I hated everything that city forced my eyes to devour. All it had to offer was disaster, corruption, false hope and deception. For that reason, I've left the city that confined me to the walls and left me empty. Those were the remains of what happened after the economy crisis. During that time, I realized a lot of things. That nobody in this world could help me and pick me up off the ground, but myself. That we all have ourselves to lean on. I looked back at the city one last time, before walking along the rubble path that trapped itself in between the forest. Life will go on, and I decided so will I. 

"Where are you going?" 

The voice called out from the thick, dark forest. Through endless bushes and trees I could see someone in the distance. 

"Who's there?" I say. 

Then a young woman emerged from the forest beyond. She stuck out her hand and I took her hands warmly in mine. "Nice to meet you, I'm alessandra." She answered. For some unknown reason, I felt the strong need to tell her the truth."I have to go." I replied carefully.

She tilted her head and smiled. "Can I accompany you in your travels? I'm a great storyteller."

I wasn't ready to move and let go. But every journey has to start somewhere. I knew he was hesitating. I glanced at the large bag he was carrying. He was definitely trying to escape this place. Damn. All I wanted was just someone to talk to. I didn't really have anything left to do after quitting my job. Few minutes ago actually. I was in "fuck outta here" mode. The face on my friends face as I walked out as priceless. Now I don't know how, but I'm standing in front of this man asking to come with him as we both go away from here. 

And honestly... 

I didn't mind at all. 

So we started walking. 

It was a long walk, and it didn't end until we reached a small motel. There was a wooden sign that hanged above the entrance. In 'n' Out. Hm. I'd pay a million dollars to make that a name for a restaurant. I shook my head out of reality, and notice alessandra already walking inside. We had been walking for hours and I'm sure she was exhausted. Shit, it was an understatement really. 

When the sun goes down, we need to take a break or rest somewhere. That was the plan until I could find myself, well, both of us, a place to stay.

In 'n' Out. What a nice name for a motel... Really great. I was trying to hold in my laughter at the hotel reception. The lady at the front desk greeted me with a smile and suddenly turned her head when she saw Woody. I felt around in my pocket for some cash. Woody was about to take some out of his bag but I put my hand out and stopped him. I'm a kind person, geez. 

Heh, I swear I'm not forcing myself to think that. 

"Just for the night, thanks." I say to the lady. She writes something down in a guestbook and she turns around in her swivel chair to hand me the keys. I thank her and motion for Woody to come on and get going. The place was alright, but I think I changed my mind when I found a body bag under the bed in the room we were staying in.

Okay this wasn't fun and games anymore. It didn't sound like a good idea to stay here now. I took one look under the bed and I regretted everything. Except meeting alessandra of course. I laughed in my head how great things can come from such odd encounters. Meanwhile, in the background, I could hear her screaming her head off. 

"That's it. I'm going to speak to the motel manager." I assured her that everything would be fine. We just need to inform someone and get this thing the hell out of here. I wasn't going to sleep on top of a grave tonight. No disrespect to the dead, I just can't sleep in here knowing that someone who had their life taken from them was being slept on top of. 

I walked out quickly, leaving alessandra in our room. My head turned left and right. I just took a lucky guess and headed right. Left was to the entrance and lobby.

Woody wandered the hallways of the motel looking for the manager, he nearly lost himself in the maze of hallways filled with doors on both sides of him until he found himself at a dead end... an exit door. He spun on his heel to head back the other way but paused when he heard something scratching at the door. He immediately spun back around and peered out of the small security window near the top of the door and scanned the area outside. Nothing was out there. He shrugged his shoulders and went to head back down the hallway when the sound returned on the door. This time he took no chance, he reached for his gun while kicking the door open. 

Sitting quietly, staring up at him was Rubix. He must have been following him and Alessandra for quite some time. Woody bent down to pat the dog on his head but this was not a pet friendly motel and he knew he shouldn't let the dog inside before speaking his displeasure to the manager. He expressed his apology to Rubix before closing the door. Rubix knew he could not come inside but did not want to go home just yet. He found a comfortable warm spot of sun to wait in and laid down, awaiting their exit. 

How long was Woody taking dammit? I couldn't stay here for any longer. The smell... eugh. I walked out and just waited outside of our room. I leaned back against the wall and looked down at the ground in distress. Whoever that was... may they rest in peace. Who would ever hide a dead body under someones bed? 

After a few WTF moments, I came back inside the room. Then suddenly Woody came rushing in. Behind him was the motel manager. He was short, had dark brown hair, chubby and definitely not cute. Sweat was running down his face and he was holding a candy bar in his left hand. The zipper of his shorts were open. Woody noticed me looking and I rolled my eyes. I can't help it, he's right in front of my face! 

