The Remaining

Chapter 4

We drove for a few hours and made some stops along the way for toilet breaks. Never would I have thought that this would be fun but I'm really enjoying myself. Everyone is really genuine and we have great chats. I'm beginning to trust these people. It's starting to get dark now so Apollo decided to stop at the side of the road so we could sleep.  I waited a while before I knew all of them had gone to sleep then quietly and awkwardly crawled my way out of the van. Taking a deep breath I climb on top of the van being careful not bang on the roof and I lie down on my back, using my bag as a head rest. Staring at the gaseous stars that are so far away yet were so close to me once, I daydream. I was so dreamy that I didn't realise that someone had joined me only until they'd entwined their fingers into mine and then sighed deeply. I looked to my left to see James looking up to the night sky. "It's beautiful right?" he whispers to me. "Yes, it is." I whisper back. Looking at his face, I realise how handsome he really is. His features standing out against the moonlight. He looks back at me and for some reason, I don't look away, just carry on gazing at him. Looking quizzical he asks, "What are you looking at?" and I shrug nervously and my mouth twitches, "Why are you holding my hand?" I ask back and he mimics my shrug and we both giggle. It goes silent for a while and he replies lately to the question, "It just feels right, y'know?" I don't know how to answer that question so I look back at the sparkling stars. I sit up and so does James. "Do you want to know the truth about why I'm really here and what my plan is?" He looks at me expectantly like he really wants to know, "Of course. You know you can trust me with anything right?" I can't believe I'm about to tell him. Obviously not all of the details like the torture, pain, loneliness and heartbreak. But for some reason I trust him completely, and it's totally foreign to me, but it just feels right. At first I tell him the story about the abduction when I was a baby, but not the torture stuff, then I go on about living at the orphanage and how much of a rebel I was there and he laughs. I carry on about how I adore the stars and tell him why I had run away and that where I am headed is extremely important, "Did you listen to the radio about how they know that someone is out there that knows what the trial is and who controls it?" He nods his head slowly, "Well, I'm the girl they're looking for." He looks at me confused and shocked. In my head I can tell that this conversation is over so James and I jump off the van, get in and go to sleep.

Dazed by the sunlight squeezing through the gap in the curtains, my eyes slowly open. Rubbing the sleep from my eyes and the dribble from my chin, I look around to see if anyone is awake. James is sitting in the driver seat of the van. Dodging the others who are still fast asleep, I hop into the passengers seat next to James. We look at each other expectantly for moments that seem like forever until he offers me a breakfast bar and a flask. I shyly accept and drink the tea from the flask and start munching on my granola bar. Delicious. "So..." he says. I shoot him a look that says what but he just looks at me blankly. He goes to say something but I interrupt him, "Look, I know you don't believe what I said last night, I didn't expect you to, its just nice that I can already trust someone with this information, even though I barely know you." He looks out of the window dizzily, as if there were a million thoughts zapping through his head. "See, the thing is Athena, I do believe you. That's what the bad thing is. For some reason last night, I believed every word you said, and to be truthful, I am scared of your past and you future." Why would he be scared. "You could die with the information you know, or you could get abducted again. Your past is horrific, and I know more things went on in that spaceship that you're not telling me. I'm scared for you and me. I don't think I'd be able be with out you. And yes, that sounds totally crazy because we don't even know each other, but I feel a deep connection between us and it's immensely strong. My heart tells me that I love you, but my head knows it's too early, so I don't know what to do with myself or my feelings. I really like you Athena. I hope you do too." In my head I'm thinking about what to say. I need to tell him that I can't ever love him, and we can't have a connection because my life could end like the click of a finger, and then what would he be like. But I can't. My heart must be connected to my voice because softly, I say, "I do too." instead of what my brain told me to say. He smiles happily at me and it makes my heart melt so I smile back. I've got myself too involved with these people. I was only meant to be getting a lift with them, not loving them. 

Once everyone had woken up and got dressed, we set off again. The bright morning sunshine burning the dry gravelly ground and the barely surviving plants. This heat is unbearable. All of the windows are open and yet we're all sweating and I'm pretty sure we are running out of supplies. Apollo's girlfriend Orchard told me that we are nearly there, but we might need to stop and sleep at the side of the road once more if anything goes wrong. Now that I think about it I am really nervous about going there. What would I even say to them? Where would I go? Who do I talk to? How do I explain everything to them? I guess I'm just going to have to go this alone and be my own super-heroine.