Games Of Hearts

16. The road to nowhere

She goes back to the car, slamming the door shut with a loud thud. The sound echoes through the deserted street, a stark contrast to the tense silence that has settled between us. She's biting her nails now, her eyes fixed at some point outside the window. I walk towards her, my steps heavy with frustration and anxiety. I knock on the door window, the glass rattling beneath my knuckles. She slides the window down, her eyes flicking up to meet mine with a hint of defiance.

"Text Rue that we're in Essel City now," I breathe out, my voice low and even.

Eva's eyes narrow slightly, her jaw clenched in a stubborn line. But she nods curtly and pulls out her phone, her fingers flying across the screen with a practiced ease. The soft beep of the phone's response is a stark contrast to the silence that has settled between us.

"There is no network now," she says, her voice flat and emotionless, her eyes fixed on some point in front of her.

I feel a surge of frustration and anger, my patience wearing thin. I open the door of my car, the creak of the hinges echoing through the silence. "Get out," I tell her, my voice firm and commanding, my eyes locked on hers.

The tension between us is palpable, the air thick with unspoken words and unresolved issues. Eva's eyes flicker towards me, a hint of defiance still lingering in their depths. Her lips press into a thin line, her jaw set in a stubborn angle. But she doesn't move, her body language screaming resistance.

"We have to search for a safe place, Get out," I tell her, my voice firm but urgent. The tension on her face begins to dissipate, replaced by a look of relief.

"We won't be safe over there," she tells me, her hands fluttering together in a nervous gesture. "Neither are we safe over here," I counter, my eyes scanning our surroundings warily.

She nods, seeming to accept my words. With a swift motion, she pushes open the door and gets out of the car, her dress fluttering around her legs as she stands up. I follow suit, locking the car door behind me with a decisive click.

Together, we start walking, our footsteps echoing off the deserted streets. Our eyes scan the horizon, searching for a safe haven - a garage to fix my car.

We walked through the streets, but there was no one around. No cars drove by, no people walked by, no birds sang. It was completely silent. The only sound was our footsteps echoing off the buildings. It felt strange and scary, like something was wrong.

Eva's face was white with fear, her eyes wide and scared. She kept looking around like she was searching for something or someone. Her eyes darted left and right, her head turning quickly. She was breathing fast, like she had been running.

I walked behind her, my arms stretched out to my sides. I wanted her to feel safe, like I was protecting her. The silence felt heavy and scary, like a big cloud over us. We kept walking, our footsteps the only sound. We didn't talk, we just walked. The silence was too big, too scary. We just wanted to find a safe place, a place where we could hide from the silence and the fear.

Just as we rounded a corner, a faint barking sound carried through the air, echoing off the corner of road. It was a distant sound, but it sent a shiver down her spine . I crept closer to Eva, my face inches from her ear. I let out a soft "Ruff ruff!" mimicking the dog's bark.

Eva's response was instantaneous. She jumped sideways, her eyes wide with surprise and fear. She spun around to face me, her gaze flashing with annoyance. "What the...!" she whispered harshly, her eyes blazing with a mixture of fright and irritation. I couldn't help but smile, my lips curling up mischievously. The tension was broken, if only for a moment.