cruel summer | ray hall [panic]

chapter 23

chapter 23 - DEAD-END

☀︎☀︎

Grace let out a breath she didn't realize she had been holding as soon as she saw the sign for Exit 12. As she peered out the window, and despite the darkness, she could see that there was a red symbol spray painted on the green sign that could have only been related to Panic. They were heading in the right direction.

The idea that Grace and Ray were on their way to the next Panic challenge had not set in until the pair began their drive, and after, Grace could only feel a clump of nerves begin to take root in her stomach.

Ray filled the car with a play-by-play retelling of his run at the demo derby for Grace, and she laughed and smiled along. The rest of the ride was full of silence though as both of them started to mentally prepare for the challenge ahead.

As the truck pulled up to the small rest stop off the exit Grace was glad that they actually got there in one piece. Ray parked the car and the two got out.

Grace rounded the front of the truck to meet Ray on the other side. When she approached him though, his eyes were fixed on the deep scratch mark that ran across the entire left side of the truck. Her eyes widened and she could see the anger and confusion beginning to build up in Ray's face. He must have missed it in the darkness and excitement as they were leaving the derby, but now with the harsh lights of the rest stop, it could be seen clearly.

"Are you fucking serious?" Grace heard Ray mumble. At the same time, the sound of car door slamming caused her to turn her head. She saw Dodge approaching Ray, but behind him was Nat, who was furiously typing away on her phone.

Grace hurried over to see the girl, who seemed to have traveled with Dodge to the challenge.

"Hey, Nat, where's Heather?" Grace asked, noting the other girl's absence.

"I don't know, she's not answering my calls," Natalie responded frustratedly. The girl let out a sigh, still entrenched in her phone, likely spamming Heatehr with text messages about her whereabouts. Grace began to get more worried at this, her mind running through all the possibilities of where Heather could be beside the challenge. She quickly shot the girl a text as well, praying that she would answer soon.

Natalie finally looked up and examined the girl. "Wait, did you come here with Ray?"

Grace let out a scoff louder than she thought possible. There wasn't outright anger in Nat's question, but a lingering passive aggressiveness. "Heather is missing and that's all you care about?" the girl replied. Natalie opened her mouth but Grace turned to walk back to the larger group before she could speak.

Grace joined Ray's side again, now done with his unpleasant conversation with Dodge. The pair noticed the bandanas that were hung up, with all the other Panic contestants approaching them as well.