"Hi, I'm Toby." The short guy says. 

He walked closer to me. I thought he was going to hug me or something but he shoved me out of the way instead. He only wanted to look under the bed. 

Almost toppled over trying to bend his neck.

Toby came back up and he pinched his nose hard. "Oh geez.... Sorry folks. Looks like I'll have to shut this motel down all together. Can't deal with these kind of situations anymore. Believe me when I say it happens often." He said with a face of disgust. Then he picked a booger, and slowly placed it in his mouth. OKAY THATS IT IM GETTING OUT OF HERE. 

"Come on alessandra. Also lets get Rubix?" 

"What? Whos Rubix?" 

"You'll find out. Okay I'll just tell you now. The best guard dog you will ever meet." 

I don't give time for Toby to say anything to us as I made myself and alessandra run to the exit door. We found Rubix laying there. I looked at him and he shot right up. His abilities couldn't be denied. The more days that passed, a new skill was learnt and now I believe he could do anything. Though I need to get him a new collar, it's getting worn out. 

I look at alessandra, and she nods. Side by side we'll continue walking. I gently tug Rubix's leash and I step out on the desert path. 

It was getting hotter out here. No wonder that Toby guy was sweating bullets. I pulled off my jacket and hung it over my shoulder. I put my hair up in a ponytail, my neck needed to breathe. I looked down at Rubix and smiled. Then I turned to Woody. He was looking tired. But I applaud him because of the thirty minutes we've been walking, he hasn't stopped. Or even take a drink out of his water bottle. Meanwhile I was over here thirsty. 

He noticed me eyeing the bottle in the side pocket of his bag. "Eh, you want?" He smirked. 

I widened my eyes, and my face went red. "If you're going to offer it, I guess I'll accept it. It's scorching dude." I reply. 

Woody hands me his bottle. Well.. he almost throws it making me have to struggle to catch it. "Thanks." 

"My pleasure." 

To tell the truth, I wasn't tired at all. Though my face was showing it, I really had no reason to stop. I desperately wanted to explore and see the other side of the earth if that was even possible. I wonder how long I'd last. Rubix started to hold back, and I got confused. "Rubix boy, what's up?" I tried to keep walking but he wouldn't budge. He stood his ground. He's getting damn stronger every day. Then I follow to where Rubix was looking. 

In our direction, we saw a black limousine car pull up. 

Well shit. 

alessandra whispered to me. "Just keep walking, put your head down and don't look." I followed her lead, and we just kept on walking but the car was still following us. I was scared as shit but if they wanted something from us, I would gladly put up a fight. I wasn't going to deal with this bullshit no more. 

It was getting darker out here, and I don't think the plan would work. The plan which was when the sun goes down we would take a rest at whatever place we could find. But there was nothing out here. Just desert paths and sandy rocks. The black car camouflaged into the night. I tried to sneak a peak but didn't risk it.

We just kept on walking, avoiding contact. I noticed Woody's grip on Rubix was tighter. "Are you nervous or angry?" I whispered to him.

"Both." He laughed quietly.  

The driver obviously didn't care that we were ignoring him, and he proceeded to stalk us in the veil of night. Then the window slowly rolled down. My body was alarmed and I felt myself holding tighter onto Rubix's leash. Well this is going to get us in big trouble. AS the window went down, I saw two men in front. Both looked exactly like the same. Clones of some sort. The shadows of the trees hid their facial expressions but I could see their mouths. The guys mouth in the passenger seat twitched up. 

There was a toothpick he was playing around with in his mouth. He had on some shades, and a black fedora hat. Their coats looked overly expensive. I thought maybe we should stop. They could be armed. 

So I stopped in my tracks. alessandra and Rubix did the same. 

The two men thought maybe we were just lousy people walking along the street, but they thought wrong. These fists were made of steel, and I'll gladly swing it in their faces. 

My feet were stuck to the ground. My face went pale, like I just seen a ghost. The driver stepped out of the car. I was confused, but curious. He stood in front of us, and he didn't say a word. Just stood there. I badly wanted to ask him who he was but I don't think he was in favor for any introductions. 

"Who are you?" Woody asked out of the blue. 

Shit. 

Facepalm. 

What are you doing Woody, I think to myself. He is not someone we should be messing with! The man didn't do anything though. He didn't retaliate or anything like that. Just had the same blank expression ever since he was sitting down. But all of a sudden my head collapsed onto the ground and as I looked over to Woody he was being held by another man who was putting a tissue over his mouth. 

