Living Or Dying

Chapter Twenty

  "Wait... mom... how did you know Sherry wants to give us her child?" Byern shook the strange thought out of her head. "I didn't know she told you! Besides, we only met her a few days ago, it makes no sense."

Trisha sighed gently. "Byern... you're such a smart boy when it comes to anything but yourself. You helped her when she felt alone." She sat down on his bed and called Byern to her side. "Honey, you mean so much to her, that's why it hurt her so much when you texted that."

"Aw man..." Byern hung his head in his hands. Trisha could see his back heave. Trisha sighed and rubbed her son's back. They sat like that for a while. Byern liked the soothing touch of his mother, even if she didn't offer any soothing words. He just felt even more stupid. His mother was right. He should have been able to tell how she felt just by knowing she would trust them with her kid.

"So, Byern." Trisha finally said. "What do you plan on doing?"

Sighing, he lifted his head. "Where'd she go anyway?"

"Her mother said they were going to the mall."

Byern nodded. "Then I'll go find her."

Trisha grinned as Byern stood up. He grabbed a sweater and a cap. Turning, he put his foot on his bed so he could tie on his shoes. Trisha gently stood and left the room. It looked like she didn't need to worry about her son's gloominess for much longer. As soon as Byern was ready to go, he turned down the hall to his sister's room. He could hear her music blasting and shuddered. Why his sister liked such heavy music he couldn't understand. He rapped on the door heavily, hoping it would be heard over the loud tunes.

"What?" She stared down at him as she opened the door.

"I need a ride to the mall."

Ebony rolled her eyes and left her room. She waved for him to follow. The siblings went down the stairs and Ebony grabbed the car keys from the kitchen table. "Mom, Dad, Byern and I are going out to the mall."

Marcus looked up from the food he was making. "Oh! Okay, have fun, let us know when you're coming home."

Trisha grabbed the food from her husband and put it on a tray. As her children walked out of the kitchen and into the cafe area, they held the door open for her. She nodded thanks and wished them luck. Ebony shrugged and simply walked out of the dining room. Byern followed at a small distance, amazed at how little it took to convince his sister to have her drive him to the mall.

Byern slid himself into the passenger's seat. His sister was already in the car and started to drive. As she sped down the road, Byern was busied with his thoughts. Sherry was at the mall with her mother. Nothing could happen to her. I mean... it's not like she'll just randomly walk off with a stranger. She's not that dumb.

Sherry gripped the sides of the car seat. Her crutches were in the back, and Beowulf sat beside her with the wheel. Everything he did was fast; his stops, his starts and his turns. Sherry could feel the pit in her stomach, and the bile that was desperately trying to rise up. Swallowing forcefully, she tried to talk.

"Wolf! Are you — oof — always driving like — oof —this?!"

"Yeah. Almost didn't pass the driver's test. But I managed to convince the testing instructor." He said as he slammed on the brakes.

Sherry launched forward in her seat, thanking her lucky stars that she had taught herself the importance of seat belts. In her mind Sherry wondered what could ever convince someone to let this type of driver on the road.

"So, where are we going?" Sherry asked during the brief calm.

"Simple." He shouted over the roar of the engine as he started again. "We're going to the movies."

"But I don't have any money." She protested.

Beowulf laughed. "It's okay, I can pay. I get a discount where we're going."

Sherry looked up at Beowulf with confusion. He saw her through the corner of his eye and chuckled. Her wide eyes were a bottomless pit of fear, and her jaw was tense in an effort not to bite her tongue. As the light changed, Beowulf slammed on the brakes and Sherry lurched forward.

"Jeez — be careful Wolf!" Sherry cried. "I'm already broken enough!"

"Hey, it's not easy driving so carefully with someone else in the car. Normally I would've run the red light." Beowulf shrugged off Sherry's glare. "Be happy about it, you're getting a free movie out of it."

Sherry shook her head gently enough that Beowulf didn't see. I'm not sure if a movie ticket is worth the price of my... no, two lives. Sherry felt her phone go off — she had switched it to vibrate after it went off the first time. She pulled it out, and sighed when she saw who sent the text. It was Byern.

~ Where did you go??? ~

She thought for a moment, and eventually texted back.

~ to a movie ~

Byern frowned at his phone. A movie? How? He looked to his side where Sherry's mother stood watching over his shoulder.

"Where did ma cherie go?" She asked, her accent thick as ever.

"Well," Byern paused. How to say this? "She went to a movie."

Pierrette sighed. Her face fell into her hand. "Of course, ma cherie would be that silly. To wander off with a complete stranger."

Byern sighed too. "Well. Yeah."