P is for Police

April 18, 2019April 18, 2019 ~ 2catsandalaptop ~ 2 Comments

Hello! Welcome back! I hope you are ready for the next blog post in the A to Z Blogging Challenge. If you missed the last blog post, definitely go read that one. Click here, or you will be very confused in reading today’s installment.

For this story, I am participating in the A to Z Blogging Challenge. I felt that this was a really good opportunity for me to not only express my creativity, but challenge myself to building a very long story that could be cut up into multiple parts. And for it all to make sense! So if you want to follow along with other blog posts in the challenge, check the hashtag #AtoZchallenge to follow along.

This story would be categorized as Dark. Thank you so much and I will see you tomorrow for the next installment. Enjoy!

P is for Police

But she wasn’t expecting to be woken up by the sound of sirens. Aspen jumped out of bed and peeked through the curtains to see 4 police cars sitting in the parking lot. She either had to find a way to escape or she would be taken back to prison. She didn’t want to go back. She couldn’t go back. But she didn’t know how she was going to find a way to escape.

Aspen sat against the door with her head in her hands. Her heart was racing as she felt the panic starting to set in. How was she going to get out of this situation? How in the world was she going to leave and actually escape from this room? She was stupid to have stayed here.

She quickly got up and made her way to the bathroom to see there wasn’t a window. And even if there was, she probably wasn’t small enough to fit through it. The panic was starting to take over and Aspen started to not be able to see straight. Was she going to be able to make it out of the situation?

As quickly as she could, Aspen gathered all of her belongings and stuffed them into her bags. She tried to swiftly and smoothly take everything off of the heater and put them in her bag, trying to not move the curtains and draw attention to her room. She placed her hand on the doorknob and she peeked through the peephole.

4 police officers were standing outside her door, all of them with their guns drawn. One of them banged on the door. “Aspen Thompson! Come out with your hands up!”

Aspen leaned against the door. “Please! I can’t go back! I didn’t do it on purpose! Please! You have to listen to me!

“Aspen. If you come out of this door, I promise we will listen to you.” This was a female voice. Aspen didn’t remember seeing a female cop outside.

She shook her head even though she knew the officers couldn’t see her. “How do I know I can trust you? I was told I wouldn’t go to jail in the first place and look what happened! Now I’m here.”

The door handle jiggled. “Aspen. My name is Joanna. Can I open the door?”

“No! I’m not going back to jail!”

The handle jiggled again. “I’m not going to take you back to jail. I just want to talk. Please. Can you open the door?”

Aspen stepped away from the door and started to pace. There was no way these cops wouldn’t take her back to jail. She escaped from jail, she somehow managed to get away and hide from the cops. In the eyes of the law she was a criminal. She screamed at the door. “NO! I don’t trust you! I don’t want to go back to jail!”

The door swung open and the cops all stormed into the motel room. Aspen was thrown onto the floor, held down, and handcuffed. No matter how much she screamed at the officers, they wouldn’t let up. She was led out of the small room and down the open air hallway toward the police cars.

Tears streamed down her face as she felt the humiliation and embarrassment of the situation come over her. She couldn’t believe she had actually been caught. She had taken a risk to be more comfortable but it turned out to hurt her. As Aspen was sat down in the back of the police car, she let out a cry. But it wasn’t a cry of sadness, it was a cry of pain.

O is for Opportunity

April 17, 2019April 17, 2019 ~ 2catsandalaptop ~ 1 Comment

This story would be categorized as Dark. Thank you so much and I will see you tomorrow for the next installment. Enjoy!

O is for Opportunity

With a quick hug Aspen walked out the door. She felt like a million bucks and she couldn’t be happier. Maybe this could buy her a little extra time to make more changes in her life so she wasn’t so noticeable.

As Aspen walked down the street she felt herself hold her head up with more confidence. She didn’t feel like she was Aspen anymore, she felt like someone different. She had called herself Megan in the cosmetology school maybe she could keep using that name. Plus she didn’t have an ID on her so she could be whoever she wanted to be.

She continued down the street and saw a small motel. Would it actually be safe for her to stay there for the night? Would she actually be able to fool the staff into thinking she wasn’t Aspen? Was she crazy to do this?

