Authors: J. A. Saare
Derek opened both his burgers at the same time, placing one in each hand. He maneuvered the boxes out of the way and positioned one burger at each side of his face.
"You wouldn't,” I said, horrified eyes widening.
He took bites from each burger, first one then the other. His mouth stretched as he ate, chomping on his food like a cow with cud. It was both sickening and funny. I couldn't decide if I should be repulsed or if I should break into a fit of giggles.
Caleb rolled his eyes and opened his own. Thankfully, his eating habits were much more refined. He ate slowly, tossing random fries in between bites of burger.
As I ate, my mind filtered through the sparse information I received. Caleb explained it was my Father's request to tell me everything himself, and because of that, he couldn't divulge specific details.
I'd waited twenty years only to be told the answers were close—just not quite yet.
I studied Caleb and Derek as they ate. I couldn't be mad at them. If they hadn't come along when they did...I didn't want to think about that part.
"I love this stuff. Who needs arteries?” Derek laughed cheerily, finishing off the doubles and moving along to his fries. He was equally disgusting with the thin slices of potato, shoveling them into his mouth in bundles. He nearly finished when his rip-roaring belch reverberated through the air.
"Gross!” I yelled and crinkled my nose, trying to act revolted as sniffles of laughter escaped. “That's disgusting!"
"Better out then in.” He laughed and gulped down the last of his tea. He looked at me through the rearview and winked.
Caleb rolled his eyes and grumbled.
Another thing I hadn't done since this morning created an all together different issue, something that couldn't wait and was best remedied sooner rather than later. I waited until they finished before I spoke up, which wasn't long.
"Uh, guys.” I looked down at my blue blouse, the right side stained brown and stiff from my blood. I couldn't have people seeing me like this. It would raise all kinds of red flags. “I need to use the restroom."
"Here.” Caleb reached behind the seat, retrieving a large black jacket. He held it out, waiting until it was securely in my hands before letting go. The leather was soft and silky smooth, like creamy butter. I eased my hurt arm inside first, shoving in the other before looking down. The coat swallowed me completely.
"It fits.” I held out my good arm, showcasing the sleeves that extended past my fingers, grinning.
"It suits you.” Caleb returned my grin with one of his own, throwing empty wrappers into the brown paper bag. “Come on, I'll go with you. Derek, pull around."
Derek plopped the Chevy into gear, maneuvering around the waiting line of cars. I opened the door as he stopped, jumping down on stiff legs and turning to wait for Caleb as he slid across the seat behind me. Derek rolled down the window and gave Caleb the remaining garbage.
Caleb lifted his arm and motioned around, “We'll exit from the opposite side, pull over there."
The SUV took off and we whisked between the waiting cars, walking past the metal railway at the side of the building. Caleb tossed the trash in the nearby bin and pulled open the door.
Cold air from inside blew against my face, taking my breath away as we walked inside. I glanced about, locating the sign that indicated restrooms were just down the hall.
As we weaved behind the lines of people, I overheard a Mother trying to order food for her children. She asked what they wanted and they screamed requests over one another, creating a chorus line of excited high pitched squeals.
Caleb's soft chuckles caressed my ears as we passed.
We reached the hallway and Caleb's hand gently touched my shoulder. I spun around, misjudging the space between us and causing our bodies to collide. My left hand braced against his chest as my right scrambled frantically for his waist. Strong arms wrapped around my back, pulling me against the warmth of his body as I regained my balance.
A strange current passed between us, so quickly I assumed I imagined it. His body was as solid as it appeared, the muscles under my fingers remaining tight even as he relaxed. I took a shaky breath and forced myself to step back and look into his face, eyes finding and merging with his.
"I don't bite,” he teased.
"How can I be so sure about that?” I teased back.
His lips lifted into a crooked grin and the effect made his face appear both younger and softer. I resisted the overwhelming temptation to touch the dark hair that once again framed his face, accentuating his amazing sapphire eyes.
I had never felt so drawn to anyone before, and I couldn't seem to stop staring at him. It didn't help matters that he was the most attractive person I had ever seen.
