The Time

Chapter twelve

When I woke up, my head felt heavy and soft beams of moonlight stroked my pale face.
Rapped around me was an old quilt which smelt of warmth and insesnse, just like the pillow scrunched beneath my head. Destiny and Lion were nowhere to be seen. Lifting my head to look out of the window though, I felt my nerves settle.
Before me was a one floored, brick fronted motel of a hotel. The star light hit the giant net curtained windows and matched the brightness of the clean white doors, one of which, Destiny was behind. I could see a yellow light in the 3rd room along and it bathed the floor bellow it.

Sitting up carefully, I yawned and walked over to the room, stopping inches from the door. Inside there were voices which made my heart pound and a feeling of pressure build up within me.
Running out of a ammo was a problem I didn't want to face so I took out the knives strapped to my legs, one strapped to my thigh, the other to my calf. These might not be enough, but if someone had hurt Destiny, they were all I needed. If they'd hurt him, they could have God Killer missiles and it still wouldn't be enough to stop me.
Oh God, if they've killed him...

Bursting through the door, a terrified shriek informed me that Destiny was fine, just watching TV with Lion - or at least he was until I'd crashed into the room.
"Jesus..." He panted upon realising it was just me. "My heart! You scared the crap our of me."
"Sorry," I started timidly. "I thought you were being viciously murdered by Exodus or something - not watching Supernatural re-runs on a shitty TV."
"I was actually just going to watch the end of this episode and sleep." He admitted, bundled in bed covers, Lion's head resting on his leg.
The room had sickly yellow wallpaper with a disturbing flowery pus pattern scrawled across it. The floor had a thick brown dirty carpet and the only furniture was golden syrup glossy draws and a bedside table. Also, everything smelt of cigarettes.
"That's not a bad idea. I'll just use your ensuite quickly and take first watch." I half smiled before ducking past the TV and into the bathroom.

When we moved on the next day, there had been no nighttime interruptions of any kind - though I had dozed off in the bath.
The sun gave the scene outside look vintage and golden with the dewy grass, dirt track roads and aging sunset buildings. But then again, the car probably help with that considering how old it was.
Pulling out a couple of sausage and ketchup sandwiches from the boot along with some orange juice cartons, we tucked into what I guess would be considered breakfast. Once that was finished though, it was back to the adventure and I knew we'd definitely get where we were heading today considering it was only meant to take about 2 hours to get to London from Brighton via car and we were wwll out of the city already.
We'd just have to see...

"Ugh! I need coffee!" I moaned, travelling down a bumpy black motorway and away from the unoccupied Travel Lodge which had been owner-less for years.
"Why don't we get some then?" Destiny frowned from the passenger seat.
"Because that means stopping and we've only just left!" I protested lazily but after six songs worth of driving, I pulled up at a service station and climbed out with an anticipated Lion at my heals.
"Do you want anything?" I asked Des as he jogged to catch up to my purposeful strides.
"To pee." He nodded. "And food. A lot of food."
"Well you go sort out that and I'll grab the coffee. You want any?"
"I can't; caffeine messes with my heart." He told me with a hint of tired regret.
"At least you have a heart." I muttered silently before pushing open the sliding doors glass doors and stepping into the cold building.
Despite the thick layer of dust on everything, the place looked pretty futuristic with gleaming white floors and shiny white walls and clean white ceilings and simple white chairs and small white tables and bright white lights.
Finding the little Starbucks, I prepared myself for the best 'white girl' experience of my life. After tampering with the coffee machines however, I realised I had literally no idea how to use any of them so gave up and made my drink using a metallic kettle from the one of the appliance shops tucked away in a far corner beside the McDonald's. Next, all I had to do was dump a whole bunch of semi-skimmed milk and a good 50 white sugars into my steamy cup and I was off.

Destiny was sat with a variety of pot noodles of a variety of flavours surrounding him like a weird satanic circle - not that I can complain with Satanism. (One of their rules is that you shouldn't rape).

"You alright there?" I questioned with a smirk.
"No, I'm half left." He garbled with his mouth full, noodles trailing out the sides.
"I hate you." I smiled lovingly before picking up as many of the pots I could carry and dragged my friend back to the car, Lion following us, chewing on some food I found her.
Except the car wasn't there. Someone had jacked it while we were gone. I shouldn't be surprised, but...
"Fuck!"
"What are we going to do?" Des asked with mild despair.
"Walk." I sighed. "It's all we can do. Let's find a duffel bag or a rucksack or something from one of the shops, grab as much food and water as we can and stuff everything in there. And alcohol."
Pulling on a brave face, I turned back the way we'd come and prepared for another long long walk.

"I spy with my little eye, something beginning with... M." I stated with a pause, two hours or so later.
"More road." Des sighed.
"How did you guess?" I questioned in mock surprise, sarcasm hanging from my every word.
"Because you've said the same things for the last four goes." He whined. "Can we do something else to waste our time?"
"Is getting sunburnt not good enough for you now?" I smiled.
"Shut up." He muttered, hiding his reddening face. "I was thinking more the 'What do you miss?' game."
"You're old enough to remember the world, pre-crazy?" I frowned, marginally shocked.
"I'm a teen, not a tween." Des grinned. "Okay so... New episodes or shows. Re-runs are great an' all but I love watching new stuff."
"New music for me." I nodded in agreement. "And wifi."
"You can still get wifi in some places though-"
"Not enough places." I shook my head. "I also miss people. That's not something I ever thought I'd say but... I kind of get a bit lonely I guess. I mean, obviously I've got Lion, but I just miss having someone- anyone to talk to."
"Ace," Destiny started, his big sad blue eyes looking deeply into mine like they could read my very soul. "You're not alone. You don't have to be. Because it's not just Lion you've got. You've got me too. If you'll have me?"
Is he kidding? Of course I'd have him! Does he really think that there's anyone I'd rather have by my side? Anyone that I'd rather ride into the sunset like a badass with? No. This kid had grown on me in the short time I'd known him and I could never let him go.
"Excuse the chick-flick moment, but Des, there's nothing in the world I would trade for you." I said truthfully.
And then bang. He was shot in the back of the head by Exodus Thorn and fell to the dirt with a bloody crash.