Don't look back..

It was a hot summers day, sweat rolled off my forehead and down my face. The air conditioner was on full blast but it was like the heat devoured it before it could reach me. I had been driving for about 10 hours. I came all the way from Alabama and I was now in Texas. The long dirt road seemed to go on forever, at times I felt like I should pull over and take a brake but I couldn't. There was too big of a risk of him finding me. I shook away that thought  I had to keep going. I saw a gas station up ahead and looked down at my gage, It was starting to run low. I sighed and pulled into the old looking place. I cut off the car and the air just got hotter. 'Just great..' I thought. I got out of the car adjusting my blue 'Death or Glory' tank-top and my black jean shorts. I opened the tank and filled the car up. I didn't see a pay on the pump so I grabbed my cash and headed to the old store. I opened the wooden door and slipped inside. The place was dusty and looked like it hadn't seen a customer in years, I walked over to the counter but saw no one. "Hello?" My voice was soft but it echoed through the eerie place. " May I help you?" I jumped slightly at the sudden presents. An older woman in her 50's or 60's stood there with a small smile on her face. I turned to face her completely  and smiled politely at her. "Yes mam, I'm here to pay for my gas." she nodded and rung me up. "So where are you from? We don't get many visitors in these parts." "Alabama, I'm moving out to Huston with my aunt and uncle." I handed her what I owed and she placed it in the register. "You've got along way to go then." "Yes mam I do, by the way do you know where the closest town is? I was hoping to get a hotel room for the night." " This is the town, no hotels here but if you want you can stay the night at my house." "Thank you mam but I wouln't want to impose on you." she smiled at me. "You wouldn't be imposing, besides something bad might happen to a pretty girl like you alone on the road." I thought about it for a moment. " Ok, thank you mam I promise i'll be out of your hair in the morning." She closed up the station and we got into my car. I drove where she told me to go and we pulled up to an old Victorian looking house it was a chipping white and about two stories. It was worn down but still beautiful in its own way. "You house is lovely mam." She smiled and got out of the car. "Please, call me Luda Mae." I locked my car and walked beside her. "Well Luda Mae I'm Clara." "Clara......I like that.."  I blushed lightly "Thank you.." She led me into the house, It was about the same as the out side it was warn down and covered in dust. Luda Mae moved over to the stares "HOYT, MONTY, THOMAS!! GET DOWN HERE WE'VE GOT COMPANY!! " I stood there confused, there were others here? soon an older man in a police uniform came down the stares. Another old man in a wheelchair came in beside them. "Well what do we have here? Your a pretty little thing arn't ya?" The man in the uniform said, I noticed the tag said Hoyt. "Um..Thank you Officer Hoyt."  He turned his attention away from me, Thankfully. "Where's Thomas boy?" Luda Mae asked him. "How am I supposed to know where that retard is? He's probably in the basement." I couldn't help but slightly flinch at how cruel he sounded about this Thomas guy. "THOMAS GET UP HERE BOY!" Hoyt yelled. A moment later one of the biggest guys i've ever seen in my life came into the room. He looked to be seven feet tall, he was all muscle and would make any wrestler run and cry for his mommy. He had shoulder length brown hair that fell in greasy waves. The oddest thing was that he wore a leather mask that covered his lower face but opened at his mouth. " Thomas, This is Clara. She'll be staying with us tonight.." Everyone held there eyes on me. I felt nervous but gave a small smile. "It's nice to meet you all.." I said softly. Monty nodded and rolled off into another room. Hoyt looked me up and down with a creepy smile and went back upstairs. " Thomas please show Clara to the gust room." He nodded and headed up the stairs. I quietly followed him something felt odd here. Like something bad happened in this place I could feel it dripping off every wall. I continued to follow as I nervously played with my side pony tale. He stopped in front of a door and opened it. I looked up at his masked face and tried to see his eyes but his hair got in the way. I smiled at him "Thank you." He didn't say anything and just left. I shrugged and sat down my bag. I made my way back down stairs and into the kitchen where Luda Mae was. "Do you need any help?" She smiled "Sure, cut those up for me." I picked up the knife and started chopping up lettuce, tomatoes, peppers, and carrots. Once it was done i gave them to Luda Mae. I then help set up the table. Luda Mae started to get the food out. "Clara go get the boys for me." I set down the last plate. "Yes mam." I left the kitchen and went to the living room where Monty and Hoyt sat. "Excuse me but dinners ready." They both just nodded reading there papers. I went upstairs and looked around at all the doors. " Thomas?" My voice softly called. "Thomas?" I moved past the rooms. "Thoma-aaah!" someone touched my shoulder and I quickly turned around. My wide eyes softened as I saw Thomas and I let out a breath as my hand held my chest. " Oh there you are Thomas you starttled me. I came to tell you dinners ready." He staired at me then walked down stairs. '.....ok?' I shook it off and went down to the kitchen and sat down at the empty seat making me beside Luda Mae and in front of Thomas. The food in front of us was some kind of stew, corn bread, corn on the cobb and salad. We bowed our heads as Hoyt said a prayer. We then put what we wanted on our plate. I got a little of the stew, one corn cob, and a pice of corn bread. every one ate and no one really talked until Hoyt suddenly spoke up. "So, where ya from girl?" I looked up from my plate to him. "Hayden, Alabama sir."  He spit out some tobacco to the side "Whats that like?" I thought about it for a bit. " Well it's kinda like here only the roads are surrounded by woods and the closest store is a stuckees ( I'm serious I used to live there and its like nothing for miles) He didn't say anything and nether did anyone else. After dinner every one left somewhere and I helped Luda Mae clean up. As I was washing a dish I wondered something.. "Luda Mae....?" "Hmm?" she answered putting up leftovers. "Dose Thomas hate me or have I done something to make him mad?" She looked over at me. "I don't think so..what makes you ask that?" I put up the now clean plate. "Well when ever I talk to him he just stares at me then walks off. Like I bother him or something." Luda Mae laughed and shook her head. " No he don't hate you girl he's mute as far as we know,He talked some when he was younger but then he just stopped. Besides he's not used to people let alone girls talking to him like you do, in fact i'm surprised you haven't asked about the mask."  I cleaned another dish as I stared into the soap. "Well I noticed the mask but I just figured it was none of my business why he wore it and accept there was a reason it was there." Luda Mae's smile just seemed to grow. "There is a reason....you see Thomas isn't my blood son I found him in a dumpster one day, but  he has a skin disease that has devoured his nose and parts around his nose. He's a sweet boy but he's always been picked on so he's very shy." I put up the other clean dishes. "That's horrible.....people shouldn't treat him like that. I can tell hes lucky to have you as a mom." "Thank you dear now.." I didn't hear the rest because a hard object collided with my head and the darkness consumed mysubconscious.