My sense of propriety returned and I cleared my throat. “I'll be just a second,” I murmured, pulling my hands away. He let his arms fall at his sides and nodded, maintaining his lovely smile.
I averted my face before he could see the heated blush staining my cheeks, hurrying to the door marked Ladies. I waited until I was certain the door closed behind me before I lifted the coat to my nose.
It was definitely Caleb's, I could smell him. The scent was warm and woodsy, reminding me of a forest meadow or empty field after a good cleansing rain. The enticing smell was oddly soothing, like a balm on my rattled nerves.
I shrugged out of the jacket, carrying it into the stall and hanging it on the metal peg screwed into the door. I finished relieving my angry bladder, making sure to wash my hands before using the rough recycled brown paper inside the half open dispenser to dry them thoroughly.
I lifted the leather jacket, bringing its heaviness against my face and nestling my cheek against the deliciously smooth silk lining. I breathed in the inviting smell one last time, smiling despite myself as I slipped it back on.
The bathroom door came open and I glanced at the woman entering, flashing a friendly smile at her reflection in the mirror. A lopsided grin began to extend across her face and I whipped around.
I didn't have the chance to scream.
She advanced on me quickly, pushing my body into the wall, one hand wrapping around the back of my neck and the other dialing a phone. The strong metallic taste of blood tingled in my mouth as my face made solid contact with unforgiving tile. I struggled in vain, attempting to push myself free, thrashing futilely.
"I have her,” she spoke in the same flat monotone Mike had used. “I'm off the interstate—"
The hand on my neck disappeared and I spun around, grasping my throat and coughing. Caleb's frame engulfed the enclosed space. One of his hands wrapped around the neck of the woman, lifting her several feet off the floor. Her red eyes rolled back in her head as she squirmed at the shoulders. He reached for her phone and she lifted it high above her head.
"Now, now,” Caleb growled.
He lowered her body toward his, bringing her face closer to his own. Her feet dangled helplessly above the dirty grout on the floor, coming within an inch of touching solid ground.
I jerked in surprise as he thrust her forcefully into the wall, causing something to snap. The phone slipped free of her fingers, clacking across the floor and resting next to my sneakers.
"Take it,” Caleb said, softening his voice as he addressed me.
My fingers were trembling as I bent down and retrieved the small metal phone, eyes focused on the woman Caleb held securely. Chunks of her blonde hair intermingled with bright red blood against the wall. She didn't make a sound—other than the odd wet gurgling deep inside her throat.
Maybe she couldn't talk. Caleb's hand was large enough to encompass the entire circumference of her neck—and he was squeezing.
"Are you alone?” Caleb demanded, pushing her against the wall until something else snapped. The sound was loud in the tiled room, ringing in my ears and echoing off the thin walls.
She didn't answer. Inflamed scarlet eyes rolled in my direction and she began to cackle. I cringed as she smiled, displaying her impossibly pointed teeth.
Caleb glanced over his shoulder and frowned. “Check your mouth, Emma."
I walked to the mirror numbly, leaning over the sink and opening my mouth. The blood I tasted came from a bite in my tongue.
I twisted the metal spouts and filled my hand with the cold liquid from the faucet, bringing it to my lips and swirling it inside my mouth. I spat the water into the sink, witnessing my watery blood sliding down the drain for the second time in just hours.
It was not something I wanted to make a habit of seeing.
"Walk outside."
Caleb edged around, giving me access to the door. His broad body kept her away from me while his arm kept her immobile and distant.
I slipped around and pulled on the handle, coming face to face with Derek. A tight frown pulled his skin taut, bringing his mouth into a harsh line.
"I got her.” Derek snatched me around the waist, literally carrying me down the hall. He shoved aside the double glass doors and I turned my head in time to see the wooden restroom door glide shut.
I stumbled off the parking lot sidewalk, feet scuffling to the silver suburban that glistened like a beacon in the midday sun. Derek thrust the door open, lifting me inside. He slammed the door closed as soon as I was clear, opening his own and climbing in.
