"Beg for mercy!" Dean demanded.
His voice hummed lower than the purr of the RV engine running under the spurs of the hot sun.
The cool teal between his stare oozed over my body like lava and I shivered in his tight grip.
My lips scathed across th...
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I was soaking underneath the fabric of my jeans as rivers poured out of my skin. The leather seats of my truck squeaked in rubbery protest, as my body gilded with salty perspiration.
The brutal sun rested against our backs in a slow daze as we churned to cook in the agony of summer.
I groaned, as I tried to create some circulation between my jean shorts and the gap between my thighs. We were all swimming in our sweat with miles and miles to go.
Len's forehead leaked, droplets slid down the bride of his nose and muscular body. He looked out the window, a distilled picture framing in his sweltering green irises.
Dean opened the windows, let a panting breath of heat flow in which gave us both relief and humidity.
Dean glanced back as he continued to focus on his driving, "we're almost there" he promised us.
My car chugged along, not convinced by Dean's optimism. It was still in bad shape, but Len had gotten up early and helped change the tires and do some manual work on the engine.
I had fallen asleep, but for now the guys seemed to have some understanding, and their quiet banter was welcomed in comparison to their usual tension.
"Duck, Duck, cow" Maya giggled, playing with Danny in the backseat.
I smiled, watching them play, envious of their innocence. We had so much to worry about but if we could stop for a moment and be kids, then maybe life would seem better.
I bit my lip nervously, wondering what the plan was or even if we had one. Dean seemed to have a cool, calm, manner about everything and yet his eyes alone could cause a tornado of chaos.
Len squeezed my hand gently, "were almost home Cleo" he promised.
I nodded, knowing that Dean's intention was to drop everyone off at the hospital except for me and Maya. My heart fluttered at the idea that Dean wanted me to come with him, where we would ended up sounded like an adventure.
Yet, I couldn't ignore the facts that Len had presented. Dean was a stranger, who rode into the dusk, hiding behind the shadows of mystery and allure, and he was bound to drag me into the pits of danger. Every bone in my body beat like an island steel drum warning me to get away from all of this before it was too late.
I knew this wouldn't end well, but somehow we always run towards the things that have the power to hurt us the most.
I sighed, marveling at the burning red hue of powder that laid bare across the earth, like a coat for a body. The desert sand almost seemed to glow with zeal, and quartz minerals adorned the simple yet majestic spaces.
There was nothing and everything to see. I called it the Russet city, speckled in spices, as dust oozed down from the canyons and parched lips of God.
The barren land opened where rain used to be, it was so dry and empty like summertime sadness. Yet in between the dry vegetation and shrubby, life grew. It arose from the ashes, breathing life into the fragile ecosystem, and like evolution we evolved.
