42nd Country Road

Don't Say That

"I can't protect you, I-I need to understand that," He said

"Mark," I said wiping a tear from his cheek, "Don't say that,"

"It's true, Ev, I have done nothing," He said

"You saved me from so many things, I wouldn't be here without you," I said, tears started to creep up in my voice.

"I don't deserve you," He said

"Don't say that. Don't even think that for one second," I said, tears rolling down my cheeks now, "You are more than deserving of me, you are mine and no one else's. I couldn't live without you Mark. So, don't you say that,"

Mark looked at me and smiled weakly. I smiled in return. He pulled me into a quick kiss then a hug.

"I love you, you mean more than the world to me," He said

"I love you too," I replied. We both drifted into sleep once again.

Once again I woke up to gunfire. Seemed to be normal around here. I curled up against Mark. He wrapped his arm around me. The dark started to creep in. I squeezed my eyes shut to hold it back but it kept pushing. I crawled to the edge of the bed and tried to get off the bed. I put my bad leg down and fell to the floor. The dark was in my head and alive.

"Ev!" Mark called from the bed. I laughed a bit, the heaviness holding down my voice.

"Handsome," I said standing up and facing Mark. Mark went dark and his eyes were more lustful than usual.

"Yes, Pretty?" He called over to me.

"I think... It's time for us to leave," I said crawling onto the bed over to Mark.

'Ya...?" He said

"Ya," I say. I pulled his chin so his face was facing me. Mark lunged so he was on top of me. He aggressively kissed me.

"Now, Mark," I said. He stopped. I only used his real name when I needed to get something done. He pulled out of the kiss and looked at me. His face still close to me.

"Yes, Pretty?" He said

"Where's Adam?" I said. Mark hopped off me and started to head for the door. I followed. We headed out the door. Jack came from the room next to ours, he was dark to.

"Good you're awake," Jack said

"Ya we are, plan?" Mark said

"Ya, actually. We just steal a car," Jack replied.

"Where are we getting a car?" I asked

"Adam, of course," Jack said. He started to walk down the hall. We followed close behind him. Jack opened the door to Adams office and barged in. Adam looked up from his desk and met my black eyes.

"Security," He hollered. Mark slammed the door behind him and stood against it. Jack shoved Adam against the wall.

"We need a car," Jack said.

"Go back to normal you coward," Adam said through gritted teeth. Jack looked offended and set Adam down.

"You're asking for it," Jack said. Adam pulled a gun. The normal came back.

"Don't shoot!" I yelled, stepping in front of Jack.

"Give me one reason not to," Adam said. Adam cocked the gun.

"I can't," I said a tear rolling down my cheek, "I am a terrible person, We... are terrible people. I have killed so many and... I can't repay anyone for that. I'm just here to make sure that they get out alive. Dark or crazy or... insane. Adam, shoot if you want to, but that doesn't make you any better of a person than me,"

Adam put the gun down and tossed me a set of keys.

"It's the grey truck right outside, there's two gas tanks that are full," Adam said.

"Thank you," I said

"Ya, ya, get the hell out," He replied.

"Jack, Mark, let's go," I said, they were both still dark and followed me out the door. We ran out the front and got in the grey truck. I started it and started down the cracked pavement of the isolated mountain town. I breathed out and looked dead ahead at the road in front of me. I looked over at Mark. He was asleep. I turned the mirror to look at Jack, he was sleeping to. I was just me. I was alone in the car with people I loved most. How? They weren't conscious.