Forgotten Pines: The Chronicle of the Kodnikado

TWENTY- SIX

TWENTY- SIX

Max
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Mr. Malkin's truck was a green rust bucket of a vehicle. He couldn't drive it above sixty without the engine blowing-or, that's what he told me anyway. It was rattling as we drove. And there was this loud clunk clunking sound coming from under the hood.

The passenger seatbelt was pretty useless with a hole the size of a nickle chewed through it.

I was literally riding in a death trap!

"Maybe we should slow down". I proposed when Malkin nearly hit a tree.

I was gripping the Oh shit bar while my bad hand was pressed against the dashboard. It was the only way I could manage to stay in place. It was also rather painful for my broken wrist.

"We're fine kid". Malkin assured me. "I know these woods like I know my own mama".

"You must be an orphan than". I started. "Look out!"

I braced myself as the truck hurtled towards a fallen pine tree. At the last moment Malkin jerked the wheel and changed direction.

"Holy shit". I panted. I braced my hand against my chest just to make sure my heart was still beating. "Your insane!" I shouted.

"I'm just following the path kid".

"What path?!" There wasn't any path. It was just dirt and leaves and more freakin dirt!

"Calm down kid. Your only making this worse by panicking".

Was I supposed to feel content? Driving through the woods, in the dark, with a madman wasn't exactly a walk in the park for me.

"Hold on tight kid. There's a bump coming up".

"I don't-"

The truck dipped then sprang into the air. It landed with a shudder then rolled onwards as if nothing happened.

"Are we almost there yet?" I asked when I managed to find my voice again.

"Just a few more minutes".

A few more minutes sounded like a lifetime.

When it become almost impossible to keep my casted hand against the dash I leaned back in the seat and braced my feet on the board instead. Not that it was any better with all the cuts and bruises littering them. But it was better then nothing.

"What happened to your arm?" Malkin asked, seeming to notice my cast for the first time.

"I broke my wrist".

"Shit hurts doesnt it?" He went on to say, "I broke my leg last summer during a nasty fall".

"Could you keep your eyes on the road?" I piped. Not that there was one, but you know. At least watch where your freaking going! Especially while driving through the forrest at forty-five.

"I didn't know Gavin had a nephew". Malkin said. Veering the conversation in a complelty different direction.

"He's got three actually".

"Uh huh".

I squeezed my eyes shut when the truck just managed to avoid another head on collision.

"When you get back make sure you wrap that cut kid".

"Yeah".

"Don't want it getting infected".

"Mmh".

My stomach was doing summersaults as my nerves reached about 90 percent.

"You okey kid?"

Fuck no!