The Power Within

Chapter Eleven

The feeling of my head being slammed against the window is what woke me up. The throbbing in my head made sure I knew it wasn't a dream and I did slam my head into the window of the SUV.

"Sorry, didn't see the hole," Malcolm says as he is driving down a dark road.

"Thanks, where are we?" I ask either one of them. I feel asleep about two hours after leaving Bloodstone territory. I love sleeping in the car; it has peacefulness to it in a way. The vibrations of the engine and road help rock me into a deep slumber.

"We are in Wisconsin now. You have been sleeping for six hours. Did you not sleep last night Hailey?" Thomas asks me as he turns around in his seat to look at me.

"Yes I did. It was very long but I did get a few hours in. I guess I was really tired, but I can drive now if you guys are too tired," I say to both of them.

Thomas and Malcolm look at each other like I just told them the biggest secret of my life. They both start laughing and shaking their heads.

"What?" I ask being a little annoyed at how they are acting right now.

"You are NOT driving Hailey. We seen you drive before and we want to live out our lives not die in this SUV tonight," Thomas says to me while smirking at me. I remember that day, it was my first driving lesson and Pat was teaching me.

"OK Hailey, when you take the car out of park you have to have your foot on the brake," Pat tells me while pointing to the brake pedal on the left.

"OK, got it. Then what?" I ask him.

"Once the car is in drive you will take your foot off the brake and put it on the gas pedal, slowly," he tells me.

I do as he has told me. Put my foot on the brake first then shift the car from park to drive. I take my foot off the brake and put it on the gas. As I do that the car speeds forward and I do the only thing I know how to do and slam my foot on the brake. We both fling forward, I hit my head on the steering wheel and Pat hits his head on the dash.

"SLOWLY. I said slowly Hailey. That means you slowly place your foot on the gas pedal not slam it," Pat says to me as he is rubbing his forehead.

"Sorry. I can try it again," I say.

"No that is enough for today. Put the vehicle in park and turn it off. We will try this again another day," Pat says as he is unbuckling his seatbelt. I nod and do as he says.

"Ha Ha. Very funny Thomas. It was my first and only time driving. I didn't know what I was doing. Give me a break," I tell him.

"And you want us to let you drive after you admit it was your ONLY time driving? Nope, sorry lady not happening today," Malcolm says with a smirk on his face.

"Fine. When are we stopping for food and bathroom break? I'm hungry and need to pee," I say no caring who answers me at this point.

"We can stop at the next gas station we see," Malcolm says. "We need gas anyways so we will fill up and get food while you go to the restroom."

"Sounds good to me," I tell him.

About 30 minutes later we see a rundown gas station. No one is there except the owner it looks like. We stopped and looked around from inside the SUV before getting out.

"Be careful Hailey. Listen to everything going on," Malcolm says to me then turns to Thomas. "Go with her inside. I will pump the gas but I want someone close to her."