Aspen cautiously opened the door and stepped into the tiny lobby. A girl sat behind the counter and looked up. “Can I help you?”

Aspen nodded. “Uh…yeah…I was wondering if I could get a room for the night?”

“You got any ID on you?”

Think fast Aspen…think fast… “Uh…no…I was running away from my boyfriend and I forgot my ID at home. Please, you have to help me. I have cash so I can pay you right now for my room. But please…I just need a warm place to stay for the night.”

The girl shrugged and printed out a form. “Sure…it’s my last day here so they can’t really fire me. Plus, I feel for you. Here. It’s $100 for the night and I just need you to sign you name at the bottom of the form.”

Aspen opened her backpack and pulled out some cash for the room. She quickly signed the paper as Megan Johnson and was given a key for a motel room. She scurried away to her room and opened the door. A shiver ran down her body as the chill from the room hit her skin. Aspen made her way to the heater and turned it on and then switched on a lamp.

The room was just a standard motel room. There were two beds, a TV, a large heater, a small desk and chair, and a bathroom. It wasn’t the best, but it was a warm and comfortable place to stay for the night.

Aspen spent the afternoon washing her clothes in the tub and laying them by the heater to dry. It was going to be nice to actually have some clean clothes. She even walked to the Taco Bell across the street and got some dinner and spent the evening relaxing in her room. She finally went to bed and actually got a great nights sleep.

N is for New

April 16, 2019April 16, 2019 ~ 2catsandalaptop ~ 1 Comment

This story would be categorized as Dark. Thank you so much and I will see you tomorrow for the next installment. Enjoy!

N is for New

The longer she sat there, the more she felt like she could be a Megan. She thought that she could disguise herself by her name first, and then figure out how to change her actual appearance. Maybe some hair dye and some colored contacts would help her. And maybe she should let her eyebrows grow into an uni brow.

The rest of the day was uneventful. Aspen sat on the corner and was able to make another $100 for the day. That was enough to get some necessities for her to help change her identity. Unfortunately she wouldn’t be able to do much, but she would try to do something to change up her look. She started to walk to the nearest Walmart to see what she could find.

But as she walked down the street she came across a small cosmetology school. Aspen stopped, unsure what to think of it. Maybe she could do something there. But they were probably really expensive and she wouldn’t be able to pay for that. Or maybe they would be able to help her out.

Aspen slowly approached the doors and opened them. A woman standing behind the counter smiled. “Hello! How can I help you?”

Aspen swallowed. “Uh…hi…uh…I was wondering if you had any sort of uh…deals I guess for getting my hair cut and dyed. I don’t have that much money but I need to get my hair done.”

The woman’s eyes suddenly softened and she smiled sweetly. “Oh sweetheart. Let me check with one of my teachers to see if I could get you set up. Do you have anything in particular you want to do?”

Aspen shook her head. “No…I’m open to anything.”

The woman nodded. “Okay. Wait here. I’ll be right back.” She walked away leaving Aspen alone in the lobby. Aspen took a seat in one of the chairs and started looking at a magazine. She was open to anything that the students wanted to do as long as she looked different. A door opened and the woman came back in with another lady. “Hello. I’m Carmen, one of the teachers here.”

Aspen smiled. “Hi. I’m Megan.”

Carmen smiled. “It’s very nice to meet you. I have a student who just started and doesn’t have anyone to practice on. If you are willing to let her get some practice, I will let you get you hair washed, cut, and colored for free. Honestly, I think she has only had one client, so you are a blessing.”

Aspen smiled. “Thanks. I appreciate it.”

Carmen led Aspen back into the school to meet up with Bailey. She was a very quiet girl who seemed very shy. Bailey smiled. “Hello. Thank you. I really appreciate you coming by. I promise that I will make you look beautiful.”

Aspen blushed. “Thanks. Feel free to do whatever you want. Dye my hair however you want and cut it to your hearts content. Change up my look.”

Bailey led Aspen through the entire process. She got her hair washed, cut, and dyed and it felt amazing. Aspen hadn’t been able to feel pretty for a long time. The girls were able to chat the entire time and they kept the conversation casual. She loved it.

