AUGUST IS A FEVER

19

It had been a few minutes since you all began driving on the road. The second track of 1989 (Blank Space) had barely begun to play. Not even five minutes had passed and yet danger was something it seemed you guys couldn't and had trouble escaping.

Clay must have not have been paying attention to the rearview mirror because he seemed surprised too when a bright red pick up truck rammed into the back of yours, sending you all jerking forward and exclaims escaping from all three of you. Turning around, you could get a better look at the truck behind you. It looked similar to the one that Clay had claimed, but it was definitely a newer model. Sure, there were dents and the paint was peeling on the hood, but it was definitely in ten times better shape than yours.

The windows were slightly tinted like every other car but you could still somewhat make out what the driver behind the wheel looked like. With fair skin and dark brown hair with bangs, she looked like any ordinary middle aged woman. If it wasn't for her taking her jet-black glock and pointing it towards the rear window of your truck, you would've thought she looked like a nice lady.

"Clay! Watch out!" George called, eyes widening when he spotted her gun at the same moment you had.

"She's got a gun!" You explained further, frantically, trying to give Clay a clearer idea of the danger you are all in.

You could basically see the bullets of sweat dripping down his face from stress. Unbeknownst to you, this was one of the first times Clay was driving without supervision, let alone way passed the speed limit. It was no wonder he was so overwhelmed. Although he felt all the pressure and this heavy weight of responsibility on his shoulders, he somehow managed to find the courage to swerve the truck away and into the next lane (which he did successfully).

The bullet nicked the truck. A loud "thunk" on the metal was heard as it hit the side of it.

"George, who the hell is that?" You asked as you looked back at the woman.

"Lady Jane. She's a bounty hunter - a skip tracer. Once you're on her radar, you won't get off for a while." George explained.

"What?" You asked. You were all going to be stuck with her hot on your tails for a while? This couldn't be good.

"Basically we're dead unless there's a bigger threat or major escape. She's probably heard about you escaping, so stay down, will ya?" George asked, shoving your head down and out of sight of Lady Jane's gaze.

Keep in mind, while all of this is going down, "Blank Space" by Taylor Swift is playing. It was partly amusing to you, but the other part of you was terrified of what was to happen next. Based off of what George had told you, you are all basically doomed to die.

Another loud bang was heard and as you looked up, you saw a bullet shoot through the back window all the way through to the front window, leaving a hole in both sheets of glass. The edges were shattered, a spiderweb of cracks beginning to form. Clay whimpered in distress as his mind searched for ways to lose her.

"George!" Clay called and turned to look at him momentarily before turning back to keep his eyes on the road ahead. "Can you use your abilities on her or something? Anything?"

"I - What do you want me to do?" George asked, trying to think of something. He really had to get creative here.

"Um, maybe you can..." Clay trailed off before a groan escaped his mouth. "Fuck it." He said simply as he brought his left hand up to his mouth to bite and yank the yellow rubber glove off of it.

Clay went down to roll the window down manually, but George being impatient looked at the window with glaring clear blue eyes and shattered it purely with the focus of his sharp mind. The shards were thrown outwards as well so they wouldn't rip the skin on Clay's hand. That was when George let the shards go, letting them clatter to the ground only for them to begin the tear up the tires of Lady Jane's pick up truck. With the obstacle of the window being kindly removed by George, Clay was then free to stick his hand out and turn it towards the car that was chasing all three of you.

Clay's eyes turned a piercing yellow that glowed as if it were the sun. It looked terrifying to witness and yet intriguing simultaneously. His face was angered and he used as much of his energy he could without overdoing himself. Huge shocks of electricity were sent to her truck with a simple gesture of Clay's bare hand. Lady Jane had been tazed and her car had jutted to a stop from the overwhelming amount of electricity that ran through it. It basically overheated.

"Yes!" Clay cheered and George did too. You sat up with a smile on your face as you joined the short lived celebration.

It was short lived because once Clay's main center of attention was brought back to the mostly empty road in front of him, you all realized you weren't on it anymore and instead rolling uncontrollably in the direction of a tree. All three of you screeched in fear as you crashed into the trunk of the tree.

The boys all rushed out of the truck and you stayed a little longer to retrieve your disc. Once you had it, you ran out before the car had a chance to engulf you in flames. It's not like you would've been harmed by it, but you would rather keep your clothes and backpack, as well as the contents of it, in their current form.

As you caught up with the boys you saw the looks on their faces. Clay looked sad, almost mortified that he broke the car he just got and liked so much. His eyebrows were pointed upwards and his mouth was slightly ajar as he looked at the broken vehicle. George looked sad that his best friend had been so bummed about his car being crushed.

"It's long-gone, Clayton. It's best to move on. Don't mope around, y'know?" You said as you turned to him.

"Yeah. So much for getting a new car." Clay murmured.

"Hm." George hummed and looked down at the disc in your hand. "So much for your little Taylor Swift dance sessions too." Pointed out the brunette as he showed you your disc, all broken from being crushed in the CD player.

"Aw, man." You said in a slump.

All of you should've been paying attention - should've stayed on high alert. With your guards down, that's when Lady Jane saw the perfect opportunity of attack. In a distance, of course.