Alamort | Troy Otto

1.3

1.3
Broke Jaw Ranch

At one point of their trip, they changed vehicles. Madison and Thena were sitting in the backseats of a car, Troy in the passenger's seat in front of the Grimes girl.

It was a strategic position for Thena, she didn't just sit behind the man without any purpose, and she believed Troy realized it too. After all, the times he turned back to glance at her were increasing every five minutes.

"I'm not going to slit your throat with your friend in the car," said the girl, leaning next to his head so he could hear her voice above the heavy metal music that was blasting though the speakers.

"So, you would do it if he wasn't in the car?" asked the man, looking at her hesitantly.

Thena stared in the void, pondering on his words, before she shrugged and nodded her head simultaneously.

"Probably."

"That's good to know," whispered Troy, and sudden feeling washing over him, and he shifted in his seat uncomfortably as Thena leaned back.

Madison watched the girl as she leaned in her seat, her face facing the roof of the car. She wanted to ask her something, but her words got stuck in her throat when Troy raised the volume of the music. Thena opened her eyes and glared at the back of his head while Madison sighed. She shook her head and leaned forward, shutting off the awful music. Troy glared at her though the rear-view mirror. When Thena noticed, she stretched her legs in front of her, bumping her knees in the seat.

Her eyes closed, a satisfied smirk on her lips when she felt Troy shift in his seat to glare at her.

~

Not long after, the trail of cars went off the highway and into small and unpaved country roads. Soon, the two women started to see signs of life. They had cows and all other sorts of animals.

The car stopped in front of a fence and a man approached the open window of the passenger seat. Thena watched them carefully, her hand itching towards the gun at her thigh.

"Joe," started Troy, "Man, who'd you piss off the draw guard again, huh?"

"Your father wants to talk to you."

Thena raised her eyebrows and a small smirk danced on her lips. "Daddy issues much," she asked in a whisper, loud enough for Troy to hear, making him clench his fists. Madison tore her eyes away from Troy to see Thena's amused expression and she sighed, bumping their knees together, making the girl's expression drop.

"Jake ain't here. That's the thing, he ain't been here since he left. He's overdue."

A deafening silence fell in the car. Both women were confused, a frown playing on Thena's sharp featured while Madison looked at Troy questionably. The man stood still for a moment before he shifted in his seat and turned to the two.

"All right, all right, get out," he said, "get out of the truck."

"I'm sorry, what?" asked Thena, taken aback by his tone.

"Get out of the truck and wait outside! Now come on, get out."

The girl rolled her eyes and stepped out of the car when the man outside opened the door. She bumped her shoulder in him as she walked past and went to Troy's open window. "If something happens out here," she muttered slowly, pointing to the bandage on his eyes, "that will be the least of your worries."