Chapter Text
...The smell of salt and rust. Pain. Sorrow. The neverending knot in a throat.
"We had a deal."
"Мама...? ... мама, не умерай!!!"
The final shot is loudest of the all...
Natalie woke up with an urge to gasp some air. The flight passenger next to her perplexed from such a sudden movement of hers. Smiling at him as saying that everything is fine, she turned to the other side to unroll the curtain to reveal the massive sight of the city. Even though the view was welcoming any newcomer's eyes, she still felt gloomy to leave everything behind and couldn't stop mourning about the days when the thought of tomorrow was safe. The muffled voice on the speakers made an announcement. "Ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain speaking, we have landed successfully, currently it's 3.50 PM, the weather is clear, 81°f, our flight from North Yankton to Los Santos has come to an end in a few moments you will be able to unfasten your seatbelts, thank you for using our airline company and have a nice day."
Los Santos International Airport was unusually alive. Forever running people everywhere attempting to catch departing flights, companies crowding around all the corners, doors, even the floors, the buzzing noise of incoming air traffic announcements misted Natalie's orientation. As if foreordained some woman almost ran into Natalie with full-on speed while being on her phone, sharply dodging the incursion she exclaimed "Hey, careful!", but the woman couldn't give less crap about possible collision and carried on while holding her fancy coffee or whatever she had.
Natalie started to feel anxious as felt like going into the mist of nowhere, it was almost scary. She didn't know what outcome will follow her decision.
Splashing her face with cold water and resting hands on the edge of the sink, she looked at herself in the bathroom mirror, "Listen," she said to herself "stay sane, you were raised to be strong, you can do this. You are not alone... Yet." Following these words, she took the suitcase and made her way to the exit where finally was able to breathe the air that smelt like pollution, brewed coffee, various foods, and something that she didn't want to know the source of.
The hot weather made her take off the leather jacket revealing red, shoulder-off top that appealed to her nice slightly fit forms. She looked up in the skies and greeted the sun with a smile, her wavy middle length blond hair was shining gracefully, and squinting to the bright light, for once in a while, gave her a feeling of hope. It didn't take long for a taxi driver to notice Natalie "Hay girl' where to?" he spoke with a Latin American accent.
She jerked from an unexpected voice, but then replied "Vinewood, please".
Finally biting the last piece of a sandwich the all-day hunger went away as she enjoyed the sunset from a local lounge zone. She reached out to her pocket "If this get's blown then I'll be fucked," she exclaimed counting the last money she had. ''What if my only hope is a lie and I have no one left, I will be all by myself...'' squeezing the paper in her hands with the address she took a deep breath, ''Now or never!''
'' This is the place, north of Portola Drive and Edwood Way.'' Natalie resolutely looked at the mansion that seemed to call to her. With pounding heart, she froze for a moment before ringing the bell, to her pitty there was no answer. Even though the absence of lights reassured that simply no one is at home, tears started to build up in the girl's eyes, she was tired, desperate, in need of someone's warmth. Her body slowly crouched on the suitcase, the sound of driving past cars became distant leaving her in cold, lonely pressurization and head resting in her palms.
Natalie seemed to doze off for a while as she woke up from someone's gentle touch. Looking up to see who was the person that gave her a rush of adrenaline from unexpectancy she froze a bit.
Darkness from the night interfered Natalie from seeing every detail of the man's face though she could clearly tell it was a middle-aged man with dark hair and a little stubble beard.
He looked at her with confusion but didn't seem to have mistaken her for a homeless person. ''Hey, you okay? What are you doing near my house?'' he asked gently yet demandingly while glancing to the side of her baggage.
Natalie stood up making the man take his hand off her shoulder, he still looked at her with interest. Finally, she met the one she expected to.
''I am looking for Michael Townley...''