Her

Part Eleven:

A speed bump wakes me up, and I am flying forward at high speeds. I flutter open my eyelids to realize that I am riding in the passenger seat and Maddy is driving.

With one hand in one of mine. 

I didn't even know he could drive. I shift a little, with my eyes closed, and I feel his hand retreat out of mine to the steering wheel. I sit up, opening my eyes as though I've just awakened. 

"Hi." I croak, my voice smothered with sleep.

He clears his throat, "Morning, Aurora."

I glance at the clock, forgetting to appreciate his princess joke. 12:03.

"I was asleep for awhile. I didn't even know you could drive. Where are we? Have you eaten? How is gas? How long have you been driving? " I gush in one breath.

"Close to the border of Kentucky. No. We have about one hundred miles left. Since six or so. I didn't wanna wake you so I put you in the car and drove." His cheeks flush.

"Oh... thank you," I picture him awkwardly carrying my body to the car, and my face burns, "You need to eat. I'll drive. How come you had me drive away from the gas station yesterday, if you can drive?"

"Survival hack, I think. I needed you present and to get rid of the fog in your mind." When he refuses to stop driving, I pull some of the last protein bars from the backseat, handing him one. Peeling the wrapper off, my eyes trail out the window, down into a ditch on the side of the road, mostly hidden. 

"STOP THE CAR!" I screech. Maddox screams a swear, jumping and slamming on the brake as he swerves off the road towards the ditch. We stop just in time, before almost going into the ditch ourselves. My knuckles turn white against the armrest and I gasp for breath.

"WHAT THE BLOODY HECK WAS THAT!" Maddox screams at me. Before I can answer, I am unbuckled and running towards the lower ground to get a better view. Maddy runs after me, leaving the car door open like I did. I get to the bottom, and peer down into the ditch. My whole body paralyzes in place, fearful. My eyes widen, and I feel my mouth fall slightly agape.

Maddox catches up to me and hesitates. He is still on the hill, which blocks his view of the scene before me. I stare at the blurry white object in front of me, and force myself to focus. Paper white legs connect barely to a mangled body, facedown in a small puddle of crimson. I gag, and try to turn away. Maddox moves forward a bit.

"Rean... you okay?" He peers unsurely at me, but takes a step forward.

The scream that was caught in my throat finally bubbles to the surface and pierces the air around me. I stumble back and fall into Maddy, pointing at the gruesome scene before us. He runs a hand through his blonde hair, and manages a, "Oh my god."

I don't know whether to flee or not, but I make the bad move of going towards the body. Long tendrils of blue-ish dyed hair float in the water and blood mixture. 

"We should leave." Maddy says somewhat defeated, mirroring my thoughts. Closer and closer I venture towards the corpse, and I am about to turn back when I see the chest drawing ragged breath.

"Maddy," I choke and whisper at the same time, "She's still breathing." I would turn back now, and leave, and just try to forget, but I can't live with that. I know what it is like to be hurt and left to no ones care. I crouch by the girl, and see her eyes open, very slowly she blinks as silent tears pour out of her eyes. I am frozen, but I have to help. I look around, and find a jacket a few feet away. In the pocket is a phone. I press the home button, revealing the time and a Pink Floyd wallpaper. "Thank god it works!"  I think, as I press the emergency dial button. I glance at Maddox. I don't have to worry about fingerprints, because the Torturers burned them off in one of my tests.

"Uh... what was the number?" I say. It has been so long since I have heard it.

"Do you think it is okay to call it? Won't they find us?" he replies.

"It's her life."

"911."

I dial it and croak into the phone, "H-hel..lo? Some..... help.. please.."

And I hang up. I hear Maddox saying something but I am not paying attention.

I drop the phone in the water, and hope my voice sounded like I was in pain. I feel awful for leaving her, but this way Maddox gets what he wants, and we are safe. We get back into the car and he pulls back onto the road and stops. 

"What if you talk to them, and they find your home? Or mine? Where you are from? We can keep driving now and not look back or we can stop and fess up and hope for the best."

I turn my head up towards his, and meet his endless ocean eyes. I realize that I am on the verge of tears. 

"Maddy..." I begin, but can't finish. He leans over and wraps his arms around me. My ears, used to looking for every sound back from the Torturers, pick up on sirens far away. 

Nearer and nearer they approach, and we can flee or stay. My mind is torn.