The ashes we left behind

Chapter 21

My dad used to have an 80's car, hidden from my mom because she had always thought that it was a waste of money. Every time Hailey and I finished school, he picked us up with that car and took us on road trips for the whole evening.

Tonight, it's a bit different. Instead of my dad and Hailey, it's the guy I'm not supposed to stay with. Instead of a car, it's a stolen motorcycle. It has been around ten minutes since Asher and I left Robin City. I'm losing more and more blood. He's driving as fast as possible.

To check if anyone is following us, I always look back. And in fact, there's always this black car behind us. 

"Asher", I groan, my wound still hurting.

"Yeah?"

"Someone is following us."

He swears but doesn't stop neither drives faster.

After other ten minutes, we finally find a grocery store. Some cars are parking there. Asher stops between two of them. He looks at the road. The car is slowing in order to join the parking.

"We'll have to changer the transport", Asher says more to himself. 

He helps me to get up and we enter the grocery store. Nobody seems to notice us. At least for now.

I have to lean against the wall while Asher is looking for healing materials. My head is spinning. I feel weak. If the wall wasn't against me, I would have fell a long time ago. My eyes want to shut. I force them to stay wide. I'm supposed to black out.

"Am I going to die?" I half murmur.

"Maybe."

And of course, we have no money. So Asher takes me by the waist and runs out of the grocery. We don't stop till we arrive to the first car.

I lay my back against it while Asher breaks the window and opens the door. After succeeding at activating the car, Asher takes me to the back of the car and starts to drive. I can still see the seller running after us.

Asher throws a bottle of medical alcohol to me, followed by a package of bandages.

"You know what to do", he says before accelerating.

No, I want to answer. I have no idea how to proceed. But I have to try anyway. I take off the jacket, reminding me of Connor a few hours ago. Then I put my t-shirt up a bit until the wound is uncovered. At its disgusting sight, I close my eyes for a minute.

When I open them again, nothing has changed. The blood is still running out. I open the bottle of alcohol and take a deep breath.

I keep staring at it. Every time I get ready to pour the liquid on my wound, I get discourages. I have to do it.

"So?" Asher asks. I don't reply. "You didn't do it, I guess."

He sighs before stopping the car and getting out of it. he opens the backseat's door.

"Lay on your back", he orders. I do it.

He grabs the bottle and without even warning me, he pours the half of it on my hip. I think that the whole country heard my groan.

I have to get up so he can put the bandage around my waist. So I do it. He doesn't take his eyes off mine. We're so close that our breaths are getting mixed to each other. His eyes are so beautiful. They give me a feeling I can't express. Something beyond simple words.

When he finishes, I collapse on the backseats and close my eyes, not able to move anymore. The last thing I hear is the sound of the door closing.