He laughed and shook his head. “Are you five?” It was a joke but I still clenched my jaw and fist. Anger slightly starting to boil up inside me. “It’s pouring out here, you’re soaked and the wind looks like it’s about to knock you off your feet. Just hop in and I’ll give you a ride to wherever you’re going. I don’t bite... Much,” he added the last part with a smirk and I stepped back an inch. “Come on, I swear I’m not gonna kill you or anything of the sort,” he said raising his hands in defense. I looked at him skeptically then carefully made my way around the truck to the passenger’s side and opened the door. Once inside the truck I felt a rush of warm air and immediately felt slight relief. The guy dug around in the back and pulled out a blanket. “Here, you look like you’re freezing,” he said handing me the ragged blanket. I wrapped it around myself and soon felt much better.
After a long while of driving in silence he spoke again. “You got a name?” He asked me keeping his eyes on the road with a slight glance towards me. I kept silent. Not yet sure if I could trust him. “You ain’t gonna tell me?” He said looking off to the side at me. He sighed, “Alright let’s start off with my name. My name’s Michael Parks. Call me Mike. I never really liked the name Michael. It seemed too boring and bland. So I settle with Mike. Now, you gonna tell me your name Miss?” He asked me stopping the truck to look at me. I looked over at him with an irritated look. “I’ll take that as a no... Well I gotta call ya somethin’ doll face.” I gritted my teeth when he called me “doll face” and he smirked at my reaction. “Alright, doll face outta the question. We’ll think of somethin’. Maybe by then you’ll actually give me yer name.” He said and started the truck again driving carefully down the road.
Hours past and the rain was coming down harder than ever and the wind at unbelievable speed. “So where you headed?” Mike asked me in an attempt to break the silence. “Greenwich,” I say simply and leaving it at that. “You mean Ghost town?” he asked and I nodded. “Damn babe, that’s a good eight days worth from here.” Mike said shaking his head and I looked at him in shock. “I was told it was only three days by car,” I say and he shook his head again. “Then you were given the wrong information babe,” he said with a smile towards me and I glared at him. “Don’t call me babe,” I say shooting daggers at him. “Whatever you say... Babe,” he added the last part with a smirk and I groaned. “Well we should probably stop at this town up here,” Mike said pointing up the road. “We ain’t gettin’ no where in this weather.” With that we came to a town and pulled in to a motel parking lot.
We had ended up getting a single bedroom suit (it was all we could afford) with a bathroom, and a main room divided into a kitchen and living room. “Well look at that,” Mike said with a smirk as we walked into the bedroom. “One bed,” he turned to me and smirked. “I am not sharing a bed with you.” I said in disgust. “Alright alright babe,” he said putting his hands up in defense. “If it makes you feel any better I’ll sleep on the couch.” he said with a smile. When I didn’t smile back he sighed and shook his head leaving the room. I through myself onto the bed and screamed into the pillow. This could not get any worse. I had to wait eight days before I could go and save my son, I was stuck in this motel until the storm blew over, and I was stuck with a guy I don’t even know until I got to Greenwich! This was turning out to be harder than expected.
12
