ENDS

32- Can't

More roads.

We just kept taking curves and bends that felt like they lasted an infinity.

  For the past few hours I just continued cloud watching and had seen every figure I could.

Yup... That was definitely a lego toy.

  I was honestly tired of staring out my window and there was an eery silence between us. Not like Hunter was shunning me, but he looked deep in thought and I honestly wasn't in the mood to ask him anything at the moment.

But I was bored so I did.

" Hunter?"

He didn't even hear me, just staring into a distance with only God knows what running through his mind.

"Hunter?" I called out a little louder and he responded with a hum.

" Can I turn on the radio?"

" Yeah, sure" his answer came quick and short.

  Not like I needed more words anyway.

I turned on the radio and the presenter sounded full of glee.

' Seventeen minutes past eleven and we have our guest back on the show after a five minute break. Say hello once again Sonia.' He had a southern surfer accent, I actually pictured him to be a sandy blonde with perfectly tanned skin, a hawaiin shirt and a pair of shorts.

'Hellooo everyone and thanks for staying tuned with us' a female voice cooed from the sound system.

' Yeah yeah! Now back to our topic of discussion. This week had been a week full of surprises for New york hasn't it?'

' Very surprising indeed, from the gunshots at the Reid and McConnell union, to the bomb at their homes, to their kidnapped daughter and niece, the police are beginning to see this as a rival attack than a-' silence had never felt more preferrable.

I think I can do without the radio and I think Hunter would prefer that too.

  Now the silence was uncomfortable and I regret asking for the radio to be turned on in the first place.

"Sorry about that" I muttered actually feeling remorse.

" Its fine"

A few more seconds of silence passed before I spoke again.

Seems like I have a thing for breaking silence.

" I hope Michelle's okay"

  He lifted a brow at first before looking at me from the corner of his eye.

" Yeah. We spoke last night"

  Last night? Probably after I had slept.

" That's good"

" Yeah"

Another moment of awkward silence passed by between us and I don't think there was a better opportunity to ask Brooks junior questions that I needed answers to.

" Hunter is Louisa okay?"

  He cringed a bit and I took it as a bad sign.

" She's alive"

  Alive? That was a lot scarier than saying she wasn't.

" Alive. I asked if she was okay"

  A sigh escaped his lips before saying anything again.

" She is"

" How sure are you?"

He was hesitant to answer me but giving the fact that it was just us two, the only other option he had was to shun me. Which I doubt he'd do.

" I'm not"

He's not.

The awfully hot weather suddenly began to chill by nano seconds and was enough to cause goosebumps all over my exposed arm.

I don't know why I expected him to lie. At least to comfort me.

Even though I was grateful for the truth.

I don't think I was ready for it.

" w-what about t-that red t-thing" the words stuttered out of my mouth.

"What red thing?" Even he was confused.

"The red b-bottle. That t-tiny one they showed y-you. Over with Mr Reid's men"

  His grip tightened on the steering wheel and he clapped in his upper and lower lips.

  I on the other hand just patiently watched him, hoping for an answer that wasn't heart wrenching.

" Please, I don't think I'm ready to tell you that yet"

Okay.

  That was the reply I gave, not that I voiced it out.

I needed to be informed on what was going on, but by the look of things I think it's best I'm left out of the loop.

None of the answers I was getting seemed positive.

*******************************

  Something beeped in my back pocket and it shocked me from my wandering thoughts.

  Only then did I remember that I was with my cellphone all along.

  Maybe because of the loneliness of the area, network connection had been poor because there was a sudden influx of messages and the vibration kept going non stop.

" You're with a cellphone?" Hunter asked as I retrieved my phone from where it had been hidden.

" Yeah. I can't believe I forgot"

" We have to get rid of it. It could give off traces to where we are"

" Oh.. Okay. Can I at least read the messages first?"

  He nodded in affirmation and I quickly unlocked my code.

  They were from Megan.

Where are you!?

Iris please answer me I'm worried.

Dylan and I have been trying your cell. Where tf are you!?

Don't play games with me! Its not funny.

Iris please pick up! Everything's going wrong.

Mrs Phoebe and Meredith had an accident on their way back. Meredith is missing.

Iris Mrs Phoebe was confirmed dead two minutes ago. I'm fucking crying. Dylan is not okay.
Please call me when you get this.

"No no no no no no no!!!! Noooooooo!!"

"Iris what's wrong !?" Hunter's voice entered my head with concern but it didn't make sense to me.

Nothing makes sense to me right now.

A flood of tears began rolling from my eyes and all I can remember chanting to myself is 'its not true. It can't be true'

Through a cloud of tears, I re-read the last messages again.

Meredith is missing.

Mrs Phoebe is dead.

Just Noooooo.

My silent tears turned into a full sob and Hunter hurriedly pulled up at the side of the road and snatched the phone from my hands.

I was too busy shedding tears to address how rude that was.

"No" his reaction came like a sigh as he stared at the phone like a bottle of atrocities.

" Hunter we have to go back. Please we have to go back. I need to go back"

He didn't react to my words. He only kept staring at the phone. In a matter of seconds, he tossed it far away into the nearby bushes and started the engine.

" What are you doing!?"

" we can't go back"

That was all he said.