Chapter 2

            The car flew down the highway, as black as the pavement and night around it. They were currently on a deserted highway, and were traveling with the headlights off. Even though the driver seemed entirely at ease, Corey was going insane trying not to scream. He thought he drove recklessly at eighty miles an hour, but this was something else altogether. The car was dark, and Corey could only just make out the speedometer, which read they were going just over one-hundred and twenty miles an hour.

They took a sharp, unexpected turn, and Corey jutted forward, unable to grab anything to stable himself. His head smacked the dash with an audible thud, followed by a suppressed peal of laughter from his left. “Yuck it up,” he thought bitterly. “You’re only laughing ‘cause this isn’t you, stuck in this f*****g place.” He tried to get back in his former uncomfortable position, and as he jerked his head back, he realized how stupid it was to do that. He felt all the knots tighten, and his air was immediately cut off, both in and out. He thought about asking for help, but also thought that death was beginning to seem like a better alternative all the time.

Eventually, his body’s needs won out over the bitter thoughts circulating in his brain. “Little help. Can’t breathe,” he said between failed attempts to draw air. He looked over, and for a horrible second truly believed she wasn’t going to help him; that she was going to sit there and laugh as he turned colors, and finally died. The idea that her laughing and mocking face was the last thing he would ever see brought on more than a mild spell of depression. He was beginning to lose consciousness when she pulled the noose loose. His legs and arms were pulled closer together and even though the position was painful to say the least, it was still preferable to suffocation.

“Thanks,” he said at last, feeling somewhat awkward.

She laughed for a moment and then fell silent. “Don’t mention it. Anyway, look, we’re about to get on the bypass, so I’m going to turn on my lights, and when we stop in a minute, try not to die,” she said with short bark of laughter.

“Sorry.” He drug out the word and managed a good degree of sarcasm. “I wasn’t exactly attempting suicide. And maybe, just maybe if you could pretend you’re not completely insane for a minute and drive normally, I wouldn’t ‘try to die.’” He had been so busy contemplating his next words that he was more then slightly surprised when he found the pistol was once again wedged in his temple snugly.

She laughed slightly. “I am a little sensitive about my driving,” she said, sounding insane. She paused for a mere second to ponder her thoughts. “Yes, but you see perhaps you should try harder to ‘not die’. I know you’re not sure if you can trust me to help you, even in the simplest of ways. It shows on your face,” she said in a matter of fact tone. “And by the way if you insult my driving again, I will blow out your brains.” She thankfully uncocked it and put it to the left of her legs.

He paused before speaking, but decided that if he was going to die with this maniac, he might as well go out not being a pansy. “And it’s strange that I don’t trust you? You’ve taken me hostage for Christ’s sake!” he said incredulously. “And your driving…”The comment he had been planning to make froze on his tongue at the face she was making.

 She collected herself, and was a mask of apathy. “You have a point, but I’ve now given you fair warning, and won’t be so apt to help you, so it’s probably for the best that you don’t trust me,” she said seriously.

“Who’s to say I want to finish this little adventure? I can’t think of one reason to not yank these f*****g ropes, and just die now. Not one reason. What’s the point?” There was a good deal of emotion in his voice. He truly meant it.

“Do it then,” she said, exasperated. “You and I both know you want to live. I’m not even going to consider the thought of what would happen if you decided to commit suicide. You are much too arrogant. Not to mention you still think you’re going to be ‘saved.’” She rolled her eyes and turned her head. She turned on the lights, and seconds later, turned onto the bypass. Corey felt better with the lights on, with other cars accompanying them, and the slower speed that they were forced to travel, but it was far from the desperately needed relief he’d been hoping for.

“What makes you think you can sit up on your high and mighty throne and tell me what to do and how I feel?! You don’t know anything! And I’m not your f****n’ zombie. You can’t expect that kind of s**t from me.” It was a dangerous move, but Corey hadn’t realized the life threatening quality that this might result until he was done. He waited anxiously for her to bring out the caliber in a swift movement. He thought she would smile and say goodbye before pulling the trigger. He was surprised greatly when she didn’t do anything.

“You know, I was hoping you’d be more cooperative, but…” she said quietly, lost in her thoughts.

Corey’s jaw dropped and then he started to laugh. He laughed until his sides hurt, and then laughed more. Its noise had filled the car for just over six minutes when, finally, he stopped the humorless and bitter croak he had been issuing. “Co-operation,” he muttered and chuckled quietly. “You expected co-operation from me. Yeah I believe that.” He waited a second for the sarcasm to take affect and shook his head sadly. He looked over and saw her looking at him with a look of disgust and a faint, but not completely concealed look of hurt.

“And what do you propose would be better for me to expect? Huh? Most people would have shut up and just sat there. Thinking about what to do, how to get out. Who they would call when I accidentally left a phone in the room. Yet, you sit here, running your ignorant trap. You obviously don’t grasp it; there is no hope for you. You are a mere trinket, a pawn in my plans.” She was so quiet and thoughtful it made her look like a little girl who ran away from home, who had given up any hope that her mother and father loved her in the slightest. She was so innocent seeming, that Corey felt bad for her despite the gun next to her leg, and that she might kill him any second. Her tone sharpened, and was abruptly full of anger. The innocent girl that sat beside him a second ago disappeared as quickly as she had come. “I can and shall dispose of you should you keep this up. It is neither here nor there to me. I can replace you as quickly as I a got you. You are not as important as you think you are, so tread with care if you value your life. Do you understand?”

