Pillowcase

*Ring ring*  

“Urgggg my alarm going off already, I don't want to get up for work yet” I reach over to snooze my alarm. It's not my alarm at all, it's my sister calling me, I quickly check the time; 2:27am. When I heard that ring my stomach dropped. I knew I wasn’t going to get good news she never calls me unless it’s something important. The last time she called me was about 2 years ago. My shaky hands I picked up the phone I immediately know something is wrong, I can hear it in her voice.  

“Our mom, She’s sick.”  

“What do you mean she’s sick?” 

“Somethings seriously wrong and she on her way to the hospital. Pack a bag for a few nights”  

*click* *dial tone* 

I stare at the phone in my trembling hand for a few seconds before I quickly spring out of bed. Not sure where my suitcase is or if I even had one. It's been so long since I have travelled anywhere, I was in such a panic I grabbed the only other thing I could think of; 4 or 5 pillowcases. I yank open my top dresser drawer taking an arm full of shirts an arm full of pants some socks and underwear and hoped it was enough. Unsure if anything matches, I continued to stuff anything in my sight into my pillowcases. As I'm rummaging through my drawers looking for anything that might be useful, I find one of my favorite childhood pillowcases, it was a ninja turtle one from when I was probably seven years old. I feel the soft fabric in my hands for a few seconds then I continue going like a mad man to get my pillowcases full. 

I only work a few days a week and the pays not great, but my mother always told me to keep an extra $20 bill “just in case”. I rattle my side table door open, and dig pull out the bill.  

I start to head out the door the cold night air blows a shriving wind in on me. “Shit! I forgot to turn off my bedroom light” I leave my pillowcases just inside the door and run to shut off the light. I pick up my pillowcases they feel a little heaver as I head to my car. 

 “Don’t fail me now ole girl” and I start her up and now the long journey has begun. I look quickly look at the scratched and dusty analog clock on the dash; 2:43. The face is all scratched and hard to read, but after owning the car for as long as I have you learn to look past the scratches. I take a deep breath and shift into drive.  

 

4:20am. Just as I come over a hill my eyes meet level with the sky, I see the grey clouds rolling in swiftly. Starting down the other side of the long steep windy hill, something starts to tick.  

*Tick Tick Tick Tick* 

Gaining speed going down the hill the ticks get faster and faster the more speed I gain. I know that somethings not right with my ole girl, she is failing me. I try to ignore it in hopes it will just go away. I try to tune out the ticking by turning the radio on, I can hear still hear the ticking almost like its engrained in my head. I start to climb the next large hill, but I can feel my car start to lose power. I continued but I knew I wasn’t going to make it far. Over the top of the hill if I’m lucky. I look in my dusty review mirror and see the line of cars behind me stringing behind me. I put my hazards on and seven or eight cars fly by. 

My car was barley pulling me. I pulled over on the side of the road I had to make a plan. Knowing my mother was at the hospital was weighing on me. I pull all my belongs out of my car and put them at my front bumper sick my thumb out and hope someone will be kind. Then again, I’m on a main highway surely someone will stop. Or at least I hoped. 

30 minutes go by, many people have drove by, but no one has stopped. Not even to ask if I was alright. No one now a days seems to care about anyone but themselves.  

One hour, still no one but I’m hopeful.  

I got the call I never wanted to get. I put my pillowcases back in the car and headed home.