Freeing Clara

10. The Storm

She nods. She had been doing pretty well the past week. Changing the wrap was no longer painful and her meds were down to nothing. She was now on ibuprofen and ice for the swelling. She remembered Flint believing it was broken, walking on egg shells about even touching her hand.

"Ill be careful. Its pretty healed up now."

He leans down, kissing her quickly before seeing her leave.

***

The sunny day was a God send. The sun warm against Clara's skin as Josie drove her jeep with the windows down. Music was blasting and at times Josie turned it up even louder.

"Oh my gosh! Remember freshman year when we played this song every single day at lunch?"

Clara groans. "Dont remind me!"

Josie glares at Clara behind her expensive sunglasses.

"Whats wrong with this song?"

Clara shakes her head, sitting up straighter in her seat.

"Nothing! Just hated having to walk to get lunch while the others had friends who drove."

Josie giggles. "The walks were nothing compared to the pain my mother brought upon me when I got home having spent the entire weeks worth of lunch money on a fucking burrito that she could have made me. And it would have tasted better than that American ass fake burrito."

Clara just laughed.

They entered the school parking lot. Josie groaning as they parked.

"The closest I'll ever park to the front door all year," she sighs.

Clara takes out her phone and texts Flint.

Just got to the school.

As it sends she unbuckles her seat belt and exits the car.

***

Just got to the school.

The text appeared on Flint's phone giving him some relief. Only two more texts and she is home. His thoughts are interrupted by him scolding himself.

You are so fucking dramatic.

Flint sighs. Trying to bring some peace of mind to himself.

"Hey! Can I get a pint?"

Flint looks up. A kid, possibly of driving age but in no way 21, stood in front of the bar.

"Of..?" Flint asks.

This was always the test. Did they know their alcohol? Or were they just hoping to get something?

"Not sure... im a jager kind if guy so..."

"A pint of Jager?" Flint scoffs. "Kid, do you think im that fucking stupid. Thats sixteen ounces of jager, thats ridiculous and the dummest thing I've ever fucking heard. Based on that answer you must be as old as how many ounces are in a pint and I'm being pretty generous with that."

The kid sulks. If he was a turtle he would go back into his shell and play dead.

"Do you even know what jager is?"

The kid shakes his head. "My dad said I should see if you'd sell me a pint."

Flint looks over the kids shoulder and sees a man and a woman in their forties. They are laughing uncontrollably as they watch their son's face turn increadibly red.

"This is just like the time they asked me to run into Jiffy Lube to see if they changed break lighy fluid or just the oil," the kid mutters before turning back to his parents who begin apologizing as he sits back down.

Flint smiles as he looks back down at his phone waiting for Clara's next text.

***

Clara and Josie begin to walk out the school. Paying the lab fee took a bit longer than expected.

"Why didnt people just fucking wait until monday to pay their fee?"

"Probably because they thought everyone would wait until monday and the line would be long," Clara laughs.

Josie unlocks her jeep. "I want some ice cream!" Josie exclaims as she hops into the car.

"I gotta get back," Clara says.

Before climbing into the car Clara notices the back seat.

"Since when do you keep things in your car?" Clara says pointing out the blanket in the back. Josie treated her jeep like her own child. No food or drink was allowed in the car and if you took something in the car then it came out of the car.

"I would never!" Josie gasps as she turns to look in the back seat.

The blanket flung over. An arm shot out and grabbed Josie by her pony tail. Another arm sprung out holding a weird black contraption. The sound of a loud crack caused Clara to awaken from her shocked haze.

"Bitch!" Josie was screaming and swinging her arm as Clara jumped over the seat to help free her friend.

Clar grabbed the stranger's arm while her other hand pushed the man away.

A sound of a loud engine was heard but Clara's sould focus was on the man trying to taze her best friend.

"Mother fucker!" Josie screams. Her arm swung with her keys in hand, the key swipped the guy right on his cheek.

The man began to loosen his grip and just as Clara tried to push him back some more she was pulled away from the car.

Clara screamed. A hand clasped over her mouth. She tried to fight but it was all too much for her. Her heart was hurting and it hurt to breathe.

Josie was screaming as the man in the car slammed her head against the steering wheel. Clara prayed she was only unconscience ans not dead.

Clara cried out as she is pulled into a car. She hears witnesses screaming just as the car door slams shut.

***

Flint waited. He waited and waited for the second text. He cleaned, served, even did some inventory. He helped with the rush and by then he realized just how long it had been.

He called her once then twice. He was about to call for the fifth time when his phone began to ring. Callum Cavenaugh.

"I dont have time, I cant-" Flint begins but Callum is quick and frantic.

"My friend just called. He said they got a report of a teenage girl being forced into a car at the high school. Josie texted me, they are taking her to the hospital for a concussion. They took her."

Just like that, Flints whole world came to a halt. The raging storm of his anger was a hurricane and unlike all the times before when the storm raged, he no longer was steering the ship. The captain was letting the storm run its course.