The fear in me

Nay

Shortly before midnight we stop at a small motel beside the autobahn. I'm dead tired even though I haven't yet done any of the driving. My mood has improved somewhat because Tim and I had a conversation that opened my eyes. Actually it was Sam who got us talking. And I told Tim for the first time how offended I was that he can't keep a secret to himself. And Tim admitted he intentionally wanted to hurt me because he felt he was so misunderstood and therefore he knew exactly what he was doing. In between times Sam threw in something about teenagers' brains and synapses and other stuff. And he also said I'm unlike the other teenagers. I'm housing an old soul, that he had always noticed. Okay! To cut it all short: I was reconciled with Tim, not that he even knew at all that I'd quarrelled with him. But I'm glad I'm at peace with him.

Just now he's fetching ice cream from the petrol station opposite. I believe him that he won't betray anything about Jason and me because I think he has grasped what it would mean if somebody got wind of it. And I also believe him when he says he loves me and never really wanted to hurt me in a malicious way. He's a normal teenager – and I? I don't know what I really am ... But Sam is probably right about the ancient soul. Perhaps that's why I strive so much for harmony. Old souls must have seen so much that they'd essentially have only peace on their minds, wouldn't they?

On TV there's only rubbish, and while I'm flicking at random and bored through the channels, there's an energetic knocking on the door. I open up and see Tim looking about frantically and somehow looks hounded.

"We have to get away from here," he whispers and looks fearfully through the window of the hotel room.

"What's bitten you? Is this one of your jokes? To give Nay the creeps? Eh?" I laugh, but his face doesn't look as though he's joking. I've known Tim so long that I definitely know that a poker face is not his strong point.

"So tell me what's up," I ask, unsure of myself now.

"He's one of the bad guys ... he's led us into a trap ... he can disappear by magic ... beaming, no idea, but he wants to take you to them."

"Huh?" I can make absolutely no sense of that.

"Sam!" Tim whimpers. "He's a traitor. I heard him on the phone saying he's on the way with you and that it was a surprise, but everything's going to plan and he'd soon arrive with us ... and then he said ...Now? ... and then ... Okay! Then he simply evaporated ... like the enchanted genie ... you know, the ghost in the bottle ..." he whispers hysterically.

"He's disappeared?" I ask incredulously and wonder if perhaps Tim has drunk the hotel bar dry. I sniff him and see his horrified face. He doesn't smell of alcohol ...

"I'm not talking shit, it really happened ... and we should drive off before he comes back ... come on, let's go ..." he pressures me.

He grabs my bag and his and is already on the way to the door, then he opens it slowly and peeks out carefully, then he calls: "The coast is clear!"

I don't know what to think of the situation, but I think I can puzzle over it when we've got further away. I believe Tim and can see he's not talking rubbish, but still it's remarkable. I sigh and follow him. I see him pull the key to Sam's car from his pocket. "Have you pinched his key?" I ask aghast.

"How do you think we'll get away from here ... by bus? Come on ..." he hustles.

And then we flee in Sam's car. I still haven't a clue what we're fleeing from exactly, but since Tim is usually not so easily frightened I trust his instinct. About a thousand times he looks in the rear vision mirror, but it seems he's satisfied because he breathes out relieved. "Well now, tell me all about it again ..." I demand.