When Bailey finally turned the chair around, Aspen didn’t recognize herself. Her long blonde hair was now a short black pixie cut. Some of it was shaved and it was now super manageable. She wanted to cry with how different she looked. She was so appreciative of Bailey and what Bailey had done to change her look.

As they walked toward the door, Aspen gave Bailey a $20 bill. She smiled. “I know it’s not much, but this is a thank you. I cannot express my gratitude.”

M is for Mistaken

April 15, 2019April 15, 2019 ~ 2catsandalaptop ~ 1 Comment

This story would be categorized as Dark. Thank you so much and I will see you tomorrow for the next installment. Enjoy!

M is for Mistaken

There was another crack and Aspen’s eyes flew open. She was still in the cemetery laying next to Jacob’s grave. Her head was pounding and she couldn’t think straight. That dream was simultaneously the best and worst thing that could’ve happened. But she was thankful that it wasn’t real. She was thankful for being in a place that she knew.

As she laid in the grass she prayed that no one would find her. She wasn’t exactly hidden so it would be easy for someone to find her and send her back to jail. But no matter how much time she spent laying there, nothing was going to change, she was always going to be stuck in this loop. Maybe she should try to find a way to change her identity.

Aspen sat up and stretched her arms over her head. She looked around to see if she saw anyone in the cemetery but it was empty. It was still early in the morning so she didn’t have to worry too much about people seeing her. But she still had to be careful. She slowly stood up and made her way out of the cemetery.

Her body made it’s way to the park she actually knew. The jungle gym was the same as normal, the swings swayed gently in the morning breeze, and the dinosaur looked majestic in the morning sun. Everything was normal. Everything was okay.

Once she had freshened up she had to find a new corner to sit on. She couldn’t go back to the corner she was on yesterday. Police would think she would be in the same area again and have a lot of extra cops and she didn’t want to take a chance.

As she started to wander around the city she found a busy corner that she hadn’t been to before. Aspen sat down and pulled out her small sign, hoping that people would be generous and help her out. As she sat there on the corner she kept her eyes wide open for cops. Thankfully she hadn’t seen any.

“Megan?”

Aspen slowly looked up to see a man she had never seen before standing in front of her. She shook her head. “No…sorry.”

“Oh…I’m sorry. I…I thought you were someone I used to know from high school. Uh…” He pulled his wallet out of his back pocket and riffled through it for a $20 bill. He handed it to Aspen. “Here. Sorry again.”

“Oh…thank you…” Aspen watched the mysterious man walk away from her. She was still shocked by his kindness even though she wasn’t who he though she was.

L is for Lost

April 13, 2019April 13, 2019 ~ 2catsandalaptop ~ 3 Comments

This story would be categorized as Dark. Thank you so much and I will see you tomorrow for the next installment. Enjoy!

L is for Lost

Aspen woke up in the middle of the cemetery laying next to Jacob’s grave. Her head hurt from all of her anger and crying that she had finally released. She rubbed her forehead, trying to remember what she had said. And she really hoped that no one had heard her.

She slowly stood up and dusted herself off. She turned and looked at Jacob’s grave again and spat on it. He deserved it. She made her way to her park to try to clean up before wandering around the city again. She rinsed off in the bathroom and brushed her hair before leaving.

But once she got outside she noticed something different. The jungle gym wasn’t the same, there was no water fountain for the kids to play in, and no bouncy dinosaur toy. There weren’t any hills for the kids to run around and roll down and there wasn’t a small dog park. This park wasn’t the same park she normally stayed in.

She started to panic. She had no idea where she was. Did she turn a different direction out of the cemetery? Did she actually walk so far as to enter another city? Maybe she was going to be safer here, wherever here was.

Aspen slowly started walking around the park. It was a lot quieter than the one she normally stayed in: no one was driving by, there were only birds chirping in the air and a slight breeze filling the air with noise. There didn’t seem to be another single person in the world, it was only Aspen and her thoughts. As she walked along the sidewalk path she tried to take in where she was. But nothing seemed familiar.