Caleb appeared at the double glass doors, exiting the building calmly. A red Nissan drove by and he watched it pass before walking to the vehicle and opening the door on the opposite side. Derek threw the SUV into drive, punching the gas and roaring around the stagnant line of cars. My eyes struggled to see inside the building, waiting for the inevitable reaction that would come once the customers discovered what had transpired inside.
"Hand me the phone.” Caleb held out his hand and I gave it to him.
Large fingers traced over the tiny buttons until he found what he was looking for. He selected a number, pressed send, and placed the phone to his ear.
"When you get here,” he growled in a voice that was hardly recognizable, “be sure to take a trip to the Ladies room."
He slammed the phone shut, rolled down the window, and tossed it outside. The tire caught, slipping as it destroyed the electronic device.
"Are you okay?” Caleb's face softened as he shifted his big body toward me, his large hand reaching out.
His palm was gentle, brushing against the side of my face, and I leaned into it. His thumb traced the edge of my mouth where I'd been shoved into the wall, moving tenderly across the bottom lip in a soft soothing motion.
"Yeah.” I stared into his eyes, heart hammering.
I couldn't remember anything that had transpired in the last ten minutes, not when he looked at me like that. Staring into those heavenly blue eyes made the world fall away.
"We have to make cover before dark. That means the interstate,” Derek snapped, pulling us out of our moment together.
Caleb frowned, dropping his hand and repositioning himself across the seat. I blushed, averting my eyes and face.
I'm an oak, all right.
I heard a series of beeps and Derek placed a phone against his ear. “Ambush at the Mc-fucking D's of all places. We're hitting the interstate, send back up to The Pit.” He stopped talking, listening to the voice on the other end of the line, shoulders sagging as he relaxed. “That's a huge relief man...will do."
The phone beeped again and he tossed it into the empty seat beside him. “Billy checked in. He made it out. He's going to be calling us to pick him up,” Derek announced in elation.
A huge smile spread across Caleb's face and he leaned across the seat, clasping Derek's shoulder with his hand before he settled back.
"Wait!” I panicked as the memory of the Mom ordering happy meals with her rambunctious children surfaced. “What about all those people? We can't leave that thing there with them!"
"Chill,” Derek huffed with disinterest, shaking his head, “Caleb took care of it."
Of course he did.
I stared at Caleb from under my lashes.
He was staring ahead, giving me a clear view of his sublime profile. I was in serious trouble, and it didn't involve pointy teethed mutants or the fact he had saved my life twice.
Caleb was everything girls dream about—no, he was more than that. I pushed aside that little voice that had been yammering at me from the start, because at that moment, I didn't care about what Caleb was—even if I knew it wasn't entirely like me.
The phone started buzzing and Derek picked it up, thrusting it against his ear and waiting for the caller to begin the conversation.
"It's me.” He glared at Caleb through the rearview. “Where are you exactly?” He mumbled something to himself, as if he were performing inner calculation. “Yeah, that's not far from us."
Caleb tilted his head, furrowing his eyebrows as if he were listening to something. His eyes remained steadfast on the mirror and I watched as he and Derek made eye contact over and over again. Some sort of strange inner dialogue was taking place between the two of them I wasn't privy to. It continued through the duration of the call until Caleb relaxed, lowering his eyes and turning his head as he stared out the window.
"Got it, see you soon, man.” Derek hung up the phone, tossing it into the seat beside him. “We're taking a minor detour. Billy hitched a ride straight down to sixty-four. He's maybe twenty minutes away."
"Billy?” I asked questioningly. The name sounded familiar.
"He was the one in the alley with me,” Caleb answered quietly, adding, “I was afraid we lost him."
"I'm glad he's okay.” I snuggled into the warm jacket as a shiver ran down my spine. I remembered those faces chasing us all too clearly. I didn't want to imagine being in that alley with them all alone.
Caleb's voice was so hushed I almost didn't catch the words. “Me too."
We didn't drive far before Derek turned onto a dusty graveled road. There wasn't much to see, just patches of tall green grass that swayed in the sporadic wind. There weren't any birds in sight and the sky had taken on a heavy grey overcast. It wouldn't be long until the ground was drenched.