The Purge

Pt. 12

The group of five drove in silence, each one contemplating what this Purge might possibly hold for them.

Alissa was terrified. Although she'd planned with Sam for this, she couldn't believe it was actually happening. Even now, as she's sitting in the car, her stomach was churning, the image of Tyler's dead father ever present in her mind. She never really liked him, but she never wished death upon him. She would never wish death upon anyone. 

The cheerleader's mind was turning, reviewing her plans. Her first plan was to avoid any violence - look how that went. Hopefully the next plan, find a base, would run a lot smoother.

Thanks to Ava, Alissa's injuries felt better. Multiple bandages were tied tightly around her injuries, each one with baring a red stain. If it wasn't for Ava, she'd surely be dead.

Sam, on the other hand, was cool as could be. He felt confident in his plans, knowing that he'd spent months meticulously studying the best possible way of going about the cards they've been dealt. He was determined to make this month count. Shit needs to get done, and he'll make sure it will.

Although there is one thing on his mind. The fact that he's responsible for not only himself, but four other people is a feeling he'd never experienced before. Working alone is the only way he knows, so why should he start now?

He'll admit it, double crossing them has crossed his mind multiple times. But now, as he's looking at Alissa talking and laughing with everyone else, he knows that he has to try as hard as possible to ensure they survive.

Lucas would never admit that he's absolutely petrified by this change of events. He went from sitting in the back of history, flirting with some random girl, to running away from a school shooting with the guy who sells drugs to freshmen.

But if Alissa can trust Sam, so can Lucas. Besides, he couldn't just leave her to die. Once he heard the siren, he vowed to protect Alissa no matter what. She's gone through so much, he couldn't bear to see her go through any more.

He doesn't fully trust Sam, but he's going to have to if he plans on surviving. This kid knows everything about being on the run, Lucas has heard the stories. But he's putting all everything behind them, all he must focus on is winning, and potentially shedding some humour into these trying times.

Max is still in shock. Never in a million years would she imagine something from a movie as brutal as The Purge would happen in real life.

She didn't know what was more of a shock: the Purge commencing, or being asked by a group of people she'd barely talked to, to join them. No matter how hard she wants to push it down, Max's gut feeling is that she's being used. She's great with computers, and she's knows it. She also knows that being good with computers is the only reason she's sitting in this car right now.

Trustworthy is not a word that Max would use to describe the people she's currently surrounded by. Everyone in this car has a reason for being here. They can all pretend that they're team players, but at the end of the day Max believes they'll turn on each-other. And she isn't about to be sucked into the delusion.

Ava felt uneasy. She could sense the tension in the air. Although she'd saved Sam's ass, he doesn't trust her. Ava knows this.

She's always been the quiet one. The observer. The one who helps out when needed.

Ava is also aware that she's going to have to be the level headed one. She can tell that everyone is not exactly "buddy-buddy" with each other. But she believes that they'll pull through as a team. As she sat in the back, braiding Alissa's hair, she wondered how everyone came together. She wondered why this group had been made. And probably the biggest question that's playing in her head is why isn't Tyler here.

There was a deafening silence throughout the car, but everyone's heads were crowded with thoughts. Lucas couldn't bare it anymore.

"What would a chair look like if your knees bent the other way?"

"What the fuck?" Sam asked, looking at Lucas through the revision mirror,

"I mean, think about it. How would you- how would it-?" Lucas seemed to run out of words. His eyebrows were knitted closely together as he looked up, as if the answer would magically appear out of thin air.

Alissa looked back at Lucas, and then burst out laughing. Soon, everyone else started laughing as well. Tears were streaming down Alissa's face as she clutched her stomach.

Once everyone had calmed down again, Max asked the question that was on everyone's minds. "Why us?"

Alissa glanced nervously at Sam as he readjusted his grip on the steering wheel.

Alissa plastered a smile onto her face. "Well you see, I trust each and everyone of you and I wanted to keep you guys alive."

Max scoffed slightly, obviously not buying it. It's not that she doesn't trust Alissa, it's that she doesn't trust Sam. "So why isn't Tyler here?"

Alissa's smile faltered. Her eyes glazed over at the mention of his name. Sam reached a hand over to her her thigh and squeezed comfortingly, his eyes never leaving the road in front.

"Because he's a no-good son of a bitch that's why." Lucas spoke up.

"Lucas!" Alissa scolded.

"What?! I'm just telling the truth."

"I feel like I'm missing something," Ava said hesitantly.

"It's a long story." Sam said, rolling his eyes.

"Well it's a long ride." Max challenged.

Sam glared at her through the mirror.

"Can we not talk about my love life?" Asked Alissa, getting extremely fed up with this conversation.

Everyone murmured a quick sorry and the car once again fell silent.

"If you don't mind me asking, where are we going?" Ava spoke up tentatively.

"Somewhere." Alissa and Sam answered almost instantly.

"Wow no really?" Replied Lucas. "I thought we were just driving for the sake of driving."

"Hold on a second. Why aren't you telling us where we're going? Is this some sort of trap?" Max questioned.

"Why don't you trust us?" Alissa asked, somewhat hurt.

"Oh no, I trust you, it's him I don't trust." Max stated, gesturing towards Sam.

"Why don't you trust me? What have I done?" Sam wildly questioned.

"You seriously expect us to trust you? The guy who sells drugs to freshmen?" Max questioned back. "I've heard the stories."

"Well please tell me what these stories are, because I have no fucking idea what you're talking about." Sam said, his tone icy and harsh.

Alissa felt a wave of sympathy rush through her. "He's not like that."

"And how do you know?" Max pushed.

"Because he warned me about the purge. Because he's helped me through multiple panic attacks. Because he's..." Alissa trailed off. She didn't know how she was going to finish the sentence. Because he's been there for me when my boyfriend hasn't? That would involve talking about her love life again and that's a path she doesn't want to go down.

Sam pulled over the car and turned around in his seat to face the three at the back. "If you guys don't trust me, that's fine. You can get out of this car right now and fend for yourself during this purge. I don't care. Now, as for where we're going, it's an abandoned warehouse with functioning locks and defence systems." He saw Max's eyebrows shoot up. "Why didn't we want to tell you? Because in case you wanted to turn on us we didn't want you knowing exactly where our base is. Now that you know this, can you please trust me. Because this shit won't work if you don't."

Once again, silence filled the car.

"Ok." Max spoke up, breaking the silence.

Everyone looked at her in surprise. They all thought that she'd be the one who they'd have to convince the most.

"What?" Max asked defensively. "I don't want to die. Besides, who would miss out on the chance of being in an abandoned warehouse?!"