Shadows Peak |✔

Chapter 15: Casey

Casey noticed the shift in Sydney right away. He was very perceptive, and her fake laugh wasn't fooling him. She was nervous, but, as hard as he tried, he couldn't figure out why.

What is she hiding?

"What do you need a doc for anyway, lil' lady?" Gordon asked, keeping his eyes on the road.

"I just need a check up," Sydney said, avoiding eye contact.

Why is she lying?

"A check up?!" Gordon questioned. "You ain't contagious or anything, are you?"

Casey could have sworn he saw a small smile grow on her lips, but it was quickly gone.

"No, sir. It's nothing like that," she answered, looking down at her lap.

"Well then, why do you need to-"

"There's a doc in my home village. I can take you to her," Casey said, putting an end to Gordon's interrogation.

Sydney turned her face toward him, her eybrows furrowed. Casey figured she would be hesitant, but he was curious about her story. Taking her to his home would give him time to figure her out, he hoped.

"You want to take her to LeHorn? But there's a doc in-"

"She'll go to the doc there," Casey asserted, and Gordon dropped it.

Casey was aware that there was a doctor in Bartesville, which was closer than LeHorn, but he couldn't bring himself to let Sydney go until he understood her.

The last couple of years were routine, boring, and practically the same for Casey. He would get up, hunt, and come home. Even though he was happy, because he had his family and friends, he got tired of the monotonous pattern that was his life.

He broke the cycle yesterday, when he traveled to Yorke, and now he felt like meeting this paranoid blonde wasn't an accident. Maybe whatever happened to her is the same thing that happened to the girls that were taken from his village three years ago. Maybe she could lead him to them. And if she could, he would be one step closer to avenging his father.

"Are you okay?"

Casey was brought out of his daydream by that same soft, but pained voice. Sydney was looking at him, her face perplexed. He realized he had zoned out while staring at her. Thankfully, it doesn't look like I creeped her out.

"I'm fine. Just...lost in thought," he said, clearing his throat.

"Mmhmm, sure you were, boy," Gordon teased.

Okay, maybe I shouldn't have let him assume things happened between us last night.

It was clear to Casey that Sydney was picking up on Gordon's innuendos.

"Why are you doing that?" she asked, crossing her arms across her chest.

The sudden change in her voice made Casey uneasy. The softness was gone; a stronger, firm voice replacing it.

"Oh, don't you worry your pretty head about it," Gordon said with a smirk.

"What? Who are you, and why do you keep acting like you know something about me!?" she asked, sounding very annoyed.