The man who was standing in front of us was too quick for me and he didn't me any time to recover. He picked me up off the ground. The man placed Woody and I into the backseat of their car.. But Woody was knocked out. Rubix was suddenly thrown onto my lap. I groaned. This CAN'T be happening right now. 

My mind was some where else. I was here, but I was floating in another dimension. Everything just seemed so unreal, and I didn't know what was happening to myself. When I woke up, all I remember was being by alessandras side and holding onto Rubix's leash. 

It was cold, and I was laying down in a cell. I shivered. The cat caught my tongue too. Can't even speak. I was too shocked. 

I don't know how long it's been but I figured I've been in here for hours now. It was daytime. Then I looked to my right and saw alessandra holding onto Rubix. She was crying. I felt distraught that I brought her with me. I shouldn't have let her involve herself with my plans. I never wanted this to happen. 

I heard shuffling noises, and I quickly got up from my position. My eyes were tired and red from all the crying I've been doing. Its not that I regretted coming with him. I was just... confused. That's all. These type of things never happen to me. I can't believe we were kidnapped. It just sounded weird in my head. I don't know anyone who would do that. I read the news a lot, but I never thought that my life would be put in the same danger. 

I had lived in a secluded area back at the city, that's why. I thought no one would find out about me. 

But someone had found us.  

"Woody, I'm fine." 

I really was. I just needed time to accept that what happening was real. 

"No." 

"Yes. I am." 

"No." 

"GOSH DAMMIT WOODY I AM FINE. I AM NOT A PUSSY" 

Well then. I turned around and raised an eyebrow. She looked embarrassed with herself and I couldn't help but laugh a little bit. I let out a sigh and sat down beside her. The cell we were in was small, and the door was locked tight. There was a little hole that light could go through but that was it. Everything else was closed off. I wanted to know why we were here. Rubix got up and was trying to claw at the door but I shook my head. "Boy no. There's no point." But then the door slowly started to open... 

There was a briefcase the man was carrying. It was sleek black and had metal clips around it. The same man that shoved me into the backseat of his car. I was so tempted to scream at his face. But he seemed to like being in control of everything. I let him have his fun for now. For now. Then he placed the briefcase down in front of us. I glanced at Woody and he was confused as well. My heart was beating so fast. The man looked down at us and he put his head down. Then slammed the door, making me jump. "Sheesh, whats his problem? He's got a cold heart." 

"Lets just open this briefcase and see what's inside." He took the briefcase and moved it closer to us. Then I took off the metal clips that strapped itself around each side of the briefcase. Woody lifted it up. 

I had to shield my eyes from all the glory I was seeing. 

It was a gold plated gun. 

A FREAKING GUN. I don't even know how to use one. I've only seen pictures of these from the media section in the newspaper. Woody on the other hand was already lifting it up from the briefcase and staring at it. Rubix barked. Woody handed it over to me and I got to hold it. I was holding a gun! 

Okay, I was way too excited for this. But something didn't feel right. Why did the man give us a gun? "Woody, why is this happening to us?" 

"He wants us to do a job for him." 

I stood up quickly. I was pacing. "What do you mean he wants us to do a job for him?!?!?!" I was starting to go batshit crazy but I realized that nothing would ever change if I kept on going like this. So I calmed myself down.

Then the door opened again and the man grabbed me roughly by the arm. Woody eyes widened and he was pulled up off the ground too by another man. Rubix followed along. When we got out, I saw that we were in some sort of underground area. There were concrete walls and rubble paths under us. Every sound I made echoed throughout the whole... tunnel or whatever we were in. 

We were then lead up some stairs. And well.. Woody could confirm that we were in the back office of a bank. 

The man just walked away without saying anything, once again. We were left behind inside a bank!? What the hell were we supposed to do here? Woody stood his ground. The briefcase was still in his hand. But I had to ask the man. I needed clarity. "Woody stay here." 

I started running as fast as I could to catch up to the man. Damn he was fast. Then I saw his shadowy figure up ahead. I purposely made my steps louder as I approached him so he would hear. Then I went faster. He didn't seem to hear. But I was already up close to him. He stopped in his tracks then I bumped my forehead into his hard back. I hissed in pain and massaged my forehead. "Eugh." 

The man turned around, and he bowed his head down. Then he spoke for the first time. "A lawyer with a briefcase can steal more money that a man with a gun. Lucky for you, you have a gun in that briefcase your friend is holding." I started breathing harder. I thought about it. 

Wait. 

This man wanted us to commit a crime?!?! I was going ballistic I swear. "What do we even get out of this?" I brought my hand to my mouth in shock. But the man didn't mind that I raised my voice. He simply shrugged. "A place for you and your friend to stay."