March on Paradigm

Car Radio | Chapter 10

True to their word, the entire car had stayed quiet for quite a while, simply enjoying the music that was playing through the car.

The silence was broken as the group stopped to get more gas, as the tank was almost completely empty.

"I can go in and pay." El said as soon as they stopped. He proceeded to undo his seatbelt and slide out of the car.

"Wait! I'm going to come in with you." Sophie told him, quickly going out and joining him.

Addie let out a mumbled 'okay' and 'get enough to fill the tank' as she rubbed her face and got out to pump the gas once it was paid for.

"Nuh uh."

This caused Addie to look back at the direction it came from.

Lilia.

"You are exhausted." She said as she got out of the car and walked to the driver's side. "I'm going to pump the gas, and then I'm going to drive for the next few hours. Capisce?"

A nod was earned from the younger female before she walked to the passenger side and slid in.

"Now that's better."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Confusion was evident on the faces of both Sophie and El as they saw Addie sound asleep on the passenger side, and Lilia finished up pumping the gas.

"Addie was exhausted." Lilia said as she looked up from putting the pump back. "So El, you're in the back. Let Ate lean against you. She fell asleep, too."

She earned a nod before the two and herself climbed back into the car.

Lilia let out a small breath before cleaning her hands off with hand sanitizer, and driving off.

Not long into the drive, it had been silently decided to keep the music off to help whoever wanted to sleep, sleep.

Sophie had fallen asleep as well, her head against the door window. Now, the only people awake were Lilia and El. 

"So." Lilia said. "You're going to stay up with me?"

That earned her a soft chuckle.

"Yeah I guess so." El replied. "I'm not tired and I'm overthinking."

"What is there to overthink about? Besides the start of the apocalypse of course."

Lilia received a one word answer.

"Addie."

"And what about her? The kid's fine, isn't she?"

Again, another one word answer.

"No."

This stunned Lilia.

"What do you mean no? She's been acting fine the entire time."

"The entire time you all are around. She isn't when it's just her and I. You know how she is. She has some walls that only I have a tool to break down."

"So? What's worrying her?"

"The apocalypse."

"That's all of us.

"Failure."

"Read above."

"We'll leave her. We'll die."

"Bingo. And that's what I was looking for."