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16

"We're in a pretty bad condition but I wouldn't say we're fucked." Curtis's dark orbs analyzed the tire before he sighed and stood up. I couldn't help but noticed Ashanti had her face squished into the window so she could see what all the fuss was about.

"Is there a spare?" I asked hopefully.
He opened the bed of the truck and hopped in lightly and shortly after, out came rolling out a large tire similar to the rest.

"And you can put that thing on?" I couldn't help but question it from how large the tire is. I myself had never changed a tire that big before.

"It's worth a shot." He said while tossing down a bag of tools and  hopping down and dusting the dust from his hands off.
He kneeled in front of the torn tire and began taking out the proper tools he needed from the bag.

"From the looks of it I'd say it was done on purpose." He claimed as he began to unscrew the bolts.

"On purpose, but there's no one here? Wouldn't they be waiting around somewhere?"

"That's the key word, somewhere." I couldn't help the chill that rippled through me as those words left his lips.

"Hey...h-how long do you think that's gonna take?"

He shrugged his one good shoulder.

"However long it has to take." His attitude had gotten the best of me and I was sick of having to take it. I. Am. A. Grown. Ass. Woman.

"Listen here." I demanded once I stomped over and touched his injured shoulder harshly so he would look at me. He hissed lightly and looked at me like I was crazy.

"I am not putting up with your bullshit any more. You seem to forget that you could still be passed out in that motel parking lot if it wasn't for us. Instead of making everything complicated how about you do us all a favor and get us the hell out of here." I didn't even realize that I had balled his shirt up into my fist until I noticed how close his face was to mine. I harshly let go and found the guts to ask again.

"Maybe thirty minutes at the least." He mumbled which I barely heard. I couldn't help but feel triumph now that I at least was getting an answer.

My own seven year old acts better than that...

"What's going on?" Asked Ash as I opened the door so I could hop in for a minute. She scooted over and immediately started asking questions.

"It was like I said earlier, just a flat."

"Are we in danger?"

We're always in danger...

"We'll be fine." I muttered.

I couldn't help but flinch as Milly started barking and shifting constantly in the passenger seat. Drool lightly dropped from her jaws as she bared her teeth and growled viciously.

"Mom?" Ashanti asked with a worried tone.

"You stay here." I mumbled while getting out of the truck and keeping my eyes out all around us. I noticed Curt had now become alert and had walked over and opened up Milly's door. The large rottweiler immediately jumped out and began sniffing the road for any clues to what she had sensed.

"What is it girl." Curt talked quietly to Milly as he bent down to her level with his hand on her, and the other holding onto his pistol. Her ears stood up as she looked around and sniffed, yet she couldn't find anything in the vicinity.

"Maybe it's a false alarm?" Ash had asked from the backseat of the truck. She had somehow rolled her window down throughout the whole ordeal.

"No." Curt corrected. "Milly's never wrong." All that was heard was the wind and a bird or two crow.
It was about two more minutes until the dog began to tuck her ears back down and pant. She sat and looked over at Curt almost apologetically before inaudibly whining.

He decided to pet her and talk to her before standing up and making his way over towards the tire once again.

"I need you help over here!" He called out while out of breath. He was currently trying to jack the truck up by himself but his shoulder was preventing him from doing a lot.

"Here, take this an-" He was cut off once again by Milly barking.

"Damnit Milly!" He yelled out in frustration. He got up harshly and made his way over only to see her barking with her head ducked to look underneath the slightly leaning truck.
He furrowed his eyebrows and looked at me before taking out his pistol and aiming it towards where she was now growling with the fur standing up on her neck.

Immediately, panic set in and I wanted to run to the truck and grab my daughter which was what I started to do before Curt put his hand to my chest to stop me from moving any further.

I looked throught the back window and could see the fear in her eyes as she kept trying to see what Milly was barking at. Quickly, I held my hand up and motioned to her that everything is fine. A part of me could tell she knew I was lying from my expression, but I tried my hardest to make sure she wouldn't freak out and put herself around danger even more.

Curt looked at me and put his pointer finger to his lips to make sure everyone was quiet before he began to make his way towards the now jumpy Milly.

"I'm gonna give you one chance to come out." Curt demanded loudly. His pistol was clenched tightly between his palms, not even a shake present in his form.

No sound or movement was heard but it was obvious we had some sort of company. I took this as the opportunity to now pull out my revolver and make my way towards the opposite side of the truck so whoever or whatever it was wouldn't be able to get away.

"I'm gonna count to three. By then, if you don't come out I'm gonna start shooting." Once again there was silence as Milly kept going crazy.

"One." I looked over and noticed Ash had her eyes closed tightly, already expectant of something. I myself was starting to become nervous from the situation itself.

"Two." His deep voice boomed in the air around us as he cocked his pistol. I myself made sure my revolver was ready for anything that could possibly happen.

Ash had her hands covering her ears as she was curled up with her knees to her chest; I could barely see her trembling form as she had her eyes squeezed shut.

"Three."