A Spark of Hope

Chapter 4 - Numb

For the next hour, the cabin of Optimus was silent. My mind was empty. Everything around me seemed to disappear until the silence was finally broken by Tessa's sobs. I turned to her, my mind allowing itself to reset with reality. Compassion came over me and I reached over, hugging her trembling figure. Shane glanced over his shoulder, noticing our pain. Tessa rose from our hug, looking over to her father.

"Lucas, we just left him." She said in a shaky voice.

Cade looked at her, his eyes solemn and sad. "He's gone." He said with a choked-up sigh.

I stared at them, my facial expression blank. And then I remembered what the last moments were with Lucas and me. "I called him an idiot." I opened up, my voice cracked. "I didn't even accept his apology for what he did. I couldn't even tell him that he was a decent guy." Tears started to fall as my voice died out.

"Ella..." Tessa whispered, pulling me into a hug without any other words. We cried together, not understanding anything that was happening with our lives.

~

As evening swept over the sky, Optimus spotted a recently abandoned gas station and pulled up to it, letting us out. We all jumped out, walking on the dirt path. All of the sudden, Optimus transformed into his normal mode, punching the ground in frustration, startling us all. I jumped the most though, with a yelp. Optimus rose, gazing down at us in defeat.

"My deepest sympathies for the loss of your friend." He said his voice in a somber tone. "Stay here till I'm sure we weren't followed. We are all targets now." He said before transforming into the old truck. The others nodded, heading toward the old building while I lagged behind.

"Wait, Optimus!" I called out to him. He stopped and backed up, opening one door.

"Yes?" He responded through the speakers of the cabin.

"Uhm-" I hadn't thought this through yet. What should I say? "Can I come with you?"

"Unfortunately, no. If I were to fall into the enemy's hand while I am away, I would be risking your life. Stay here with your family and take shelter. I will be back." He concluded.

"Okay. Just be careful. And please come back."

"All right."

"Promise?"

"I promise." He said with a light rumble of a chuckle, then closed the door, rolling away from the lot.

I sighed as I watched him disappear in the distance. Who would've thought that this would happen to us? I thought to myself. I pivoted on my heel, walking to the abandoned gas station. Tessa was by Shane's side, holding his hand for comfort as Cade stared in the direction of Optimus' path.

"So, we're hiding out now? That's the plan? We're taking orders from a truck?" Shane asked, his voice sounding sarcastic and paranoid. I glared at him for his remark.

"He's not just some truck." I defended. "Besides, you got any better idea?"

Cade turned around and saw the couple, becoming enraged. "Hey, move away from her, kid. Don't..." He let out a hot breath, shoving in between the two to separate them. "Keep your hands off her. All right? No." He sighed again and entered the building resembling more of a shack.

I turned to them with a shrug. "Sorry about him. He gets very protective for his daughter." Tessa nodded reluctantly in agreement.

"It's more like a prison." She scoffed.

"Tess, you know he's just being careful. I know it's coming off very abrupt and rude and overprotective, but he's just doing it as a reflex." I tried to reason with her. She sighed and nodded.