In Hiding (Published!)

Chapter 19

Cam and I didn't bother trying to be sneaky about it, we just ran the entire way out of that damn police station, and out onto the cold fall streets. I heard Sam yelling at us to come back, but we all knew the real reason he was saying that. He was the one who left that note, he WANTED us to run, to go find Jess ourselves. He knew we'd be better at it. 

  As we ran, I made a quick glance over my shoulder, Sam was waving as the other police officers filed back into the station for warmth. I would have swore I saw him wink. We didn't stop for miles.

  *****

  "So, where are we headed, anyway?" I asked. We were on a highway, with cars coming and going. Some giving us stares, some trying to stop, ask us if we wanted them, we always waved them on. I mean, who wants to drag some innocent stranger into the giant mess we were in?

  Cam shrugged, "I guess we're just heading back to the crime scene first, then we'll work our way out from there. It shouldn't be far now." He took my hand as we headed farther and farther away from safety, and into danger.

  No officers came to get us, Sam must have worked very hard to make sure they didn't. They were probably accusing him of not caring for us, or giving us the hint to leave. Poor Sam, he didn't deserve all that, he was only doing his best to care for us, rather then care for his job.

  It started to get colder, quite cold, and by the time we reached the crime scene, the car still lay upside down, waiting crew members of the national police department to send in a tow truck. I was surprised that hadn't happened yet, it's been nearly five days. Darkness seeped in slowly.

  "Here we are, are we just going to do a search of the car?" I wonder aloud, and Cam shrugged. 

  "Might as well, I mean, what else is there to do to it?" He sighed, and pulled me along towards the car. 

  Being here was making we queasy. This was where I thought my brother was killed, this was where I thought my whole life had ended. It wasn't easy on my stomach. I crouched closer to Cam, and we began the search.

  First we went around to the front, examining the outside of the ruined vehicle, all the way to the back bumper. Spotting nothing, Cam set me aside so he could crawl inside the small opening I had broke through to, and I shivered thinking about it. Flexing my hand, and feeling the dried scabs and nerves running through my hand made me want to get out of there as fast as possible.

  Cam couldn't fit all the way to the back, where we lay when the accident happened, so he made the mistakable choice in asking me to shimmy my way in there, and look for anything he could have left us.

  "No." I gritted my teeth, and huffed out my breath. He put his hands out in a 'I'm sorry' gesture, and nodded his head.

  "I guess we're done here then, although we'll never know the real story. Let's head back to the police station." He amused me, trying to get me to crawl in to that small space, a space we could have died in, the exact space I was in when Jess was taken away from me.

  "Okay." I tried to sound cheerful, but it sounded more like a groan mixed with a laugh. It wasn't very happy sounding.

  "Casey..." He groaned, not moving from his spot, and crossing his arms.

  "Oh, all right. You owe me." I stated, pointing a finger at him, and crouching down to the small space I wanted to stay far away from. 

  "Actually, this is the repayment of you ruining my shirt, remember?" He snickered, and I let out a giggle, crawling deeper and deeper into the pits of hell, making that small smile that did appear, disappear from my face, like it was never even there.