The Getaway

Chapter 2: The Desert

"Cole...Where are we?" Was he telling the truth about the gift? Was it actually possible? There's no way! I must be dreaming! I begin to panic and pinch myself in an attempt to wake myself up, but it wasn't working. We were in the middle of nowhere. Just someone who seems like he belongs in a nut house and me, 16 year old, gray eyed, brown haired, Alex Rose, in the middle of an empty desert. Stranded.

"Alex, it's okay, you're not dreaming. This is real. We'll return back home once everything is back to how it should be." How everything should be? "What do you mean when everything is back to how it should be?! We are stuck in the middle of a desert! It feels like it's ten thousand degrees out here and there is nothing in sight except for an empty road that probably leads to more desert and that's it!" I yelled as I paced back and forth in front of him.

"Settle down and think about what is happening right now. You wanted to get away from it all and I said that the gift I would give you would take you where you needed to go; whether it's to get you out of danger, but still resolve the problem, or to simply cool off and relax." Cole said as he grabs my shoulders and stands in front of me so I will stop pacing back and forth.

As I think about what he said, I wasn't in any danger and how could you cool off and relax in the desert where it feels like any second you'll catch on fire from the heat. Then, I see a car parked behind a cactus. I could've sworn that wasn't there before. It was a sparkling black convertible with comfy leather seats that you could sink right into.

"Cole, how did that car get there?" I said as I continued to stare at the beautiful car in amazement.

"I told you, we were here either because you needed to relax or get out of danger."

Then I realized just how I could relax. There's miles of empty road and now a nice car to drive on it. I walked toward the car and pulled on the handle of the door. It opened. The keys were sitting on the driver's seat with a note taped to them. Drive. Just drive until all your worries disappear. Who knows; maybe the desert road will lead you to a new adventure. Or a new life. :)

Cole must have been reading the note over my shoulder, because after he reads the note he says "Well come on, hop in. I'll drive and you can just sit back and relax."

When we get in, I notice a pair of sunglasses on the seat. I put them on as the roof of the car slowly goes down and there is only clear skies above. Cole starts the car and the engine roars to life, but soon quiets to a soft purr as we get on the road. 

Cole navigates the car along the barren road and begins to accelerate, making the car go faster and faster. As the wind from the speed blows against my face, I begin to feel as though nothing else matters and that this is where I could stay forever. My eyes begin to drift shut as I feel the warm sun on my skin and the cool breeze blowing through my hair.

It felt like we had been on the road for hours, when suddenly it didn't feel like I was in the car anymore. Instead I could feel a gentle swaying motion like ocean waves carrying a small boat in the water. I could hear seagulls up above. Maybe I fell asleep in the car and I'm just dreaming now. The swaying became more violent, like the waves were trying to take me under to the depths below. I tried to open my eyes, but I couldn't. I kept trying until finally, my eyes opened;what I saw in front was not what I expected- nor wanted- to see. I was no longer in the car cruising down the empty road, but in a small boat with violent waves pounding against it as if they were trying to toss me out of it. This was not a dream. And what makes this even worse is...

 Cole is nowhere to be seen.