Her

Part Twelve:

The sirens increase to a scream, wailing on and on. Over the armrest of the car, I meet eyes with Maddox. I ended up in the drivers seat, and I look back down to the ditch. My body hesitates, in yet another trance, supplied by the sirens. My feet shifts on the pedals. I twitch. Sort of panicking. 

I slam on the gas pedal.

We quite literally zoom down the road. I have to get out before they catch us. I can't face authority right now. It could go wrong in so many ways. Maddox opens his mouth and starts to ask "Why?" when I see a cop car on the horizon of the road. I slow the car, my heart beating in my throat. 

"I can't." I say. That is all I can manage right now. The police car shoots past us, and I realize he probably wasn't looking at our license plate. I pick up the speed again, and we drive for awhile. And awhile. Plus three more 'awhile's. Maddy reaches out one of his strong, well.. masculine hands and with one swift motion he turns down the radio. I glance nervously in his direction, but he doesn't say anything for a few minutes. I am wound up so much inside, my body straight and taut, eyes mainly on the road (attempting  not to look at Maddy), and knuckles choke-holding the steering wheel.

Eventually I decide I shouldn't waste all this energy on that girl. I feel awful, but I have seen worse things at the 'Hospital'.

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"Ohmigosh turn the radio up!" I practically shout sometime later.

"Sorry... thought you didn't mind the quiet."

"No, listen!"

He turns the dial, and a fresh voice fills the car, swirling around me and causing me to laugh, despite the crazy moment that we just had. I feel rude laughing after that scene, but I cannot help it. It seems to come out of my mouth as if pulled by a string.

"Say yeah, let's be alone together. We can stay young forever. Scream it from the top of your  lungs, lungs, lungs..."

I sing along with ease.

"Maddy!!! I know this song!" I feel like I have been lifted off the earth, in a good way. Maddox has an amused gleam in his dimension eyes. He tilts his head a little bit, analyzing me, then smiles in a way that lifts me even more. All my worry about the past few hours fades away, rising in the sky like a balloon, farther and farther.

"I know this song." I whisper.

Filling with mischief and who-knows-what, I pull over on the side of the road behind a few trees as fast as I can, unbuckling and opening my door while screaming. "Get out right now Maddy! It is time for our first adventure!"

I turn the dial up all the way, the song blaring through our open doors. He jogs to catch up with me, but before he reaches, I am dancing around wild and carefree. I dance towards him, singing along still, and take his hands. Bubbles of laughter escape through my mouth, and I feel oh-so light and joyous. We dance until the song ends, the clouds and sky are the only things shifting around us and I wish they would stop so I could freeze this moment. Maddy's eyes are bright and happy for the first time, and he pulls me closer. Some song by the Foo Fighters comes on, and he looks at me and says in his chocolatey-rich voice:

"Wrong. Our first adventure had already begun."

I feel a blush creep up on my face, and I shyly look down at his arms draped around my waist. I want to say something really romantic and cute, but I guess I am not romantic or cute, and I need to be practical in this situation. I have only known him for a few days. I clear my throat.

"So, uhm, should we just crash here tonight? The sun is already setting, and I mean... we don't have anywhere to go.." I trail off, embarrassed. Maddy's grip around my waist loosens, his arms falling to his sides. 

"Yeah, sure."

I walk to the car, turning down a song about poise and rationality, and I take the key out and shut the doors.  We roll out the blankets and I try to ignore my growling stomach. 

                                                                                   ;     ;     ;

My body is hot and sweaty all over. Memories keep flashing by, painful to sweet, each one searing my body worse than the last. I feel Maddox next to me, sitting up and moving closer. I am on fire. No, I am fire. The spot on my torso and shoulder burns harshly yet again.

 It is like I am watching myself from an outside view. I see Maddy move closer, he shakes my shoulder gently at first then more urgently. I see my chest start to slow, almost to a halt, taking extremely shallow breaths. He is yelling my name, which I am still not entirely sure what is, and his face stoops to listen to my chest. I see him put his hands to his face, swearing and cursing Jesus. I watch him run his hands through his hair, he shakes me almost to the point of violence.

Suddenly I switch back to my body, and the last memory I take in is the picture of a "Welcome to" state sign. I shoot up into a sitting position, gasping for breath. Maddox nearly screams, but moves closer and pretty much tackles me in his arms.

He starts to say, "You scared the s--- outta me!" 

But I scream, "OHIO!"

This is where I am from. I am sure.