Unexpected

Chapter 5: All Alone

"So, what school do you, or did you go to?" Carter asks nervously.
"BridgeWood, the only high school here for miles. What about you?"
"Um..I don't go to school..I dropped out." He says timidly. Almost like he's lying.
"Really? Why?" I ask suspicious to why he was acting so weird. I had never seen this boy before, so what was he doing in our small town?
"Well, I just..wanted something..different. It's complicated." He finally sighs. What is with this mysterious yet beautiful boy?
"Okay. Well let's change the subject."
Maybe something happened and I'm just freaking out because the world could possibly be ending. Maybe.
Then it happened. The ground beneath us shook, tearing a giant hole in the earth.
"Ella! Move towards me!" He shouts.
The ground was opening under me, and I started to run. I was almost to Carter when I tripped on a root of a tree. Stupid trees. The ground was still opening, and I began to fall into a fiery, hell. I started to scream knowing I was going to die when something grabbed my wrists and started to pull me up. It was Carter, and as he pulled me up with amazing strength, he was screaming, "Your not leaving me, I'm not going to be alone again!"
Why did he say this? I just met him. Is he really that afraid of being alone? I couldn't understand, mainly because I'm always alone. I was used to it. Did he actually care about me that much already? I fell on top of him with a sigh of relief, clutching on to his shirt, while he had his arms wrapped around me tightly. It felt nice, and the most safe I had felt all day. That's when he pulled away and looked embarrassed.
"Are..are you okay?" He asked sheepishly, scratching the back of his head.
"Yeah, I'm fine, just shook up. Thank you, for..saving me." I say bluntly.
I felt my heart flutter a bit. Why did I feel like this? Did I like him? I guess you tend to fancy a guy that's good looking and can save your life.
"No problem, I just didn't want to loose you agai-" he stopped and looked scared.
"I mean, I just didn't want to be alone." He states with a nervous smile. That was weird. Was he hiding something? I guess it doesn't matter, he could have let me die, but he saved me.
"Yeah, I understand." I smile back. We need to see if everyone else in the world is experiencing this." I look down at the massive hole in the ground where I almost fell to my death. It didn't look like anything I have ever seen. It was one, perfect circle, that seemed bottomless.
"We can get a car and drive to the nearest towns and see if they know anything?" Carter suggests.
"Okay sounds good, but do u have a car?" I ask hopeful that we don't have to steal one.
"No, but I don't think anyone around here is gonna need one for awhile." He says with a chuckle as he jumps in a red jeep. I felt a little guilty, but jumped in anyways. Somehow this boy made me feel safe. Like I knew him before. That I knew everything about him, even though I just met him. Something told me to trust him, and that's what I was to do.
"Do you know how to hot-wire a car?" I ask, sarcasm showing.
"Yes, but I think it would be easier if we used the keys." He grins as he holds up a pair of keys. Gosh he's smooth.
"Well, that will work too." I mumble.
"Hahaha!"
"You know it's the end of the world, you shouldn't be laughing." I shoot back.
"Laughing is all we got right now. We're all alone, and something has got to keep us sane." He says kindly while looking in my eyes. I sigh.
"Well I don't feel like laughing, I almost died!" I argue back. I wasn't sure why I was upset. Maybe from missing Maggie and the constant confusion of everything.
"Oh you don't? What if I tickled you?" He asks with a devious smile. Tickling was my weakness. It was childish, but that always made me laugh. But I'm only ticklish on my neck, so jokes on him!
"I'm not ticklish." I say rather sassy, as I fold my arms. Then I feel warm, soft hands on my neck, tickling me.
"Ah! Stop! Hahaha! Quit it! I'm so hahaha ticklish!" He went straight for the neck and never moved from that spot like he knew I was only ticklish there. I guess the joke was on me.
"See? I told you, laughing is all we need." He says as he lowers his hands. I sigh, "Yeah, I guess. I just want my sister back. I..I miss her so much, and my mom..she just..she just left." I begin to cry, trying to not let Carter see. He wraps an arm around me waist, and pulls me close.
"Shh, it's okay we will find them soon, I promise." He whispers softly, as his warm, breath hits my head comfortingly. I started to pull myself back together, and wipe away my warm tears.
"What about your mom? Aren't you worried as to where she may be?" I ask trying to get my mind off of sweet Maggie.
"Well, she didn't disappear. I said that because I didn't want to admit to myself she was..dead..just not yet." He says with a single tear streaking down his red cheeks.
"Carter, I'm so sorry." I cough out. Good job Ella. The perfect thing to ask.
"It's fine, she's just been missing for...a long time now. We already had the fake funeral or whatever. I just can't stop thinking that she may be out there somewhere, you know? There's just no closure.." he trails off.
"It's alright, maybe we will find her too?" I say hopeful.
"I don't know. It would be a miracle." He says with a sad smile. "What about your dad? You never mentioned him? Did he disappear too?" Carter asks trying to force a smile.
"He passed away about 3 months ago."
"Oh, I'm so-
"It's fine. This isn't something we need to be dwelling on now. Like you said, we need to stay sane. Find out what's going on." I say bravely. I was scared deep down. I was all alone. Carter was the only person I had. Oh Maggie I hope you're safe.
"We need to gather things we may need along the way." Carter states, bringing me out of my thoughts.
"Yeah okay, next stop, Summerlynn." Which was a town about 45 miles from good ole BridgeWood, Indiana. This was our best bet for now. I clung to the jeeps door handle, as Carter started the engine. I pulled out Maggie's necklace, and squeezed it in my hand. I'm going to find you little sunshine, just hold on.