I pulled off my jacket and shoved it behind my lower back which was beginning to throb in pain. Kimber was in and out of sleep and I occasionally turned off the car to conserve gas, making sure to cover her with all the clothes I could find in our duffel bags. It was midnight. The woods were quiet and there was no moonlight to reveal what surrounded the car. We were enveloped by empty, black, ice cold air.
I was cold and tired and in pain. I needed to wait until a few hours before dawn to start my trek to the mine and the walk to Borrasca would be around two and a half hours from where we were.
I had to make I left Kimber enough gas to get down the mountain and out of town. Because as soon as the sheriff was dead - or I was - they would be looking for her. I watched her sleep and wondered at the madness of the world. We should all have lived normal lives: graduated together, went to college, been roommates, backpacked Europe. But none of that could ever happen now. And what cruel irony it was that Kimber was more of a sister to me than she had ever been to Kyle. The universe was just a big fucking asshole.
I rubbed my eyes and debated braving cold outside for a cigarette. I had fourteen left and I planned to smoke them all before I reached the mine.
"I didn't mean what I said."
I jumped a little and Kimber laughed softly.
"I didn't know you were awake."
"Who can sleep?" She groaned.
"Good fuckin' point."
Kimber sat up and pushed twenty pounds of clothes off of her. I noted the time and started the car. "I didn't mean it. What I said about...about wishing it had been you instead of Kyle."
"Don't worry about it." I said, shifting uncomfortably in my seat. "I wish the same thing."
"No, Sam." Kimber grabbed me by the sides of my head and pulled me to her where she rested her forehead against mine. "There is no one I would rather have by my side tomorrow. And I know you don't want me there. But I will be. To the very end."
With Kimber holding me the way she was there was no way for me to hide my wet eyes. I pulled my head back and wiped my face with a ratty flannel sleeve. Emotions were so much more overwhelming when you felt all of them. Without responding to her I opened the door and stepped out into the piercing mountain air. I closed the door, leaned against it, and dug into my pocket with a shaking hand. I'd left my parka in the car in my haste to get out of it, but I wasn't going back now. My new mantra echoed through my mind again: One bullet.
I heard the passenger door open and turned in time to catch the parka Kimber had thrown at me. "You idiot." She said.
"Get back in the car, it's freezing."
"You think?" She said sarcastically.
I took a long drag off my cigarette and felt the nicotine begin to work its magic. I needed to stay calm.
"One bullet, Kimber." I pulled my parka around my shoulders.
"And a bullet-proof vest." She added.
"Yeah."
"Well actually, it's more bullet resistant depending on what you get shot with, nothing is really bullet proof, am I right?"
