number of emotions that went through her mind while she thought about how to answer his question the strongest emotion shame.
She looked around and even squirmed in the seat before making a decision how to answer, “He uh…touched me, under the table.”
A few minutes passed with no conversation other then the lyrics to the music playing before Joseph responded, “I’m sorry I didn’t notice. I should have, I thought it odd with all the questions he was asking me about old times. Are you okay?”
She answered first with just a nod, then realized he had to watch the road, “Yeah, I’m okay.” After a few minutes pause she added, “It’s not your fault. You have nothing to apologize for.”
She wanted to say she could take care of herself, but even she didn’t believe that so she just left it at the apology.
Joseph struggled to avoid making it an interrogation so he decided to make a statement, “Whomever put those bruises on you…” he paused taking a deep breath then continued, “that’s pretty messed up and I’m very sorry they did that to you. There ain’t nothing you could have done to deserve to be hurt like that.”
After several minutes without conversation Sammi decided to ask him a question about something that was bothering her, “Joseph, when you first picked me up…you um…introduced yourself as Joseph Willis.” She let that hang there for a moment then continued, “But this morning in the cafe Ben called you Joseph Johnson.”
Joseph let out a long sigh but then responded, “Sammi, I’m very sorry about that. But I’d imagine you have no idea how…dangerous…the type of people there are out here on the road. Truckers have been robbed, injured and on rare occasion even killed. There are a lot of con artists or just people looking to steal from you or hijack your load. Believe it or not even a few lovely young ladies like yourself. Sometimes even when it’s not about theft, there are some people who are just out to get everything from you they can.
I had a friend who picked up a girl at a truck stop and just before a weigh station from what he says she tore her own clothing and scratched her neck and chest. When he pulled in to get weighed she cried rape. Shortly after she sued the truck company. They were a big company with deep pockets. It never even went to court, their insurance company settled for lots of money. The police did not find enough evidence and never even filed charges but the trucking company fired the driver. Three months later the police found two other cases in two other states where she filed similar claims. None of that mattered to the trucking company, or other trucking companies and he couldn’t get another job. He had a wife and kids, a new house and quite a bit of debt. He couldn’t afford to buy his own truck so he lost his home.
Sammi, I didn’t know a thing about you. Normally I don’t pick up hitchhikers. I can’t even explain why I did, but I haven’t regretted it for a moment. But I wanted to be sure you weren’t a con artist looking to rip me off. It’s a name I’ve used before when I’ve been approached by people I don’t know until I know what their intentions are. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner my real name, but yes Joseph Johnson is my real name.”
Sammi was shocked by everything Joseph said and most of all she was feeling sick to her stomach for asking him about his name when she was using a fake name herself. She considered telling him the truth but she had no idea what her mom and Roger did after she ran away. Did they call the police and report her missing? Is there a police investigations? She knew because of her age anyone who helped her might get in trouble and she’d likely be sent home. She never wanted to see Roger again but she had little proof of what he had done. She was pretty confident she would be sent home to her mom.
After several minutes of consideration she decided to keep her secret. Mostly to hopefully protect Joseph. She was really starting to like him. She knew he was way to old for her but she couldn’t help the fact that she had feelings for him because how amazingly he treated her. But if her mom reported her missing and the police were searching for her she knew she had to stay to her plan. She would need to leave Joseph at some point and head in another direction. She had been seen with him in public places, maybe even on surveillance cameras.
The thought of leaving him made her sad and she pet Ol’Jack’s head because she had become close to them both. But she could only protect him by not being with him. If she were found with him, he could get into trouble. She even considered that maybe she had stayed with them too long already. The story he just told her about the other trucker didn’t make her feel any better.
Again the only sound in the truck for several minutes once again was only the sound of music.
But Joseph decided to take the conversation in a different direction, “I remember the first time I kissed my wife. I think I caught her off guard and she was stiff and didn’t kiss me back at first. I was so nervous and scared she was going to slap me, or run off and never talk to me again.”
He took a pause gathering his thoughts then asked another question he wanted to know the answer to, “The kiss…before we pulled out at the truck stop…it caught me a little off guard.”
Again he had to pause to find the right words to decide how to ask the right way, “Did I kiss back okay?”
Once again a little time passed and at first she answered with just a nod, but then remembered he had to watch the road, “Yeah…you kissed back nicely. It was a really nice kiss.”
After a few minutes passed he wanted to apologize again, “Again, I’m sorry about in the motel room, I was out of line.”
This time she replied to him quickly, “No, you weren’t! It was the nicest kiss I ever had…until the kiss before we left the truck stop, that is.”
He thought about her words and it brought up so many questions but he didn’t want to act like a cop or investigator. He decided to say something to ease the tension, “Your kiss was very nice too. Ain’t no one kissed me like that since my wife. I’m a lucky man to have been kissed by two such very lovely women.”