A Priest's Deadly Obsession

Chapter 61 - Her Last Known Location

"Where are we going?" Elizabeth broke the dead silence as James continued to drive on long stretched roads.

He waited a while before answering, "somewhere that'll be quiet. If worse comes to worse... maybe cross the boarder."

Elizabeth looked out on the long stretches of land and trees, the scenery was beautiful. She rolled down the window a bit and extended her fingers catching the cool fast breeze in her fingertips.

"Will it really be safe?" She was talking about giving birth, she knew that he would not take her to a hospital. "For when it happens ?"

James finally took his eyes off the road and looked at her , " you're strong enough. It'll be fine, others have done it through out the years without hospitals."

The silence consumed them again and Elizabeth began to wonder how far away from home they were already. But when she thought about home, all she could see was that house that she lived in with James and Albert.

She had grown used to it, to this life. But if she thought hard about it, she could picture her uncle again.

For so long, she bottled up her old home, her old room, memories of her uncle and her friends. It was too painful to remember, and the memories served no purpose except to keep her sad.

Looking at the dashboard, she wanted some noise to distract herself from her thoughts.

She was hesitant to touch the radio afraid James would smack her hand away, afraid he wouldn't like it since he never turned it on. But how could he possibly be so comfortable in so much silence with nothing but the sound of the car motor and his tumbling thoughts?

She went for it and placed her fingers on the radio dial.

James looked at her hand for a second, thinking, but then his eyes went back on the road.

She sighed to herself in relief and then began turning it to find a station.

"W-what music do you like?"

Her odd question struck him, he didn't know how to respond.

She cocked her head to the side still finding something from the static, "I like all kinds.. I can try and find something you might enjoy?"

She tried again, attempting to alleviate the awkwardness. She noticed his grip tighten on the steering wheel, immediately she felt her efforts were useless.

Her hand dropped and she placed it back on her lap, looking out the window. Her eyes began to hurt from swelling up. She has bottled up her loneliness for so long, she couldn't help but release some short silent cries.

As her shoulders bounced a bit, James sighed and placed a hand on her shoulder, immediately stopping her from crying.

"I'm sorry, I just... I don't know what to say." He confessed. "You can put anything you want on. Just avoid the news,"

His response, though it wasn't what she had hoped helped her feel a slight bit better. She found a station that played a lot of 80's pop music and left it on.

"This doesn't sound like your era," James chuckled.

His short laugh, it warmed her.

"S-so? It's catchy. My uncle-" she stopped herself, her hand slapping over her mouth, fearful that he might retaliate, scared that this somewhat cheery mood might disípate but James said nothing and did nothing.

"....sorry... he... used to play a lot of this in the car. I grew to like it." She finished her sentence in somewhat of a whisper. Looking over at James, his expression was serious again and she hated herself for ruining the atmosphere.