Was she even in the same town, or had she managed to walk to a completely different city? Was this really happening? Aspen sat in the grass and looked up into the sky. The sun was still rising but there wasn’t a single cloud in the sky leaving the sky to be absolutely picturesque. It was perfect…maybe too perfect.

The sound of a siren pierced the quiet morning. Aspen snapped out of her daze and looked around. Where was it coming from? She had to get out of there and had to get out of there fast. But the park was so empty, there wasn’t a single bush that she could hide it, so she decided to just keep a low profile. She stood up and started to walk toward the front of the park, hoping to pass by the police without them noticing.

She peered around the edge of her hoodie and saw the police running toward her. “Aspen Thompson stop right there! Get down on the ground!”

Aspen bolted. She ran, somehow hoping that the police weren’t going to be able to follow her and she could hide. She was running as fast as she could out of the park and made it to the street. The sound of pounding footsteps running behind her was making Aspen push harder. There was a crack and Aspen fell to the ground with pain in her shoulder. Something hit her back and Aspen winced. “The sheriff doesn’t care if you are dead or alive, so I might as well take you in dead.”

K is for Killer

April 12, 2019June 18, 2019 ~ 2catsandalaptop ~ 1 Comment

This story would be categorized as Dark. Thank you so much and I will see you tomorrow for the next installment. Enjoy!

K is for Killer

Killer on the Loose

All of Springstone county needs to be on the lookout for a convicted killer. Aspen Thompson, murderer of Jacob Barstow, has been missing from prison for 5 days now. She made her escape from Springstone State Prison along with 8 other inmates who have all been recovered.

This dangerous criminal is out and about in the streets. Authorities are saying that everyone needs to be even more aware now that Thompson is on the streets. Only leave your house if absolutely necessary and don’t take any unnecessary trips out. No one knows where Thompson is or how dangerous she is, but authorities can assume she will kill again if the chance comes up.

There is no doubt that she has connections on the outside. She has stayed hidden for the 5 days that she has been outside the prison and two officers have spotted her. Thompson was spotted entered Angeles Furniture on 2nd street, but when officers entered the store she was no where to be seen. None of the employees had seen her enter or exit the store, meaning that she had escaped yet again.

If you have seen Aspen Thompson or know of her whereabouts please contact your local police. We do not need a convicted murderer roaming the streets while we are all trying to live our lives. Please report anything to the authorities.

J is for Justice

April 11, 2019April 11, 2019 ~ 2catsandalaptop ~ 1 Comment

This story would be categorized as Dark. Thank you so much and I will see you tomorrow for the next installment. Enjoy!

J is for Justice

Justice for Jacob

The family of Jacob Barstow is devastated at the news that his killer, ex-girlfriend Aspen Thompson, has escaped from Springstone State Prison. She escaped with 8 other inmates, all of who have been recovered. The family heard of Thompson’s escape shortly after the event.

Megan Barstow, Jacob’s mother, was willing to speak to us regarding Aspen’s escape. Barstow was not only shocked but distraught to hear the news. “She took our son away. She a brother away. She took a friend away. She did so much damage with that one bullet.”

Jacob’s father, Nathaniel Barstow, was also rattled by the news. “She should’ve been watched more carefully. That girl is insane and needs a lot of help. But even if she got all the help in the world and get better, but none of those things will help bring our son back. Nothing will be able to bring my Jacob back.”

When speaking with officers from the prison, they stated that Thompson did not seem like the kind of prisoner to escape. Officer Vertes spoke highly of Thompson, saying that she was a model inmate. “Thompson was smart. She never got into any trouble and really kept to herself while she was inside. But when the escape plan happened, she took advantage of it. She was sneaky, finding ways around the cameras and out into the yard before climbing up the fence and into the forest. We sent officers into the forest but she was never found.”

The escape plan was put into action by Raven ‘Missi’ Moreno. She worked in the library and according to officers, she found a way to open all of the doors and turn off the cameras for everyone to escape. Officers were not made aware of the hack until all of the inmates started to escape. Out of the 9 inmates who escaped from Springstone, Thompson is the only one who hasn’t been recovered.

