The Devil's Trail

06. The Escape

"And you'll use the drone? On this lockdown?" I ask Billy as we head back to the RV, each holding two bags full of food and some no so much essentials.

"Absolutely, the footage is used in each episode, I do the drone flying, as Zak keeps breaking them, Aaron usually spots for me, it's the height. But I can teach you? If you'd like? To fly it, I mean."

"You will?" I question in disbelief and excitement.

"Sure. You're part of the team right?"

I nod and flash him a grin.

He chuckles "Well there we go, one drone pilot schooling coming up. I'll take you through the software when we get onto the RV."

"Awesome." I smile. But as my eyes go to the bags in my hand, a bitter taste washes through my mouth.

I felt cruel...

So cruel in fact that I had to ask Bacon for some advice.

Chewing my lip, I steeled myself for how Zak would react when I got into the RV.

"Try not to worry about it." Bacon spoke with a cigarette between his lips.

"Are you kidding me? I made him fall out the RV, filmed it... And laughed in his face. He's going to crucify me." I reply.

Yes I was now treading thin ice.

"He's going to be mad. There's no denying that." He answers.

And for that reason, I gulp.

I trail behind Bacon and Billy as they both go before me into the RV. Their voices stopping instantly, most likely from seeing Zak's angry face.

He was really angry when I left him..

Climbing up the three steps, I go to speak when I'm met with a scene of destruction. I put the shopping bags down instantly and rush over to the couch, where my book lay cruelly bent open, whilst exposed spine displayed that a large section had been torn from the book and from the mess in the RV. The large section had been torn into tiny pieces and scattered like snowflakes.

My eyes burned as my chest began to heave.

"Delil–"

I barrelled towards the bedroom to find Zak led on the bed, with a makeshift fan from a page of my book. Fanning himself.

"Can I help?" He asks blasé.

"You've overstepped it now!" I shout at him as he smiles. "You torn my book to pieces!"

"Actually, I took a sections–"

My face screws up in anger "Is there something wrong with you?! Are you mentally deficient?! You started this the moment I got onto the RV! We were quits but now?! Now you've just opened up a whole new game!"

He laughs "Sure. Do you need a fan? You look red faced. Here, I have one spare."

He then pulls another one up into view.

I storm out the bedroom and grab the bag off the floor before stalking back into the room.

"Delilah...." Billy speaks but it's too late. The bag leaves my hand and hits Zak in the stomach, hard.

He grunts in pain.

"Did it hurt?! Good! You're a complete asshole! And to think I went into that store and bought things for you because I felt bad! I felt evil! But now I know I misjudged my actions because yours are evil! I-..." I stopped as tears brewed in my eyes. "If you think this is going to make me quit, then you've seriously underestimated me."

"If I have, then why do you look so annoyed? It's just a book."

"To you. Maybe!"

"What's that suppose to mean? I- are you crying?"

Hearing his mocking tone, I wipe my face "I'm mad. I cry when I'm mad."

"Delilah I-"

"Don't! Just don't say another word!! I get it, you don't like me. You've made that pretty clear! But do you not have any respect for other peoples possessions?!"

"You started with my shoes!"

"They are still wearable! I messed up the laces! You've torn my book apart! You're an idiot!" I shout at him before storming back out into the RV to find Billy and Bacon both collecting the mess Zak had left.

"We could stop by the bookstore?" Billy suggests.

But I shake my head "What's the point?"

I didn't want to admit it, but Zak had won the first round...

[6]

Zak had seen some outbursts in his time, but never to this calibre over a book. He didn't understand why she got so angry, why her eyes watered and how she shook.

What did she mean, that to me it's just a book? It is, just a book. Perhaps someone bought it for her?

His lips parted at the idea as he looked towards the door, expecting her to come in screaming and shouting at him. But the door stayed closed, leaving him secluded from everyone else.

Sighing, he looked down at the bag on the bed and pulled it over to his side to inspect its contents.

He was surprised to find she had bought him supplies, from his favourite twizzlers, bottled water, crackers, some fruit snacks and even an ice pack which he had to break, for his knee.

He let go of the bag and closed his eyes for some temporary relief of guilt, but it still hammered his soul.

He owed her an apology.

They had been on the road for 20 minutes before he plucked up the courage to leave the bedroom and apologise.

Pressing the button, the door slid back and he stepped into the living area of the RV, where Bacon & Billy were both occupying the leather seats whilst their driver took the wheel. Zak's eyes moved around the RV and he almost asked where Delilah was when he found her curled up on the couch, her body was covered with a blanket... Zak's blanket that he bought from home.

"Don't." Billy spoken making Zak look over to him. "Don't take the blanket, she's only just fell asleep."

"I wasn't going to." Zak answers turning his attention back to the woman. Her hand curled around the remains of the book.

The book meant something to her... Was it the book? Or the reading?

Curiously, he slid the book from under her hand and opened the cover.

Books were my passion and my escape from madness - Dorothea Benton Frank.

Enjoy this one... M x

A sinking feeling landed in Zak's gut... He didn't just take away her book, he'd taken away her safety net from whatever she needed it for.

That's why she was angry.