The Boy In The Snow

Chapter 17

Chapter 17

Jack, Angel, Amber, Margaret, April, Theo and Lance continued through their journey.

Jack felt like standing in the hallway could've been the ending to his story. Like nothing else mattered after that.
But there was plenty more left.

They were going to find Daniel Burke.

Angel was going to kill him.

He didn't like to think about it.

He had seen Angel fight, plenty of times. He had seen her lop heads of simulator goons.

But something about her killing her father, seemed so personal.
It seemed less like self defence and more like murder.

He tried not to think about it too much.

A week past, stopping in hotel after hotel. Buying Hershey's kisses from gas stations all across the country.

They were a straight week into their runaway journey to find Daniel Burke, when Amber shaved her head.

Jack wasn't exactly sure why, and frankly he was afraid to ask, even though she claimed there was no awkwardness between them. (There totally was.)

Lance didn't even seem to notice the new buzz cut.
He seemed to adore her just the same.

"So, are you and Amber, like a thing?" Jack asked Lance as they drove one night. Everyone else was fast asleep in the back seat, piled together in a warm road trip family.

"Ah no. I mean, I confronted it. But she never really gave me an answer, so I guess if it happens, it happens. Right?" Lance answered, staring at the road straight ahead.

For a while, things were fine again.

The teenage drama seemed to fade out and turn into background noise.

As they got closer to their destination, the reality of facing Daniel Burke became more and more disturbingly vivid.

"Do you know where he is?" Jack asked Angel, while they sat on the van roof. It was snowing. The first week of December. Jack's favourite time of year.

"Yeah. He told me when I was really small, before he left, that he was to be found in New York at a specific warehouse. He said it was in case I ever needed him. I guess this counts." She answered. A perfect array of snowflakes lined her naturally long eyelashes.

"Angel?" Jack stated. She turned and looked at him.

"Yes?"

"Do you love me?"

"Yes." She replied quickly, without even thinking. "Why do you ask?"

"I don't know." He replied, leaning back on the roof of the van despite it being damp with melted snow.

The rest of the gang were inside the hotel, tucked safely in their beds.

"I guess I've been concerned with my flaws lately." He admitted. Angel lay down beside him.

"I love your flaws the most." She whispered. Jack smiled at her. The pools of shocking green that stared back at him never failed to make his knees weak.

~

Another half a week passed and they were close to New York.

"I've named our van." April declared as they drove.

"What have you named this mighty chariot?" Margaret asked, tossing an arm around her friend.

"Get ready, cause this is my best name for an inanimate object yet." April declared.