The Barstow family has asked everyone to keep an eye out for Thompson. They have asked anyone who has any information to please contact their local police department. Authorities say they aren’t sure if Thompson is still in town or if she has traveled further away, but they say any information on her whereabouts would be greatly appreciated. The Barstow family is also offering a small cash reward for any useful information. All they are asking for is justice for Jacob.

I is for Insane

April 10, 2019April 10, 2019 ~ 2catsandalaptop ~ 1 Comment

This story would be categorized as Dark. Thank you so much and I will see you tomorrow for the next installment. Enjoy!

I is for Insane

She wandered around the city until she was physically exhausted. Her body fell onto a park bench and she put her feet up on the bench to take some weight off of them. It had been a stressful day so she just wanted to rest. All she wanted was to forget about what happened.

Once Aspen was finally rested, she started to move again. She wanted to get back to the park where she slept the past couple nights. It was quite a distance to travel, but she didn’t mind. She was used to that park so she wanted to stay there, no matter how far it was.

As she walked she drew closer to a cemetery near the outskirts of the town. It was spooky at the early hours of the evening. There weren’t any visitors as people were leaving work and ready to spend the night with their loved ones. Some of the grave sites had flowers on them and others had small flags. There was a gentle breeze that kept the air cool and refreshing.

She came to a stop in front of the gates. They were open, but there was something that was keeping her from going in. She had passed the cemetery every day on her way to the park, but the cemetery still felt unfamiliar. There was a small fear that was holding her back and keeping her on the street. But there was also a small bit of curiosity. Was a cemetery really as calming as people said it was?

Aspen cautiously took a step and walked through the grave sites. She read every name and prayed for them. Even though she wasn’t a religious person, it felt like the right thing to do. She wanted them to be blessed and she hoped that they passed peacefully.

She walked down the rows and looked at all the sites. But she came to stop at one gravestone in particular. The name JACOB BARSTOW was etched at the top of the headstone with a nice message underneath. ‘Son, Brother, Friend. He left us too soon but he will forever be in our hearts.’

“Idiots.” Aspen whispered. “If only they new the pain that I was suffering. If only they knew how terrible of a person their son was.” She started crying as she stood next to Jacob’s grave. “If…if only I was brave enough to tell someone. I…I wish I was brave enough. I wish I did something about this. I wish…”

Aspen paused before throwing her head back and screaming toward the heavens. “I wish my life was normal. I hated Jacob. He hated me. He said he loved me but I know he didn’t. I don’t know why he was with me. I hated him. I thought I loved him but I know I didn’t. He didn’t deserve me. He deserved to die. He deserved every single moment of pain that he suffered when I killed him. He deserved to suffer. He deserved to feel how much pain he put me through. He deserved to have all the pain that he caused me for the years that we were together. I hate him. I hate him.”

She crumpled into a small pile of tears on the ground in front of Jacob’s grave. She hadn’t really expressed her feelings of hatred to Jacob. She kept everything bottled inside of her, letting it build up inside of her until she exploded. It felt good to let everything out and finally say how she felt. She felt the weight get lifted off of her shoulders and she relaxed into a deep sleep.

H is for Hiding

April 9, 2019April 9, 2019 ~ 2catsandalaptop ~ 1 Comment

This story would be categorized as Dark. Thank you so much and I will see you tomorrow for the next installment. Enjoy!

H is for Hiding

Aspen slowly made her way to a row of bushes behind a small neighborhood. She crawled into the dirt and laid down on a blanket she had purchased. It definitely wasn’t comfortable, but it was a something. And she was hidden, something that was needed now that she was on the run. But all she needed to do was relax and hopefully get some much needed rest.

When Aspen set up on the street corner, she didn’t know what she needed to really do. All she knew was that she needed to sit there and hope that people gave her money. It was all how other people felt.

She had been sitting there for a couple hours when she saw a police car in the distance. She quickly stood up and made her way away from the corner. Her feet started taking her down the sidewalk and to an unknown location. Aspen felt her heart start racing as she walked down the street.

Aspen looked over her shoulder to see the police car turn the corner toward her. She started walking faster and turned into a small alleyway behind a Wendy’s. Her body turned and she leaned against the wall, trying to look like she had been there for a while. She covered her head with her hood and peered around the edge of the hood for the police car. The car drove by the alley without stopping and Aspen let out a sigh of relief.

