Game Boy

4 - Continue

"I never expected items in a video game to get so heavy," Byrd groaned as she tugged at the handle of the last box. Her face squinted up and wrinkled as she grimaced, hauling it back.

Kenneth pressed his shoulder into it and tried not to laugh quietly as her expression. She'd been making the same pained face for the last five boxes, complaining that each one got heavier. He didn't fully understand it, but she was hilarious at times. "Well then I guess it's a good thing this is the last one," he said. The box slipped up and slid into the bed.

Byrd let go and collapsed back, sitting down on the box behind it with a heavy sigh. "Thank goodness! She leaned back and stretched her arms before standing up. "Welp, that's it folks. That's the quest. We're done." She hopped down beside Kenneth.

He shook his head and shifted back an inch. "If only. We do actually have to deliver these, though. I don't think the good parts even started yet," he said. Stepping past her, he walked around to the front of the truck. He glanced inside. The steering wheel had a little blue light around it. He could operate the vehicle with his current technology skills. 

Byrd slipped in front of him and opened up the drivers door. "I know," she said and hopped up inside. "Get in?"

He blinked. "I thought--"

She didn't hesitate to grab the steering wheel. The whole truck roared to life as she touched it and gestured to the passenger seat. "I got this. Hop in."

Blinking, he nodded and just walked around. He slipped into the passenger seat and settled back glancing over at her. His stomach opened up into a gaping pit without warning, swallowing all emotion. He wanted to double over, but instead pressed a hand to his avatars gut and inhaled deeply. It was like breathing into a deep abyss, surrounded by nothing. His own breath felt cold in his lungs and chilled him to the core. 

Byrd shifted in the corner of his eye. She glanced over, grinning. "Ready?"

Kenneth stared dead ahead, nodding. He managed to work his lips open. "Yup," he said as firmly as he could. His words felt weak in his mind, though. He hugged himself tighter, waiting for the feeling to pass and halfway hoping the comfort of the nothingness wouldn't leave. 

The truck lurched. Kenneth rocked forward, throwing his arms out to catch himself on the dash. Byrd spun the wheel and floored it. "Hang on or buckle up," she said as they sped down the alleyway.

Kenneth fumbled in a shock for the seatbelt. He found the button, clicked it, and watched the blue restraints appear and lock him back into place. The truck lurched over another bump and he instinctively threw a hand out to catch himself again. His breath stuck in his throat as he stared down the road in wide-eyed anticipation of the next major bump or turn. 

Byrd glanced over, some of the wires falling across her face as they rumbled over the uneven ground. "You good?"

Swallowing back the fear stuck in his throat, Kenneth looked back over at her. He kept his hand out and on the dashboard. "How...how high is your tech skill?"

"Oh. Um, it's intermediate tier. I'm no beginner," she said. "Why?"

"No reason, just curious," Kenneth said. He exhaled slowly as she pulled onto the street. The road smoothed and so did the driving. He put his hand back in his lap and leaned his head back. 

Her eyes returned to the road. "Don't like driving?" she asked, cocking her head as they rumbled towards the exit.

"I'm okay with driving, just not bouncy driving," Kenneth said. "I don't like riding much."

"Fair, fair," she commented. She was chewing her lip, though, slowing as people appeared along the streets walking and talking. Settlements like these didn't often have many delivery trucks. They were trading towns, and the streets were narrow as a result. Kenneth peered over the edge and gripped his hands into tight fists as a person stepped close to the large turning wheels of the truck. They passed by without harm and he exhaled again slowly.

"Relax, we'll be out in no time," Byrd said. "I'm following the guide and it's saying we don't have far to go."

"Good," Kenneth whispered. He gritted his teeth at another close passerby and once more relaxed.

The crowd thinned after a couple of moments as they pulled up to the empty gate. Kenneth sank back into his seat, crossing his arms over his chest. His eyes trailed over the crumbling walls as they pulled out of the settlement. He eased back a little, still able to feel his heart pounding in his chest. He inhaled slowly and exhaled.

"Home free till we hit the East!" Byrd said. She grinned and looked over. She pressed a couple of controls, then leaned back and glanced back over. "Hey, question. Why don't you use your real name for your game tag? Too common?"

Kenneth frowned and looked over at her. He shook his head. "No. At least I don't know. I never tried. I guess I just wanted a little, privacy?"

A bemused smile crawled over her face. "Privacy?" Byrd threw her head back with a laugh. "What are you, some 21st century mom? This is the 25th century, there's no need to worry about internet privacy." She shook her head and guided the wheel to the left, chuckling.

Rubbing the back of his neck, Kenneth shrugged and leaned forward. He smiled to himself at her laugh, though. "I dunno. It just felt right," he said. "Plus, it's way cooler than my real name anyway." He laughed thinly and looked out the window.

"Oh? What's your real name?" The truck turned to follow the road. Kenneth watched the trees generating slowly over the hill.

Tell her? I mean, it's just a name. Like she said, what do I have to fear? He looked down, twisting his hands in his lap and picking around his fingernails. She's not my mother. I have nothing to hide from her. She's just a person. A good person.

Byrd's fingers tapped against the steering wheel and she looked back. "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to," she said. Her face turned a bit somber. "Did I go too far? Intrude?"

Snapping his head up, Kenneth shook his quickly. "No, no. I just got lost in thought. My name's Kenneth," he blurted out. His face flushed a little and he looked forward, exhaling. Look, there, you did it. How hard was that? he asked himself. He forced a little smile and nodded, but his gut twisted uneasily.

"Kenneth..." Byrd murmured. He glanced back to see her staring thoughtfully through the windshield. Her fingers tapped out an unknown rythym on the steering wheel. Then she nodded. "That would be a bit common I suppose. Still, nice name. Nice to meet you, Kenneth."

"Yeah...nice to meet you too," he answered slowly. His brow furrowed a little, though. We already met? Oh well. Shaking his head he looked away. His eyes trailed up as he spotted a new road forking off ahead. He leaned forward and placed his hands on the dashboard, squinting.

"Byrd..."

The truck jerked, slowing quickly. "I see them," she said tersely. "Can you tell who or what they are?"

Shaking his head, Kenneth squinted harder. He swallowed, his heartbeat picking up. His hand instinctively lifted to his chest and he pressed it there. "No...I can't. They don't look too friendly, though."

Byrd jerked the wheel. The whole truck swerved off the road, bouncing. Kenneth gripped the dash tight, his breath catching in his throat as they slid down into a dip.

"Hold on then," Byrd called. "We're making a detour."