On The Road Again - Chapter 34

Peter approached the scene casually, trying to be as inconspicuous as possible. Carmen was still arguing with security just inside the carnival gates, and Peter pulled out his phone to update Isla.

Peter: She’s still held up with security

Peter waited for the response, worried for a moment that the number Isla gave him in haste before running off was incorrect, but Isla finally responded.

Isla: Thanks. Keep me updated.

“Listen to me; I’m not here for your dumb carnival. My daughter is here. Her name is Jill. She’s run away from home with her sister, and I just need her to come with me!” Carmen argued with the guard aggressively.

“Listen, ma’am; I sympathize with your situation. Just let us help, and then we can get this sorted right away,” the security guard replied, trying to calm her.

“I don’t want or need your help!” Carmen snapped back. “I know she’s here, and I have her location on my phone. Just let me through, and I’ll be in and out!”

“Look, ma’am, you can either let us help you or exit the park. I want to believe you, but if you aren’t willing to cooperate with us, we’re going to have to assume that you’re trying to get in without paying for a ticket.”

“Are you serious? My daughter is possibly at risk here, and you’re worried about me buying a ticket to your junk carnival?”

“As I said, we’re willing to cooperate, but unless you allow one of us to escort you through the park then-”

“Well, what good would that do? She’ll see your large masses from miles away and be gone before I can get her!”

Peter couldn’t help but laugh at how much of a fool Carmen was making of herself. He was also happy to stand by and wait as long as the security was involved; as long as they were an obstacle, Isla had a chance to get Jill out of the carnival.

“Ma’am, if you don’t mind me asking, how old is your daughter? If she were under 12, she’d have to have an adult with her to enter,” the guard inquired.

“She’s 18, and she’s with her 22-year-old sister,” Camren answered bluntly. The guards all paused, and one began to chuckle. Before the main guard could let a laugh slip out, he cleared his throat and continued.

“Ma’am, if she’s an adult, she has every right to be here on her own accord. I don’t know your personal business, and I don’t want to know, but unless there is a child in danger here, we’re unable to help.”

“Well, good, because I don’t want your help. I just want you to get out of my way!” Carmen spat back at the guard.

“It’s time to go, ma’am. If you want to enter the park, you’ll have to buy a ticket. And as it stands, I’m not quite willing to let you in considering this disturbance.”

Carmen stammered with words for a minute before finally taking a deep breath, exhaling sharply, and planting her feet.

“Fine. I’ll purchase a damn ticket,” Carmen conceded and allowed the guard to guide her to the ticket booth.

In the meantime, back at the pizza place, Heather, Cuba, Matt, and James were super confused.

“Why is your mom here?” Heather asked.

“It’s a long story,” Kennedy brushed it off.

“It’s not that long. I ran away so she couldn’t force me to re-enroll in school,” Jill blurted out, clearly annoying and slightly terrified. Those who didn’t know took that information in for a moment, and Kennedy turned to Jill.

“How did she find us?” She asked. “I changed routes, hotels, and all my location settings on my phone are off.”

“All my settings are off too!” Jill frantically pulled out her phone and looked at the screen. Kennedy looked over Jill’s shoulder and immediately rolled her eyes.

“Dumbass! Your location is on!” Kennedy pointed to the little arrow indicator on the top of her screen.

“But, I don’t know how? I didn’t turn them back on; I didn’t do anything, I just-” Jill started, but suddenly, she realized. Her mouth dropped, and she looked over at Isla, nearing tears. Suddenly, Isla understood. The vibrator. “Oh FUCK!”

Isla jumped to her side to comfort her. “It’s okay; it was an innocent mistake. Just turn them off now, and we’ll get out of here, alright?”

“How?” Jill said. “She’s already here!”

“I asked Peter to buy us some time. He just texted me that she’s still arguing with the security guards at the front,” Isla explained.

“Well, he’s going to have to get her away from the entrance,” Cuba pipped in. All four girls gave him confused looks. “There’s only one way in or out of this place,” he continued. “It’s gated up all the way around; if we’re getting you out, that’s the only place we can.”

“Right,” Isla said, thinking. Suddenly, her phone buzzed with a text from Peter.

Peter: Okay, we’ve got movement. She’s buying a ticket now.

“She’s buying a ticket,” Isla told the group.

“So she’s coming in?” Kennedy asked. “Tell Peter to lure her away from the entrance.”

Isla: That’s the only way in or out. Can you lure her away?

Peter: You got it. I’ll take the west side; you take the east. Use the booths as your cover.

“Okay, Peter’s going to lure her away. We just need to move to the entrance slowly on the east side of the park,” Isla explained.

“Let’s go then. Boys, you stand on our right, and hopefully, she won’t see us even if we pass her by,” Heather coordinated. The three boys nodded and took their place to the girls' right.

The pack started to move, and Jill grabbed Isla tight.

“I’m such an idiot. The vibrator needs Bluetooth and location services so you can use it from far away. I should’ve known, I-” Jill whispered.

“Stop that. It was an honest mistake. You’ve turned them off now, right?” Isla replied in a whisper. Jill nodded. “Then we’re fine. We can do this.”

“Isla?” Jill started timidly.

“What’s wrong?”

“I really need to pee,” Jill replied, defeated.

“Just go! You’re protected,” Isla urged.

“You don’t understand; if she finds me, and I….” Jill continued.

“She’s not going to even see you. Besides, you’re hiding it well!” Isla comforted her.

“She’ll know, Isla. And if she sees them wet…I don’t think she’ll ever let me out of her grasp again.”