Heart of Titanium

Chapter 8: Mindbreak

July 1st, 2044

Bryson was sitting in his new room at the safehouse, writing in an old journal. He constantly writes and takes the pencil off the paper, scratching his head and still processing what's happened.

Its been almost a month since we got here to the safehouse. A month since...

He erases the three dots,

Since my uncle sacrificed himself for us. Being honest, I don't know what to do. We're dealing with one hell of a situation, plus with the added weight of the fact that-

He stops writing again as he sighs and takes a deep breath.

The fact that I'm starting to have feelings for Cherise. She kissed me on the cheek...but what if that's just a way of saying she trusts me? I don't know what to think. My mind is so clouded and all I want to do is curl up in a ball and cry. I can't, though. I need to be strong, for her, and for me.

He looks over at Cherise, her sleeping, but not with a smile. Almost with a sad look since he's now scared.

This girl...she's latched onto my heart. I can't explain how, or why, but she has a strong hold of me. I just pray that I won't screw up what we have. She's all I have left. I'll protect her with every breath I have left in my body.

Bryce sighs again as he softly closes the journal and puts it in the desk. It was an old type of desk, chips of wood can be seen peeling near the bottom, where the chair, more than likely, has been pulled out and pushed back in for a lifetime.

He gets up from the chair and walks to the living room den area. He slowly sits on the couch as he hunches over, using his arms on his knees to hold him up. "What am I going to do?"

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

-One Month Earlier-

Bryson pulls up to Mrs. Granger's shop and parks his truck, he takes off his seatbelt and runs out of the truck, meeting her inside. "My goodness, Bryson! Are you okay?" She said, coming from behind the counter and holding his head.

"He's gone...my uncle...h-he's-" Bryson bawled into tears as Mrs. Granger gave him a soft, warm hug.

"Oh my, you poor child...I saw the news...I'm so sorry..." She said, her old, but soothing voice filling his ears.

After a minute, Bryce sniffs and wipes his tears, "I need your help." He said, urgently.

"Yes, yes of course. What do you need?" She said, looking him in his now red-stained face, from tears.

"That old truck me and your husband worked on two years ago...is it still behind his shop?"

"Of course it is, sweetie. He's kept it tidy, clean, and did full maintenance, just in case you ever needed it." She said.

"Good...we'll definitely need it, its better for off-roading than my truck, plus we need a more discreet looking vehicle." He said, his voice still shaky.

"I'll call him soon as y'all leave the shop. Last time I checked, she's still as rowdy as y'all built her under the hood, but looks like an old pickup on the outside." She said.

"Thank you, so much..." Bryce said, a little happier now.

Mrs. Granger held Bryce's face in her hand as she smiled at him. "Here, take some winter and deep-snow clothing. I know y'all might need it." She said, taking them off the hooks.