Hunger- An Empty Stomach Tale

Chapter One- The Storm

“Asher, can we find a rest stop or something soon?” The blonde girl in the passenger seat complained, “I need to use the bathroom and this storm is getting worse.”

“I know, Hanna. I know.” A brown-haired guy in the driver’s seat was starting to get frustrated because, in addition to having been driving nonstop for nearly five hours now, he’d been dealing with the inky blackness of the night and a heavy rainstorm for at least three of them, “We’re in the middle of nowhere, though. I’ve been trying to find something for hours.”

“Asher, we’re right by the beach, and you’re telling me there’s literally nothing out here?” Hanna said in disbelief.

“You’d think there would be, but I’ve seen nothing but trees and empty beach for miles.” Asher replied.

“Ugh” Hanna groaned, “I hope we find somewhere soon.”

“Me too, this storm is getting too bad to drive in.” Asher was tense, “I’ve hydroplaned at least three times in the last five minutes.”

Hanna and Asher were best friends and had been since they were ten- over eight years. One day, they decided to take a road trip along the coast, but it went wrong when a massive storm came out of nowhere about a day into the trip.

Suddenly, something came into view on the coastal side of the road- something that looked like a house. The windows were dark, sure, but it was there.

“Asher, do you see that?” Hanna pointed it out.

“Yeah, I’m going to pull over and see if they can give us directions to a motel or something.”

Asher slowed the car and pulled into the driveway. There were no other cars there. It was a small house- couldn’t have been more than a one-bedroom, but hopefully it would provide some relief.

They got out of the car and hurried up to the door, but when they pressed the doorbell, nobody was there. They had to have rang the doorbell and knocked at least a dozen times before a deafening crack filled the air around them. They turned around and saw a nearby tree falling onto the road.

The two started to panic- Hanna screamed and Asher got down and started looking for a key, which he found under the doormat. He hurriedly unlocked the door and they rushed inside.

After they caught their breath, they started to think about what they'd done.

“Do you think that counts as breaking and entering?” Hanna asked, still breathing heavily.

“Probably, but I’m not sure we had much of a choice.” Asher replied, looking around the house for signs of inhabitation, “That tree blocked off the road.”

They checked all the rooms and the garage, but found nothing to suggest anyone was currently living in the house- there wasn’t a car in the garage, all the sheets and towels were folded, and the house in general looked like it hadn't been disturbed for months.

“Looks like whoever owns this place uses it as a seasonal house.” Asher observed as he and Hanna entered the house’s only bedroom.

“Good, because I think we’re gonna have to sleep here.” Hanna replied.

“I think so.” Asher made the bed, “You want this bed? I’ll sleep on the couch.”

“No, it’s fine, I’m comfortable with you.” Hanna laughed while retrieving a bathrobe from the closet and changing into it right in front of him, “We can share the bed, it’s big enough for both of us if you’d like.”

“I mean, sure, why not.” Asher found a pair of gym shorts in the dresser that wasn’t wet- unlike his rain-soaked outfit- and changed into it. The two hung their clothes over an air vent and decided to call it a night since they were both too tired to take a shower.