𝐛𝐮𝐫𝐧 𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐬━𝙖𝙧𝙫𝙞𝙣 𝙧𝙪𝙨𝙨𝙚𝙡𝙡

ⅩⅤⅠ

REAGAN DIDN'T KNOW HOW LONG she was standing there for. It felt like hours on end. "Reagan, we can't stand near the body... we have to go. The police are gonna be on their way." The boy whispered. She couldn't move. She knew that the minute she'd move, she would see that same image of the body in her mind and not know what to do.

"I can't." Was all she said.

"What?" The boy asked a little louder.

"I can't do it. I can't move. If I move, I'm gonna see his face again and then I'm never going to sleep ever again." She told him. The boy chuckled a little and moved to stand behind her. "I'm gonna be right here, just walk. Don't even look back. If you do, you'll just see me, alright?"

Reagan wiped her tear stained cheeks, smiling a little as she started forward. It was quiet for a moment before the conversation started up again. "Where's your stuff, Ray?" He asked her, still pushing her on. "I left it with the old man that was up by the road—well, I didn't really leave it, more or less, dropped it there because I was nervous for you."

She could tell the boy had smiled, just by the way he had adjusted his grip on her shoulders. They had loosened, trusting her to walk ahead on her own. Reagan smiled at this simple gesture that had happened. It made a difference in what was going on between them.

The two had walked for a little while longer before they had reached the building by the road. Reagan ran down, reaching the front of the building a lot faster than she normally would've.

"You found him, I'm guessin'?" The old man asked, putting his cigarette back in his mouth. Reagan smiled brightly before going to lecture him about his habits.

"Ya know, smokin' kills." She told him, rocking back and forth on the balls of her feet. The old man chuckled a little, before blowing out a cloud of smoke.

"Darlin', I've been smokin' nearly thirty-five years. I don't need you to tell me it's gonna kill me."

"But it will. I've read about it a lot, even studied about it in school. I'm gonna be a doctor one day."

She could hear he low chuckle of Arvin coming from behind her. She spun around quickly, eyeing him. He stared at her like a deer in headlights. "Whats so funny, Arvin? Are you laughin' at the fact that I said I was gonna be a doctor? I have enough credits to graduate highschool and to get into a good college, with a medical program."

He smiled his crooked smile. "Ray, how're you gonna do that? You never even showed up to school. You barely have enough to graduate." He stated. Reagan scoffed and raised an eyebrow.

"You're one to talk Mr. High-School-Dropout. If you're so curious about how I was able to graduate, my momma is a teacher at that school. Everything I was missin' she caught me up on. But I promise you, I will graduate. I'll get a good job. And I'll have a good life. Far away from Coal Creek." She told him, turning her attention back to the man.

He smiled at her, looking at the bags that sat on the ground next to her. "Where are you off to?" Reagan shrugged.

"Dunno. Somewhere far away from here."

"Try Cincinnati. Nobody'll know you there, nor will they care."

Reagan thought for a moment. "That sounds nice, thank you." She smiled, continuing to rock on the balls of her feet. She heard Arvin whistle before hearing an engine stop. Quickly, Reagan spun around, seeing Arvin talking to someone through the window. She sighed and turned back to the old man.

Reagan reached down for her bag. "He's a good one." The old man finally spoke.

"Excuse me?"

He chuckled a bit. "He's a good one. Cares about you. It's not hard to tell. Don't loose him." Reagan smiled at the man's statement, turning around to look at Arvin once more. The two shared a glance and smiled at each other when he noticed her looking. Arvin was packing their things in the person's car.

It was silent for a moment. "Ray! Are you ready?" Arvin called from behind her. Reagan turned and nodded before turning back to the man once more.

"Well," she began, "it was nice talking to you. Enjoy it here. Its nice, and quiet, and lonely. But, do me a favor, would ya?" The man smiled and nodded. "Don't smoke a whole pack a day. It's not good for you, and I've seen what it does to a person."

"I'll do it. Just for you."

"Ray! Come on!"

Reagan smiled and turned to the car that was waiting. She waved to the old man, before getting in the car and sitting next to Arvin.

"Where are you off to?" The young man behind the steering wheel asked.

"Cincinnati." Reagan said firmly.

"Cincinnati?" Arvin asked, looking over at the girl.

"Cincinnati."

And with that, the car started and the were off, to Cincinnati.