Runaways- Runaways 1

Chapter 16: Marcus

"I'm honestly surprised no one's died of heatstroke yet," I joked. It had been about two days since Luke had told me about Peyton, and he seemed a lot happier. We were together a lot more.

We'd decided to stop just outside of Hickox, Georgia tonight. It was my turn to keep watch, and I wasn't really looking forward to it. The first time I'd done it, I had nearly fallen asleep because it was so boring.

"Ha ha, very funny, now don't say that again or it will actually end up happening," Aaliyah countered. "Please don't jinx us."

"Who said I was jinxing you?" I retorted playfully.

"Mm-hm, sure."

"That's just his very odd way of saying he's really hot even though it's dark and the temperature's supposed to be dropping," Peyton pointed out.

"Come on, it's Georgia," I complained lightheartedly.

"Yes, and we grew up in South Carolina," she replied. "It's not all that different." I rolled my eyes. It was almost ten, and we were supposed to be going to sleep if we wanted to get an early start again in the morning.

"You know, I think we might actually have to make a Walmart run tomorrow," Luke pointed out. "Our match supply is low, and it's best if we stay stocked up on beef jerky. I know vegetarians do just fine, but they have normal food resources and normal lives most of the time. We need the meat."

"Dang, you're right," Eli agreed. "We should probably only send two of us in there. I don't know if it'd be safe to send more than that. I can go if no one else wants to."

"I'll go," I offered, giving Luke a look out of the corner of my eye.

"Marcus and I can do it," he stated.

"Okay, that's fine then. Now, I don't know about y'all, but I'm pretty beat," Eli said.

"I'm going to sleep," Aaliyah said.

"Marcus, got the procedure?" Eli inquired. He always asked whichever one of us was on watch every night, and every night we always gave the same answer. It was simple. If there was trouble, I would wake up him or Luke first, then the girls, and grab Aaliyah's gun. What happened from then on out couldn't really be planned.

"Yes," I said, trying to keep the annoyance out of my voice. I'd promised Peyton we'd get along, though most of the time I didn't feel like keeping that promise. Eli was just the type of person that got on my nerves.

"Good night," Luke told me, patting me on the shoulder and leaning closer to me. "Get me first," he whispered, "if there are any issues."

"Let's hope there aren't any," I replied. "Good night."

"'Night y'all," Eli stated, going to the tarp he slept on. I let Luke set up my hammock when I was on watch because I figured it was way more comfortable. He already seemed passed out in it, turned on his side with his back facing me. Aaliyah and Peyton were lying awake talking for a little bit, but eventually they all fell asleep.

The minutes turned to hours. I knew someone had to stay up and keep watch, so I didn't really mind it, outside of the fact that it was really boring. There was absolutely nothing to do except think. I let my mind wander to the future. I wondered what the camp would be like, or if we'd even end up staying. Peyton had mentioned finding an abandoned home somewhere, so if we didn't fit in at the camp then that was another option. I let my mind think more naughty thoughts too. Most of them involved Luke. I stopped myself before I went too far though.