"I feel bad for the people who never go crazy."
Trepidation (n): a feeling
of fear or
agitation
about
something
that may happen.
%
Athena Williams is a quiet and hardworking girl wit...
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THE OBSCENE CRUNCHING of gravel erupted the quietness between Jake and Athena as the duo rolled into a gas station a few miles outside of Minnesota. The cold created a chilling atmosphere for the two as the sky took on a grayish-blue. Jake shut the engine off, taking a large breath and exhaling which created a puff of white to enrapture the air inside the car. He sniffled, looking to Athena's thoughtful glare towards the windshield.
"You want anything?" He asks casually, Athena answering him with a simple shake of her head.
"Be right back."
Jake left with a slam of the door, the car shaking slightly with his departure. Athena looked forward at Jake as he entered the small store, her gaze torn from his entrance as a car pulls up beside her. She immediately stiffens, not moving her eyes to peer beside her as she hears the car door open.
"Stay put, Ethan. You want something?" A male voice asks over some pop tune before the door closes again. Athena finally peers over, the back seat clearly visible from the opened window. A small child, probably about the age of six, sat in a booster seat.
Athena lowered her body but kept her eyes locked on the small human. He was really cute. The small boy bopped his head a few times to the music before he looked over at the sneaky Athena. He gave a small smile, his little hand raising to give a shy wave towards Athena. The woman's eyes widened as she was obviously caught. Instead of ignoring the young boy, she gave a curt wave. She looked forward, seeing Jake walking towards the register with a few items before looking back towards the young boy named Ethan.
"Hi." He simply spoke, Athena, giving a small smile.
"Hello."
Ethan stared at Athena, admiring her features.
"My mom has spots on her face too," Ethan said cheerfully, poking the skin around his cheeks as he referred to Athena's freckles.
"That's nice...do you like them?" Athena questioned, not knowing how to make conversation with the young boy.
Ethan nodded, looking back out of the window as she looked out the front windshield to see that Jake was nowhere in sight. She began to worry, as he was just at the register. She decided to wait another five minutes, thinking that he might have gone to the restroom.
She noticed that Ethan was looking outside of his window towards the store, his neck sticking out more as he tried to peer into the windows of the establishment. Then, a gut feeling made Athena reach out and open her car door. The cold air completely invaded her once warm limbs as she began to walk forward. Her arms crossed and heart heavy, Athena almost made it towards the entrance when Jake made his appearance. He was walking around from the back of the place, a paper towel in his hands as he turned it around to dry his hands.
Athena sighed in relief, giving a quick laugh as she was overreacting. He just went to the bathroom! Her mind was put to ease for a moment before she saw it. The striking dark splatters across his jacket covered arms. Athena went pale at the sight, giving one last look at the two men inside the store to see if Ethan's guardian was inside. He wasn't.
