The Safety Dance - Nick Clark

3 - Shiver

I don't know what I was thinking when I told him I would go. Nick can't be on his own and yeah he'll be with me but I still feel like he's going to need his family, his mom and I can't be all that for him. I sat next to him in a run down car. He made me drive and honestly It'll be better for the both of us since he has the windows up and a blunt between his fingers.

I put my window down and the radio on low. "You think that's a good idea Nick? What if I get pulled over?" He took a long, deep breath and rolled his head over to me and smiled "Good thing you're a great, driver." I got fed up with him and took his blunt from his mouth and threw it out the window. He started to complain I put the rest of the windows down to air out the car.

"It's freezing, put the windows back up." He said coldly adjusting his hoodie.

"Freezing? It's ninety out today! Your head is clouded." I got off the highway and pulled into a small motel by a few smaller shops. Everything was dirty and had a weird smell. I put the car in park. "Why are we here?" he asked.

"We're getting a room and staying the night. Come on." He stepped out of the car with a smirk and said "You and I?"

"Shut up." I pulled him along to the front desk and rang the bell. A heavy woman turned around in her chair with a cigarette in one hand and a clip bored in the other "What?" she coughed into her elbow and with hooded eyes she set both things down. "We need a room."

"How many beds?"

"Doesn't matter as long as its cheap and has a shower." I handed her the money she asked for and she gave me a key in return. "Room Four Twenty-Three. Have a nice stay." she shut the glass window and lit another cigarette. Nick and I walked up two flights of stairs and got to our room. The door was a bright blue and you could tell the numbers had been moved from their original place and half of the number were just written on with a sharpie.

Nick unlocked the door and I gestured for him to go in first. "Am I getting laid Amy?" He smiled and went in. "You're disgusting."

The room was tiny with a stand and one bed that would fit one comfortably but it'll have to do for just one night. "Why don't you shower and try to wash that smell off you." I joked and pushed at him. He frowned and pushed me hard enough to fall onto a chair by the door. "You get in the shower and wash off the adult." he sat down on the floor and crossed his legs. His hair was stringy and he had dark circles under his eyes.

"Are you still high?" I asked sitting in front of him, he took a moment and said "Yes." and laughed. I helped him up and walked him over to the bathroom. We stood in front of the sink and he looked at me through the mirror "I think... I'm gonna need help taking my clothes off." he pressed his lips together and shook his head. He looked at me face to face this time and put his arms out "Pants first would be appreciated." he snickered. I rolled my eyes and stepped back into the main room.

I flipped through an old magazine in the very unsteady chair by the door till my butt became numb and I sat down on the bed and heard a few crunches. I flipped back the covers and found a bag of stale chips and a few ants. "Oh, ew." I pulled the blankets off and flipped them off out side. A family of five had gotten out of their car with suit cases. I smiled as they waved at me. I being the only one actually outside at the moment.

The kids ran to the rusted playground by the parking lot while their parents ventured inside the front desk.

I finished with the sheets and walked back in, closing the door behind me as Nick stood there with only a towel around his waist "What happened to the bed?"

"Nothing, do you feel better?" he flopped down on the unmade bed and threw his clothes to the floor "Yeah." he lay on his stomach with his hands supporting his head "I wanna go down to the little stores. Wanna go with me?" he sighed and rolled himself across the bed and stood up. He grabbed his pants and dropped his towel "Nick. ugh." I turned around and grabbed the key off the floor "a warning next time please." he walked by me fully dressed and opened the door. He grabbed my hand pulled me with him "Come on."

-

After our trip to the stores, Nick and I came back with food and a few changes of clothes for him I made him change in the bathroom and had him throw out his clothes.

It was late and dark out. The only light came from the flickering street lamp outside. We lay on the mattress we covered in a plastic tarp. Nick put his head on my shoulder and ate from a bag of jerky. "This is the best thing we've ever done. Lets never go back." He said moving closer to me. I held his hand and kissed it. "OK." I replied.

He set his food on the floor and moved down the mattress and wrapped his arms around my waist and his head on my stomach. I ran my fingers through his freshly washed hair. "I love you." he muttered before passing out. I knew we'd have to go back sometime but maybe he was right, I would just have to try hard to keep him safe. I pulled the covers over him and myself.

I was about out myself when I heard a soft knocking at the door. I got up and Nick flipped over towards the wall. I opened the door but nobody was there, I looked down both ways but nobody had been there. I quietly shut the door and put the lock on and went back to bed.

I wrapped myself in the blanket and Nick groaned pulling my closer from behind. I hate how he treats me; like I'm his... I don't even know what this is but he's comfortable with it.

I had a bad feeling about whoever was knocking at the door. I sank closer to him but I know that I would probably be the one protecting him. My eyes shot open when I heard more knocking and this time, there stood at the window a person. Their head leaning against the dirty window. They were mumbling something under their breath I could barely understand but their breathing was fast and deep.

"Nick, Nick. Hey, wake up." I nudged him and he sat up "What's wrong?"He rubbed his eyes I pointed to the window. He swore and got up. "Stay there." he walked up to the window "It's one of them."

"What do you mean?" I got up and walked next to him. He looked over "Didn't I just tell you to stay over there?" I was about to answer when the person at the window growled and banged her head against the window several times. I then realized it was the mom from the family from before.

"Nick. I saw her before. She has a family we have to help them."

"If anything they're dead. We can't do anything." We heard a sharp scream and saw one of the children running from her Dad. "Nick!" I ran past him and out the door. I ran past the woman and down the stairs and out onto the pavement. "Stop, Dad!" she was now walking backwards and bumped into their car.

I pulled on his shirt and pulling him away from her. Nick made his way over to us. He had a bat in his hands smacked the Dad across the face making him spit blood. "Where did you get a bat?" I asked and he pointed to a boy that looked the same age as the girl.