Ecstasy

Chapter 9

Daniel's eyes flutter open. He streches out, peeking over the dashboard. Skyscrapers towers in front of the car, sunlight reflecting off the windows.

"Where are we?" I tear my eyes from the city and look at him.

"Portland." Looking back at the town I pull my hand through my hair. "Or outside Portland, at least." Daniel sits up in his seat, removing the seatbelt. His hair is a mess on his head, it's almost comical to watch. Sighing I turn the key and start turning the car around.

As we hit it I reach to turn on the music. The songs of that CD is getting very familiar. I hum along with it as I pass a blue volvo. Daniel has his arm crossed over his chest. He moves in his seat, obviously uncomfortable. Ignoring it I higher the volume.

We travel several miles Before I turn off an exit. Daniel still doesn't say anything. I pull up to a gas pump on the station. Without a word I open the door and exit the car. A loud noise goes through the store when the doors slide open. The man by the counter looks up for a few seconds before returning to what he's doing. I walk up to him.

"Hi. Do you have a toilet I can borrow?" I force myself to smile at the end. Jesus, I look like I'm on my way home from a funeral.

"Yeah, in the back." He points over the shelves. Nodding i leave him alone, and go to use it.

When I return the tune of a newscast comes on the tv behind the counter, attached to the roof. A woman in her forties looks into the camera.

"A man named Theodore Mellark is looking after his girlfriend, Emily, who has been said to have been kidnapped when she was out shopping in Seattle, Washington. The kidnapper is said to be a blonde man around twenty, wearing a black jacket, and jeans. Photos have come in from a gas station along Route 5, where the kidnapper and Emily is seen switching seats." A video from the gas station we stopped at last night play on the screen. The pictures are reversed, so it looks  like I was the one driving. "It seems like she was forced to drive away from the city in his car, to not get attention."

My hand ball together. Son of a bitch. The man looks at the screen, he will soon say that the blonde fuss of hair looks like mine. I fake a nervous laugh.

"Oh dear." He turns to look at me. I point at the screen. "That looks like me. I hope that that man is not on a kidnapping spree on blondes." The man nods thoughtfully, turning back to the screen, where a raport about higher risk to get pickpocket on airports are shown. Quickly I turn away and leave.

I get back in the car. Daniel doesn't say anything, he just looks at me, before turning away. Rolling my eyes I start the engine.

While I cruise between cars I go over in my head what we should do, but soon my thoughts go over to wondering what is making Daniel so distant.

"He's onto us by the way." I look in the rear view mirror, checking the car behind us before swerving back out. He uncross his arms and sits up in his seat.

"Huh?" A car honks and I mutter as I go back in my lane.

"We are wanted." It's not like he has asked, but I figure he wants to know. "They got my name and a signalment on us both. The gas station had cameras." He sinks back down in his seat, muttering a few curses. "What's up with you anyway?"

"What?" The word is so hard to hear, he barely moves his lips, accent lacing it thickly. I look over my shoulder and switch lanes.

"You are too quiet. Cat got your tongue?" Scratching his head he shuffles in his seat.

"It's nothing. I'm just thinking."

"Well, tell me when you're done with that." I don't look at him. What's wrong with him. "I would LOVE to hear what I've done wrong." He doesn't answer, so I change subject. "Do you need to pee soon? You've gone for hours."