Zuflucht

15

Curt~

The sound of a door closing made me quickly jump awake. A pain shot through my arm that made me take a quick intake of air before slowly easing myself back into a laying position.

"I wouldn't move too much if I were you..." My attention was drawn to the far wall of the room where Fiona was currently making her way to the nightstand beside the bed I was currently laying on.

"I fixed your bullet wound for you. Bled a lot, that's why you fell out."
I looked over at my shoulder to see it had been wrapped up and although I had plenty of questions, a part of me was grateful for it.

I wiped my face groggily with my calloused hands, trying to get my foggy vision to clear up.

"H-how long have I been out?"
She sighed which probably meant it wasn't good.

"Two days." 

Two days?!

"You really should rest." She said as I was now dedicated to getting up.

"I've rested enough." I replied as I sat up and grabbed the brand new white t-shirt she gave me once she realized I wasn't going to listen.

"My bag." I looked in her ebony orbs as she looked directly back into mine before she motioned under the bed.

"All of you're stuff is there."

"And Milly?" It had suddenly dawned on me that she was missing.

"She's outside watching. She wouldn't let me touch your wound with her in the room so I tried to coax her out." An amused huff of air left my nose at even the thought of Milly listening to strangers.

"And how'd that go?" I already knew her answer.

"She wouldn't let me, kept trying to bite me."

To be expected...

"Milly at her finest." I mumbled.

"Ashanti got her to leave just fine." I looked over with my eyebrows furrowed at the sudden news. Since when does Milly listen to children?

Fiona could see the shock on my face and nodded in confirmation.

"Had Milly acting as if she was a normal house dog." Fi trailed.

"That's because she was." I muttered and if I really wanted to be an asshole I would have rolled my eyes.

"We're ready whenever you are." It was obvious she could feel the tension in the room and decided to end the conversation. She started for the door and left; of course not before muttering a snappy "at least we didn't leave your ass", then she was out of sight.

I sighed and put the shirt on to the best of my ability before standing up despite how tired and groggy I felt.
Within minutes my bag was slung over my good shoulder and I was ready to go.

Can't believe I wasted two days...

As I made my way out of the door I couldn't help but notice Ashanti (I think that's her name), outside running in circles with Milly chasing her and barking happily.
The same vicious dog that I trained to live in this world is the same one playing with a little girl.

Once the girl noticed me, she immediately stopped running and hugged her stuffed animal close to her chest. She just looked at me and me being me I didn't say anything, I simply continued walking to the truck and tossed my bag in before starting the loud vehicle up.

"In Milly." I yelled as I leaned over and opened the passenger door side so she could jump in. The large rottweiler immediately obeyed and hopped in as told, her hot breath fanning my face every so often when she would turn towards me.

By now Fiona came walking out with their stuff and scolded her daughter for staying out and not waiting for her in the truck. Once she helped Ashanti in the backseat she got in herself all the while giving me a hateful glare.

"What?"

She gave me an all too knowing look before rolling her eyes and paying attention to her daughter.

Fi's POV

I couldn't help but be pissed off for him letting my daughter roam around outside. Although she wasn't the only one outside you can never be too sure. I tried my hardest to get over everything considering this is our only chance at a ride, yet still sometimes I wonder if this was a good idea in the first place.

"Where are we?" Asked Ashanti after about an hour of driving. She seemed restless and bored and already had asked many before then.

"I believe somewhere past Salina Kansas." I answered while looking at the scenery around us. She only huffed in annoyance before laying back in her seat and playing with her stuffed toy.

Curt hadn't said a thing since we left the motel, and Milly was well...Milly. Every now and then she would perk her ears at something outside or turn a circle or two in her seat before sitting at attention like usual.

"I'm bored." Muttered Ash as she crossed her arms sassily with a scowl painted on her face.

"Why don't you play with your toy?" I asked watching as she picked it up and held it in her hands to examine.

"I'm tired of playing with just her though." She complained.

"Speaking of her, have you figured out a name yet?" She shook her head no before answering my question of why not.

"I haven't found the right one."

"When will you know the right one?" I asked half humorously with my eyebrow furrowed.
She only shrugged her shoulders.

"I'll just know."

Quietness set in again except this time it was only a few minutes before Ash broke it once more.

"Why didn't you ever go looking for dad after you had me?" I almost choked on my spit from how sudden the question was. I decided to clear my throat before answering.

"I told you Ash, I couldn't leave you unprotected just so I could go look for him." She looked spaced off into throught before asking away again.

"What about when I got older...like now." Her big ebony orbs shined into mine with genuine curiosity. At this point I now noticed those dark eyes once again glace into the rearview mirror.

Damn you Ash...

"If he never came back those seven years ago either he was either long gone or wor-" I was cut off by a loud noise coming from underneath the truck.

"Shit!" Yelled Curt as he tried to regain control of the large vehicle. We were currently swerving from side to side and a flapping noise was loud and clear along with Ash's screams. I looked through the back window to see shards of rubber flinging from the truck as Curt began to slow the vehicle down to a halt.
Milly whined anxiously as he got out of the truck, a string of curses following suit.

"Mama, what is it?" Ash asked while she herself was now looking through the back window. I shrugged my shoulders although the noise was obvious.

"Sounds like we got a pretty bad flat." I began to get up and make my way outside the vehicle now.

"You stay here with the dog, I'll be right back." I stepped out of the tall truck and made my way to the rear where Curt was bent down examining the situation. On his face was a look of frustration and anger all combined into one.

"Let me guess..." I said while bending down to his level. A smaller piece of wood had several nails driven into it so they could stick out with the sharp ends exposed. The nails in the wood had directly punctured the tire in several different spots, and to add to it the treading on the tire was sticking up and out in all different directions.

"We're fucked aren't we."