Until the Screaming is Gone (On hold)

Chapter 14

Chapter 14

They managed to peel themselves off the floor. Zack plastered on a forced smile that looked fragile at best and asked her again if she was hungry. She saw clear as day he needed something else to focus on, something to let him forget at least for the next several minutes his grandmother wasn’t brutally murdered for him to find. She nodded and watched as he left the motel room to grab some burgers.

She went over to the bathroom and turned the shower on. There was nothing else in her control, the least she could do was take a shower and wash away the chemical scent of the hospital. While the water got hot she went over to Zack’s bag and pulled out a t-shirt to borrow.

Several times she thought about walking out the door and disappearing before he returned. It’d be easier if she wasn’t around, if she ran her problems would chase after her and not him. But she remembered the desperation in his eyes and the fact they were in this together and couldn’t do it. She couldn’t break his heart.

It took Zack longer than it should’ve to get back to the motel. He used the extra time to let his emotions run their course. He and Ana would never survive if they were both falling apart. He could mourn Grams after her killers were paying for their crime and could never hurt another person. He read about serial killers but never did he think he’d be tangled up with not one but two. Sharon Henderson and Ron Daley.

Ana was sitting on her bed drying her hair when he returned. The scent of cherries clung to the air and he knew it came from the soap that came with the room. Who knew run of the mill motel soap could smell so sexy? Or that his shirt could ignite any feelings of lust? The items didn’t but on Ana they most certainly did.

When they first met he thought she was a cute girl even hiding out in the shadows and trying to avoid being his friend. As he got her to cave and let him in he noticed the parts of her personality she kept hidden were beautiful.

There was so much going on and so much they needed to focus on and yet looking at her now a glimmer of light cracked through the haze of darkness they were running from.

She got off the bed and came and took the bags from his hands. “Any trouble?”

He was disappointed she had put the green scrub pants back on along the shirt she grabbed from his bag. Staring at her bare legs would’ve been a perfect distraction. “No, news of your escape hasn’t gotten this far yet.” Nonetheless he changed the license plates on his car with another and made sure to wear a baseball cap and shades inside the restaurant. He didn’t put it past Henderson to make a big deal and call the cops in when she found out Ana was gone and had a visitor when it happened.

“What happens next?” she asked softly while unwrapping one of the burgers.

“We lay low for the rest of the day and tomorrow we get back on the rode. I want to put a good amount of distance between us and them.” He didn’t want to spell out his whole idea and overwhelm her just yet. Taking it one step at a time felt right.

They kept it easy going for the rest of the day. After their burgers they camped out in front of the TV and avoided all talk of the killers and Grams’ death while watching some old comedy on basic cable. It was easier to try and forget but they weren’t fooling anyone, the aches and scars were too fresh to forget or to fake a smile and act like the pain wasn’t ripping at you.

Cries woke Zack up late into the night. He turned over to the right and saw Ana curled into a ball with her face buried in her pillow. She was still asleep and whatever she was dreaming was doing a number on her body. She threw off his covers and went over to her bed. “Ana?” he shook her shoulder and when that didn’t wake her up he pulled her up into a sitting position.  Her tears came harder as her eyes opened, he wrapped his arms around her and held on tight as she cried. “It’s ok.” He soothed.