Sethp All rights reserved.
2020
A Homeless Adventure, staring Jen!
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In no way are we downplaying the seriousness of homelessness. All of the characters in this story make some really questionable decisions and have a broken moral compass and have some serious issues. Having said that, I hope you enjoy this nasty adventure.
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Jen and her parents were at a breaking point. Jen was 18 but still lived at home with her parents. She had been in and out of trouble at school, until recently graduating. She'd just quit another minimum wage job and her parents were raging about her irresponsibility and lack of direction.
"You can't live under this roof and not follow our rules and not pay your way. You have to be responsible," her mother barked at her.
"I'm trying," Jen replied trying to remain calm. "They were trying to cut my hours and they refused to train me."
"Have you ever thought that you're the problem?" Her father insisted. He always used this line on her.
"I guess everything in life is my fault!"
"We're just asking you to be responsible."
"No you're not!" Jen replied. "You want me to be just like you! Well I'm not and I don't want to go to college or be a doctor or any of that shit. I just need some time to figure it out."
"You're out of time, Jen," her father said.
"What do you mean?"
"We've given you a thousand chances and every time you screw it up. It's a wonder you're not pregnant with the way you were..."
"You mean Kevin?" Jen cut her mother off. "He loved me until you guys scared him away. You don't want me to be happy. Well fuck you both!" Jen yelled.
"Get out!" Jen's father yelled. "You will not disrespect your mother, nor I in this house." He was fuming.
So was Jen, though. She'd show them. "Fine! I'll finally give you want you want. You won't have your little slutty, disappointing daughter to ruin your lives anymore!" Tears were streaming down her face as she ran up to her room, grabbed a few essentials and ran down and out the front door. She ran down the pavement towards downtown, sobbing the whole way. She stopped to catch her breath and sat on the curb.
She didn't know what she was going to do or where she was going to go. Jen really didn't have any friends here. When her parents had moved them to Detroit last year, Jen had tearfully said goodbye to all of her friends, and never really found any new ones here. No one her age interested her. No one in school had anything in common with her.
She did have a few dollars in her pocket and hoped it was enough to catch a Greyhound bus back to southern California. It was starting to get cold and Jen just had a short skirt, T-shirt and combat boots on. She was sure the Greyhound terminal would have heat. She stood up, wiped the tears from her face and headed off to, what she thought was the direction of the bus terminal.
Jen knew she was heading in the right, general direction but as she got closer to downtown and the area became scarier, she was regretting her decision. She shivered and wrapped her arms around herself. "Fuck, It's freezing," she muttered.
She made it a few more blocks, and noticed that there were a couple of guys following her. She had made a couple of random turns, just to be sure. They were still following her and gaining on her. She looked back at them as she walked. They were big guys and both staring right at her. She was getting a bad feeling and starting to panic.
When Jen rounded the next corner, she started running. She quickly turned into a dark alley and was dismayed to find that it dead ended. "Fuck, I'm so stupid," she whimpered. She could hear the sound of her two pursuers running towards the alley. She was about to scream for help and start banging on the closed doors, inwardly knowing that nobody would hear or help her at this time of night.
"Hey, come here quickly," a deep, gruff voice whispered.
Jen looked around and noticed a pile of cardboard boxes and a hand reaching out becoming her to safety.
"Hurry,"
Jen dove into the opening and peered out to the end of the alley, seeing the two guys standing at the end of it. They seemed to stare right at her. Jen knew it was too dark to see her but she shivered in fear. The two guys walked away after a few minutes and Jen let out a deep breath that she didn't know she was holding. She turned to her rescuer.
He had turned on a small flashlight and she could see that the inside of the boxes had been turned into a makeshift shelter, with blankets all over. Holding the flashlight was a fat, older man who was missing a few teeth smiling at her. Jen was relieved that it didn't stink in here as badly as she thought it would. It wasn't bad at all.
"Thank you! I think you just saved my life," she said shivering.
"Yeah, I've seen those guys around. They're bad news. You better stay in here for a little bit to make sure they're gone. I won't hurt you. My name is Ted," he offered his hand to Jen and she shook it with gratitude.
"Thank you again. I'm so sorry to barge in on you like this. I won't stay long. I promise."
"It's okay," Ted said. "It's going to be a cold one tonight. Here's something that will help, though." He reached into a brown bag and pulled out a liter of whiskey. "Just scored this tonight and its brand new, never opened!" he said happily, opening it up and handing it to Jen. "You first, you're still shaking, and it's not from the cold."
Jen hadn't drank in a year, since the last time she was kicked out of school. She'd been trying to stay on the straight and narrow, but fuck it, she deserved a drink; especially tonight.
Jen accepted it from Ted and took a big swig. She felt instantly warmer and at peace. "Thank you. I think I did need that." She started to hand it back to Ted and he shook his head.
"Take another one," he said.
Jen did, and when she was done, Ted accepted it from her, taking a big drink himself. "It's been a while since I shared a drink with a lady. "
Jen smiled at him and shivered. This time it was from the cold.
Ted noticed and handed her a blanked. "It's clean, I just got it from the Salvation Army today."
"Thank you!" She wrapped herself up in it, realizing how cold she had been. She went to peer out of the boxes and Ted stopped her.
"I wouldn't just yet. If I know those two, they're still in the area. They may even be on the street there. "
Jen was scared. "Will they come down here looking for me? Do you have a weapon?"
Ted laughed. "No sugar, I don't have a weapon, but trust me they never bother us homeless. We don't have anything they want. You're as safe as can be as long as you stay in here and out of sight."
Jen exhaled in relief. "I guess I'm stuck here for a little bit then. I'm sorry. When it's safe, will you check the end of the alley for me?"
"Of course, sugar. Here, have another drink, it's getting colder and this will help."
Jen took the bottle and another big gulp of whisky. She had to admit that she felt warmer with each drink.
"Where are you from?' Ted asked her as they passed the bottle back and forth.
"From up the hill. I was trying to make the bus terminal, before it got too late."