While You Where Sleeping

Chapter 3

Nancy calls later. "He's in a coma. We don't know for how long". I am relived and terrified. Relived that Rylan was still alive. Terrified that we didn't know for how much longer.

I can't bare to go up to our spot. Not now. So I take the four wheeler and just drive around the woods. Up hills, down hills, across the creek, past every hunting stand and blind we have. I drive all over to the point that I hear the pop pop pop that means she's out of gas. So I get my bearings and take in my surroundings. I'm about two miles from the house. The creek, some hills, and ridges lay between me and home. The sky is darkening. Great, rain is the last thing I need.

I want to break down and cry. But I can't so I just pull the key out of the ignition and lay back on the seat with my knees up and stare at the sky. Drops start to spatter my face. I just lay there. So long that I eventually notice I'm soaking wet. I shiver. It's getting cold out here too. 

I just lay here with eyes closed. Waiting for it all to go away for the rain to wash the pain in my heart away. The rain pours on. Then I here a motor coming my way, opposite the way I came. I turn my head just enough to see a figure coming through the rain.

He whoops at the top of his lungs as he splashes through a mud puddle. Next he's right up next to me. He spins a few donuts and sprays me with mud. 

"Hey!" I yell sitting up wipe the mud off my face. He turns around to look at me.

"Oh. I'm so sorry. I didn't see you." He says turning off his motor. "Are you okay?" He asks.

"Oh just wet, cold, stranded, and muddy. And you?" I ask sweetly. He hops off and walks over to me.

"Need a ride?" He asks. I hesitate, I'm still really mad but what choice do I have?

"Um... yeah actually." I say

"Hop on. Where shall the Eric Collins Express take you to?"

"Two miles that way" I point "past the next ridge over."

"Grab a seat they're going fast." He says, sliding up so I can sit behind him. "Excuse the mud, malady."

"I don't care about a little mud." I say " What are you doing out here anyway?" I ask

"Oh just taking advantage of the mud. Havin' a little fun." He says as I crawl up behind him. "Hang on Blondie"

" It's Sunny" I say 

"Hi Sunny" he says childishly "I'm Eric."

"Hi." I say

"This is gonna be rough hang onto me tight."

I awkwardly put my arms around his midsection and hold on securely.

🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆

We take the long, rough ride through the woods back to the house. Eric slides into the driveway. Mom and Dad come running out of the house. Mom bombards me with questions.

" Sunflower Gracie Hallark! Where were you? Are you okay? Are you hurt?" Finally comes the worst one of all. "Who is this?"

"This is Eric. He gave me a ride home."

"Eric what?" Dad asks, directed at him this time.

"Eric Collins from the next ridge over." He answers. 

"Well Eric," thank you from bringing Sunflower back home."

"Sunflower?" He asks, looking at me funny.

"Sunny" I answer