She carefully walked out of the alley and back onto the street. She started following the police car in hopes that they wouldn’t notice.

Suddenly she jumped as the loud cry of a police siren cracked through the hum of the busy street. Aspen spun around as saw a car coming down the street right for her. She tried to keep her cool and turned into a store along the street. It was a furniture store, but it seemed like the perfect place to hide.

As she started to wander through the store, she saw two police officers walk in. She tried to hide behind an armoire, hoping it was big enough to conceal her body.

“Have you seen this girl?” This was a low voice, presumably one of the officers.

“No officer. I can’t say that I have. Did she do something wrong?” The smooth female voice of the clerk filled the store. Hopefully this woman would help Aspen stay hidden.

“Do you mind if we look around you store? We have reason to believe that she may be in here.” The officer with the low voice spoke again. Aspen started freaking out. She had to find an exit but she didn’t know where to go. Her eyes scanned the entire building and saw a door near the back. She took a deep breath and slowly started walking toward it.

“Sure. Go ahead and have a look around.” Aspen felt herself sharply take in her breath and she started to walk a little faster. She had to make it to the door. She had to make it outside before people got suspicious. Aspen waded through the maze of furniture and reached out for the doorknob.

“Excuse me ma’am.”

Aspen froze. Someone was standing behind her. Did she try to run or just play it off? She slowly turned around and kept her head low. “Uh…yes?”

“Are you finding everything okay?”

Aspen slowly brought her head up to see a young man standing there, he wasn’t an officer but a worker for the store. He innocently grinned, almost like he had no idea what was going on inside the store. She swallowed. “Uh…yes…everything is fine. Thank you.”

The boy grinned. “Okay. Well let me know if you need anything!”

He turned and walked away into the store. She let out a sigh, thank goodness. Her body turned toward the door and she slipped out the back exit. Once she got past the parking lot she let out a sigh of relief. She had somehow gotten away from the cops.

G is for Grief

April 8, 2019April 8, 2019 ~ 2catsandalaptop ~ 1 Comment

This story would be categorized as Dark. Thank you so much and I will see you tomorrow for the next installment. Enjoy!

G is for Grief

She sat there for 4 hours and made $100. It wasn’t a whole lot, but it was something. It could buy her a couple more pairs of clothes and some food. But it gave her a base to start getting back on her feet. It gave her something to give her a boost to starting her life over.

24 hours had passed and Aspen had made $250. She went to the nearest Walmart and bought a large backpack and some extra clothes. A nice person had also given her $20 in McDonald’s gift cards so she could at least get a couple meals. Aspen was super appreciative of what people were giving her, even though she was technically a criminal according to the courts.

Aspen had found a small park where she was able to sleep behind some bushes. It even had a small shower because there was a water park for kids. She tried to discretely shower in the dark so she wouldn’t get in trouble in indecent exposure. When she was clean and dressed she walked over to the swing set and sat down. She felt her body start to swing in the darkness, almost like she was a kid again.

The squeak of the rusty chain against the play structure was one of the only noises that late at night. There was a slight breeze, bringing a chill along Aspen’s body as she swayed back and forth. A sweet smell came from a nearby house, they were obviously baking something and it smelled delicious. It made Aspen realize how much she missed her home life.

As she sat on the swings she started to get a little teary eyed. Her life had changed so much in the past few months. She missed being able to talk to her friends and family on a daily basis because she knew that if she talked to them they would get in trouble. She missed being able to live like a normal person. It wasn’t easy.

The longer she sat there the more the grief came over her. She felt so overwhelmed by the thoughts that plagued her mind that tears started streaming down her cheeks. Her hands flew up to her face and she cried. She hadn’t cried this hard since the guilty verdict in her trial. She was filled with so much pain and regret even though she didn’t do anything wrong.

What if she didn’t buy the gun? What if she had just broken up with Jacob? What if she got something else to scare him, like a knife or a brick? What if she had actually intended on killing him and was able to escape? Aspen shook her head as the tears continued to flow down her face. None of these were true. She didn’t intend on killing him, she just wanted to scare him. She still loved Jacob even if he was a terrible person.