Her

Part Six:

Taking another deep breath, my lungs fill with sweet, hot, actual oxygen. My chest heaves, up and down. Up and down. I feel exhilarated, terrified, and woozy, all in one. I sit peacefully on the edge of a cliff like area, Maddox behind me at a beat-up picnic bench, stealing away only a few moments, precious moments, before we need to hit the road again and keep going.

I glance back at him. He sits quietly, his eyes closed and face pointed to the sky. His arms are limp at his sides, completely tranquil. Maddox looks like he hasn't seen the light of day for even longer than I have.

I feel bad for disturbing this moment, but I walk over to him.

"...Hi." I start. He twitches a little, and turns to face towards me, and I notice his eyes don't look as cloudy.

"Hello."

"We should.. go... y'know.. they are probably after us right now and if there is any chance at actually escaping now,  we have to take it." He shifts a little, then stands up. Wordlessly, he moves towards the car, feeling his way to the handle. I follow, starting the engine and pulling away from the side of this dusty and unused road. Glancing back into the rearview mirror, I watch the cliff-side area, tall brown grass blowing in the gentle breeze, weather beaten picnic table, and blue sky hanging over it grow smaller and smaller as I drive further away. It will forever hold a place in my soul, my First Freedom area.

"So, Maddox," I try to sound normal, like my heart isn't still thrumming, "Where are you from?"

After awhile he says, "Wyoming. Or... Montana. Around that area."

"Oh okay. I can't... Uh, I don't really remember where I am from. It was a small town. Average, I think. I wanna say Oregon, but I'm not sure that is right. It is probably gonna be somewhere crazy like Georgia." I say.

He makes a soft sound, almost like a hmm, but doesn't say anything.

"Do you remember your family or memories or anything from Before?" I question.

"Yeah," he starts a little slowly, unsure, "I had three little sisters, all blonde little angels. My parents separated when I was in late middle school, though, so things were sort of complicated. They were almost back together, and everything was okay, then... well, never mind. We, uh, used to hang out all the time and watch movies... and throw popcorn at each other, just laugh. It was... great. But then I was taken, I guess, freshman year... Everything about them is kinda hazy, but I still remember them. I uh-" his voice cracks a little, and I glance over quickly to see tears in his eyes.

"I call it Before. I have separated my life into a timeline. Everything that happened, as in my regular life whenever that was, is called Before. Then I was Taken. These past few months or years or however long it has been, is called Non-life. I don't know if it makes any sense to you, but this is how I have been trying to keep what sanity I have left. I organize stuff in my head to make sure I am still working. From now on, life will be classified as Free. Ish." I rush.

"Yeah... it does make sense."

"I do not remember much about my family, but one day, recently I think, they put me to sleep for an examination, and during that time of nothingness, a few memories from Before came back to me. I," I'm unsure about telling him this part, but what the heck I am probably gonna die anyways, "I remember right before I was Taken. This beautiful Girl that must've meant something in my mind at that time, led me deep into the woods. I remember the panic on her face, she had opened her mouth and was about to say something and then... um.. I was gone. I remember her screaming towards me, my name I suppose." Hot tears spring to my eyes, as well. "Why can't I just remember?!?"  I think.

"You don't remember your name?" he asks.

"No. But I have made it basically my life mission right now to find my way back to The Girl, find out what she was going to say to me. Who I am."

"That makes sense. I'd do that, too. Well, I'll stick with you. You basically saved my life. Not that there is that much left of it. I had heard the doctors, well, Torturers, saying they were gonna finish me. So uhm... thank you." he sputters.

"It wasn't a big deal. I needed to get out and you technically helped me do it."

The sky has been growing increasingly darker, and I turn the car lights off to avoid detection.

"Do you think we should pull over or find somewhere to rest for the night?" Maddox questions.

"Uh... yeah, that is probably a good idea." My grip on the steering wheel is so tight, I'm surprised my fingers haven't snapped off.

"I'm gonna call you Rean. That makes it simpler than just saying You. Just call me Maddox, Mad, Max or whatever." He states after we had pulled over to a wooded, grassy area. There are towels in the back of the car fortunately, so we roll them out.

R.... that sounds familiar. Who do I know with an R name?

"Yeah. Okay, sure." I answer, my mind busy.

I laid down for what I thought would be a peaceful sleep, falling into the drowsiness easily.