Driving Deceptions

1

CHAPTER 1

Heavy rain and controlled breathings reverberated around the tiny space of the car. Hailey's bulging eyes is staring straight behind Marco's back. Thinking to herself, 'what kind of trouble did I get myself into?'. As she begrudgingly turned her gaze to her right, an unmistakable chill crawled up on her spine. Sitting with her is the lifeless body of an unidentified man who happens to be in the same car as them. She quickly returned her eyes to the stranger driving the stolen car that they are currently in.

"Did we kill him, Marco? Mamamatay tao na ba ako?" She croaked.

Marco then abruptly stepped on the breaks. He gently placed both his hands on his head and ruffled his hair. Hailey started to sob as realization dawned upon her. They are murderers.

Marco opened the door and stepped outside. He started panting. Beads of sweat are now forming on his forehead. He cannot think straight, and his mind is in disarray. Hindi niya alam kung paano sasagutin ang tanong ni Hailey. Everything seems to be hazy. Winne looked at him from the window. She does not know what to do either. But there is one thing she knows for sure; their lives will never be the same now. Lumabas sya mula sa sasakyan at nilapitan si Marco. Marahan niya itong hinawakan sa braso at ihinarap sa kanya.

"We need to go." She said and looked at the road where they came from.

Their initial goal is to get away from the people following them. They ended up being involved in a crime bigger than carnapping.

Marco looked at her and seen terror and stress creeping up Hailey's eyes. They are both exhausted from this terrible situation. An idea made its way on his mind, and he need her help to do it.

"Do you trust me?" Tanong ni Marco kay Hailey.

Kunot noo at bakas sa mukha ang alinlangan ngunit tumango pa rin si Hailey. Wala rin naman siyang ibang mapagkakatiwalaan kung hindi si Marco. Sa ngayon ay silang dalawa lang ang tutulong sa isa't isa.

"Here's what we will do..."

Kaya naman sa gilid ng madilim at malawak na kalsada, maingat nilang inilipat ang bangkay ng lalaking kanina pa nila kasama at inilipat ito sa trunk ng sasakyan. Sabay silang bumalik as kotse. Si Marco sa driver's seat at sa passenger seat naman naupo si Hailey. Muli nilang binaybay ang tila walang katapusang daanan. Muli silang binalot ng katahimikan at tanging ang tunog ng makina ang maririnig sa kanilang pagitan. Muli silang nagpalitang ng makahulugang tingin na tila ba isang simbulo ng pagkakaintidihan.

On the other side of the road came out a man clad in black. Blood is oozing from a fresh wound on his head. He is silently watching the car zoom out of site with the people who foiled his plans. The sound of sirens can be heard from the distance so instead of following the culprits who took his car, he just went on and walked away. Away from the scene of the crime. Away from Marco and Hailey.

~~~

The pair found themselves on the parking lot of a cheap motel. They passed a what seems like to be an abandoned bridge and tried their best to leave the car and the body in there. After some futile attempts, they managed to position the car where it is not easily seen from any passerby's point of view. As both of them does not really have an ample amount of criminal experience, they heed no attention to any evidences they might have had left on the car. The only thing left on their mind right now is to get to a bed and sleep this all off. Silently wishing that this is nothing but a nightmare or a silly prank life tried to play on them.

After walking for so long, they are now in this motel. There are only 2 cars parked on its poorly lit parking lot. The exterior of the building is a 2-story building with an ugly green paint and some plastic bushes placed on the side of each door. It was shaped as an L with 2 doors at the far end and 4 rooms as the long side. One of the rooms have a sign that says reception and that is where they are headed.

'Kumatok bago pumasok' 'yan ang nakasulat sa giling ng pintuan ng reception.

Marahang kumatok si Marco bago niya pinihit pabukas ang pinto. Binaha ng manilaw nilaw na liwanag ang kanilang mga mata na dulot ng mga mumurahing chandelier na nagsisilbing disenyo sa paligid. Pagod na ngiti ang bungad ng babaeng receptionist sa kanilang dalawa. Naupo muna si Hailey sa asul na sofa habang kinakausap ni Marco ang bantay.

"Welcome to Amari Lodge. 1 room po?" Magiliw na bati nito.

Marco glanced at Hailey and saw what a miserable situation she's in. Her hairs a mess which also covers at least half her face. She's almost sleeping on the lounge with little to no care about the surroundings. This is not what he wants. He then breath a sigh of defeat and pointed her glance back towards the receptionist.

"Yes, 1 room please." The receptionist then started to tell him the prices and inclusions of their stay all off which just fell on deaf ears. Ang mahalaga ngayon ay mayroon silang matulugan.

"ID na lang po Sir."

He reached on his wallet and fished out a government issued I.D. The name written, Wallace Ramos. Another one of his fake cards that comes in handy from time to time. The lady gave him a keycard in return and gave him instructions for the room.

"Enjoy your stay with Amari Lodge!" Muli nang bumalik sa kaniyang kumportableng puwesto ang babae.

Marco walked towards Hailey's seat when she began waking up. Her eyes were heavy with bags and exhaustion. This was the most tiring day she ever had. One she'll never forget nor recover from.

The walk to the room was quiet. Since it is only a 2-story building, an elevator is out of the option. The wooden floor was creaking with their steps, but it did not help lessen the eerie feeling around. They both have something to say but decided that it would be better to keep their mouth shut. In fact, who's to say that either of them can be trusted. Doubt and fear started to creep up their minds, it is such a bad timing as they are too spent to even process such thoughts. They came into a halt as they reached last door. This is their room, for now.

Marco opened it with the key card. A big pull-out bed was placed in the middle. Even without words, it seems that they have come to an understanding that Hailey will be on the top bed and Marco will be on the pull-out bed. Hailey entered the bathroom while Marco makes his way to the television. Since it is the middle of the night and this cheap motel clearly does not have cable, a local channel is now showing the news. Nothing was new on the news yet. Still the same news as what he heard earlier this morning. He picked up the remote and switch from channel to channel but nothing entertaining enough is available. He just decided to tuck himself on the bed without even cleaning his body as he is so out of it right now. Got stuck in the middle of a gang fight, stole a car, drive said car with a stranger he met from the very same fight he is trying to get out off, found out that there is a dead person on the car he stole, he's not really sure if he was the one who killed the said person, and now he is staying in this cheap ass motel with the very same stranger he was with in the car earlier. Everything is so messed up. With a heavy heart and multiple thoughts simultaneously running from his mind, he managed to fell asleep.

Hailey on the other hand, is just done cleaning herself from the bath. It was too late when she remembered that she has no spare clothes to change on to. She put on her soiled clothes as she was left with no choice. She didn't even give time to dry her hair and went straight to bed. Same with Marco, she was filled with thoughts of the events if this evening. How unfortunate can they be to steal a car with a dead person inside of it? Now, she is unsure if she can be considered as a murderer or just an accessory to the crime. As a consolation, she kept reminding herself of one statement. No body, no murder. Who can discover what they did or what they didn't? No one will find the car, right? Right? With those thoughts in mind, she managed to drift off to sleep.

As tomorrow is nothing but a string of possibilities.

~~~

END OF CHAPTER 1