1970

Jessie

After what seemed like weeks, I had managed to meet a guy selling fake passports in the back room of a petrol station. I hadn’t intended to cross the border, but it just seemed like a good opportunity when I overheard a man speaking with a worker about it while I was picking up more supplies.

“Can you tell Todd I am here, please?” he had said in a hushed tone.

“What’s the code?” he replied.

“108”

“Come on through.”

It was my turn to be served and I couldn’t help myself. I placed my items on the counter, and when the worker asked, “Is that all for today?”

I quickly said, “Actually, I’m here to see Todd.”

He looked at me with suspiciously “Code,” he quipped.

“108”, I braced.

“Go on through.” He watched me, unsure as I grabbed my items off the bench and hastily walked through to the back room. Looking around, it seemed to be a staff room. There was a microwave displayed on the bench-top and lunch boxes piled up on the sink.

“And you are?” said a very skinny man appearing to be in his mid-forties, dirty brown hair fell in tangled curls around his face.

“I need a passport,” I said in a low tone.

“I wasn’t expecting anyone else, and I’m done for the day.” He pushed back his chair with his legs and stood up.

“Please,” I said, “I can’t be here.'' My voice sounded desperate.

He looked at me, his stern face turning soft. "Fine," he sighed, "take a seat. What's your name?" He asked in a rushed tone.

I grimaced, resisting.

“What name do you want on your passport?” He looked at me, his head cocked, impatient.

“Dahlia.”

“Last name?” He continued

“Black.”

“Black Dahlia?” He laughed and shook his head. “Black Dahlia it is.” He pulled out a camera. “Smile,” he said, pressing the button.

I held a straight face, lips tight.

“Or don’t,” he followed, snapping the photo. “This is going to take a few if you want to wait or go for a walk and come back.” He stood and walked to his work desk across the room.

“I’ll wait,” I replied dimly, crossing my arms and shifting in my chair uncomfortably. All I could think about was my next destination and my family, most likely looking for me. Surely there would be a search warrant out for me by now.

“Hey, lady, what’s your story anyway? What are you running from?” The man looked in my direction quickly before looking back to his work. I shifted uncomfortably once again. “Who?” he continued, quizzing me after I hadn’t answered.

“Look, I just need my passport and I’ll be on my way.” I tapped my nails on the desk in front of me impatiently, feeling like a child waiting for candy after dinner. He ignored me and kept working.

“Done,” he announced a few minutes later.

“Finally,” I mumbled under my breath, rolling my eyes. “How much do I owe you?”

“Ugh. Let’s say one hundy. That should cut it.”

I shoved my hand in my pocket, only to realize I had spent the money that I had found in the back of the taxi earlier." “Ugh, can I come back and pay it? I’m all out,” I said, fiddling with my pockets.

“I’m sorry but that’s not how it works.” He eye-balled me. “I will keep this and you can come back later, or, I can think of another way you can pay me,” he said shifting toward me, his air sleazy and dark.

I moved backward, running into a wall. He pressed himself against me and pulled at my clothes. I felt darkness rise up within me like untamed powerful energy. I took hold of his wrists and shoved him. Shock overpowered his features but quickly changed to admiration...then dare. I could tell he saw this as a challenge when he tried grabbing me again.

I wasn't proud of what I did next. It was completely unexpected, but in all honesty, he deserved it, so who the fuck cares…

I took my passport from his mangled hand and ran.

I stopped around the corner to look at my hands, which had turned to claws, and my arms, which had very pronounced veins along them. I couldn’t stop thinking about how my body was changing… I had noticed the bleeding had stopped when I last checked in the bathroom, which I knew from research wasn’t normal… I could only put it down to my body's way of reacting to birth.

It felt as though I had been walking for days. My feet were messed up and I was exhausted and hungry. I had made it to Alice Springs airport, which I chose due to it being a less populated part of Australia, and somewhere no one would expect me to be, and had been walking ever since, trying to figure out my next step. I saw a yellow car coming down the dirt road at an impressive speed and thought this would be a prime opportunity to have a rest and get to a new location.

I put my thumb up, signalling for a lift. A red-headed male, looking roughly mid-twenties in age, hazel- brown eyes, and a light sprinkle of freckles across his olive skin, which in tone, almost matched mine perfectly, pulled to the curb, “Hi there. Can I help you get somewhere?” he asked, his cheek resting on his hand as he leaned on the window.

“Yes, ” I stated plainly, not looking to start a conversation and reveal who I was. I was probably on the missing person list by now. I got into the passenger side of the car, staring straight ahead.

“Where can I take you?” He looked at me, I wasn't used to his accent, Australian.

“Anywhere but here,” I said. I heard him breath out sharply, and I wondered what he was thinking. Though, I didn’t care enough to ask. Suddenly, I felt the car accelerate, working up gears. I wondered where we were going.

After hours of driving and him trying to make small talk no matter how much I resisted, we pulled into a gas station. “I need to use the bathroom,” I said, as I got out of the car. Something caught my eye. Above the gas tank was a little television screen displaying the local news station. “A Twenty-six-year-old American woman, going by the name of Jessie Walker, went missing from Arizona State Hospital one week ago today. If anyone has any information or knows the whereabouts of this woman please contact this number.”

“Well well well,” my red-headed inquisitor said with a smirk. “Mrs Jessie Walker.”

Well fuck.