Corey was dumbfounded. During her small lecture, he had been unable to think. Only one thing really triggered his attention. Shall? God does she live in the eighteenth century or something. He knew he needed to say something, an apology likely. He couldn’t think of how to start, and with further consideration, he realized how dumb this was. She holding you hostage and you’re going to apologize!

“Okay I’ll shut up. But on one condition.”

“Don’t press your luck. You aren’t going to make conditions,” she said mockingly.

“You said yourself; I’m at least a pawn. Just answer three tiny little questions and I’ll try not to bug you for the rest of the night,” he said prankishly, with a large smile.

She sighed. “Alright, alright.” There was a brief pause. She scoffed and said, “You sound like a bratty little kid. I’ll answer two, but I want to hear all three. That’s my condition.”

Better than being shot, he thought and stifled a giggle. He was amazed that they had almost got into a lighthearted conversation. He decided not to chance it anymore. “Okay. Question uno; where are we going? Question two; why are we going there? And last, but certainly not least, Question three; what is your name?” He this all like the Ring Master he had seen at the circus as a child.

Her face turned stony, and the almost-but-not-quite lighthearted mood died. “That’s what you want to know?” she whispered quietly. He saw the anger working on her face. She was trying -trying hard by the look of it- to conceal it. She took a deep breathe through her nose and released it through her mouth. “Okay. I’ll do as I said I would, but only to keep my word. I’ll answer the first and…” She thought about the other two, despising them both. “Um… I guess I’ll answer… the third.” She gave a bitter sigh, and collected her thoughts for a moment. “Okay well, I was going to have to answer the first soon anyway. We’re going to the Hilton Hotel in Texas. We’ll be there in a few hours. I have reservations to the honey mooner’s suite. When we get there your name is Mark Wayne Johnson and I am Teri Jean Johnson. We were recently married and wanted to see the south, where you grew up, before going to New York. You teach science at a high school. The name of the high school is Brentwood. I am currently unemployed, but will be looking for a job as soon as we get settled in our apartment.” She took a breath, and looked over at Corey. He was dumbfounded at the onslaught of information he had just been given.

“You’re have to remember all that, at the very least for the receptionist at the front desk,” she said.

“Umm…” Corey said nervously. “You’ll have to run that by me again,” he said. There was a slight pause, during which he contemplated why she had given him so much information. His mind went blank. Then the light bulb lit up over his head. “After you answer the third question, that is,” he said with a delighted smirk.

Her face only changed for a second, but a second was plenty of time for Corey to know that he had been right. It had all been an attempted distraction. “I don’t know why you ask anyway. You’re never going to be able to tell anyone, anyway.” She issued an aggravated sigh. It was obvious how much she really didn’t want to answer. “My name is Aurora Lee.” There was silence in the car, and though Corey couldn’t see well because of the darkness, he believed she was blushing slightly.

After some time, Aurora broke the silence. “But you really will need to remember your fake life. Probably practice acting too. I can’t imagine you being any good at that anyway.”   

For the next couple of hours, Corey and Aurora memorized all the aspects of their alternative lives. It was more entertaining than any car game Corey had ever played, but was also laborious. When they could recite it word for word, they lapsed into silence. Corey hadn’t noticed before how perfect the tempeture was, and despite the uncomfortable position was getting rather sleepy.

Aurora noticed him getting tired, and told him to go to sleep, and that in approximately six hours they would be there. The last thing Corey was aware of before drifting into unconsciousness, was quiet classic rock being turned on. He fell asleep listening to Stairway to Heaven by Led Zeppelin, one of the few songs he actually knew in the genre.

        

                                         ………………………

 

 

“Wake up!” said a very angry voice from beside Corey. “God, will you get up already.”

“What are you doing here Momma,” Corey said stupidly.

“Oh my GOD!” said Aurora. “Get up! And I am NOT your Mother!”

Corey realized where he was. He thought last night had all been an illogical nightmare. “Oh,” he said quietly. Just give me a minute. He was very stiff, and wasn’t a morning person to begin with. He tried to stretch, and began to suffocate once again. After being saved again, he was in his right mind once more. “Okay. I’m up.”

“You sleep like the DEAD!” She was still annoyed at having to try several times before getting any sign of life out of him. “We’ll be there in ten minutes. Look sharp and repeat your history.”

After making sure he remembered all the fine points, Aurora went over the new rules. “If you try to make a seen in here, I will kill you. I don’t care how good their security is. I am faster. I might be taken to prison. Maybe for the rest of my life, but be sure I will kill you and anyone who crosses me. Women and children alike.”

Corey was dumbfounded once more. He decided to stay quiet through this. Dead or not he didn’t went the death of innocent people on his hands, even if it wasn’t his hand pulling the trigger. He would state his story in case there was an over friendly (which really just meant nosy) receptionist. He thought the story over and over, and when they finally pulled into the parking lot at 12:30, he was ready.

Reviews

[Tori]

Go to hell Blake!!! I read the first half before you, so WHAT THEN!? My god-Great job Holly! I applaued that sadisticness that is Auroura...I think I spelled it wrong. Teri Jean...That sounds awfuly close to Tori Jean....jerk. WAHHHHH!!!!!!! Please don't die. I want to know what happens next and ignore this dipshit below me. I don't know much about guns either....so face! Great job. BYE!!

[revenant21]

Haha! In you face Tori, Io read it first. *cough* anyways.........I liked it. I'm waiting for the next one. Oh , just so u know, you don't c**k pistols, she could put it on safe, but I'm pretty sure that you cant c**k a pistol..................

Good job, finish the next one and I might put up my stories too!!!! lol