The Rain (Book 1 - The Unprotected)

Chapter 21 - Prouvant leur mauvais et tachés de sang mains

The rain had stopped an hour ago and as soon as it did they were packing their stuff and hitting the road. Courtney had picked up the keys from the puddle with a gloved hand and was driving the Range Rover with Nate beside her and Jane and Bethany in the back.

Jane was talking with Bethany about her life before. School, friends and family. However, the little girl never mentioned anything about them being dead and she never said they were actually alive. Courtney drowned their voices out, fixing her eyes on the road and the damaged signs as they passed by. The road they were on had very few cars and bones. The blood had washed away so it was unknown if anyone had died in the recent rain.

They passed a row of shops which were burnt to the ground. Black seeped up the sides of the individual buildings and all the windows were broken. As they passed, Courtney peered through Nate's window to see the inside of the stores were ash and rubble.

The signs were unreadable, ruined by the past fire. What caught her attention was the red paint that had been washed in the rain. It was one letter painted against the charred wall. The water had caused it to run down the sides, now illegible. Courtney didn't let it bother her much, figured it was some stupid kid thinking the world was all theirs.

"So where to?" She asked, glancing at Nate who studied the map with an intense stare. Jane looked up and watched, listening to their conversation. A small, very hated part of her didn't trust Courtney. Believed that when they were all sleeping she'd turn the car in the opposite direction and head West like she wanted. She hated that small part of herself. Cursing her mind for even thinking Courtney would do such a thing.

"Eh...yeah, about that." Nate said, his voice hitting a high decibel. His mouth twisted and he looked over to Courtney. "I can't actually read maps that well. But!" He shouted in defence when he saw her eyes widened. "I can read them, just not really well." He said whispered, looking back to the paper below.

"What!?" Courtney demanded, pulling her eyes from the road and sending Nate a wide-eyed, angry look. "I'm sorry, you can't read a map 'that well'?!" She yelled. He flinched and turned his head to the side.

"Not exactly." He mumbled out, slightly ashamed. He thought it would be simply, follow the line but much to his belief, it was slightly more complicated.

"Yes or no. Can. You read. A map?" Courtney slowed down her words, emphasising every single one. Her eyes switched between Nate and the lonely road.

Jane was staring at Nate with big eyes, her mouth open. Nate could feel her stare burning into his back. He looked to the corner and debated his answer. "No." He stated with a sigh. Courtney sighed and shook her head.

"You serious?" She scoffed when he didn't reply and just stared at his lap. "And you didn't think to tell me this before you took the map?" She asked angrily, eyes burning into his temple as she snatched the map from his lap. Courtney reminded Bethany of a teacher scolding a pupil for forgetting their homework.

"Sorry..." He whispered out, Courtney ignored him and shook her head.

"It's okay," Jane piped in, comforting him. She knew how bad Courtney could make you feel when you screwed up.

"It's okay!?" Courtney yelled out, snapping her head back to meet Jane's eyes for a split second. "No, it sure as hell isn't okay! Wasting our time." She muttered under her breath. "We could be going the completely wrong way!" She shouted again, her voice booming in the confined space of the car.

Jane lowered her head at Courtney's words, knowing that she was right. Nate screwed up, but people make mistakes. She didn't say that though, it would only make Courtney more mad.