How to be Alone

Chapter Three: Whisked Away

"I hate when I lie," I admit. "It makes me feel bad."

"I'm sure you would've felt a lot worse in federal prison," He says. He rests at a stop sign near the outskirts of town, just before the ramp onto the highway. "Arson? Please. I'm not stupid, you're not stupid..." He sighs.

"Why are they here?" I ask. "Seriously, why? Here, of all places."

He taps his thumbs on the steering wheel and throws his head back into the headrest. "I don't know, kid. But it ain't good."

He turns onto the highway ramp and we drive down the least busy three-lane highway in America. I hear that people used to actually drive down this road, but the town north of us is a ghost town now. Used to be a mining town or something, like thirty years ago. No reason to come down here now, though.

Terry had given me a dressing to put on my arm after I wiped it up with some napkins from his glovebox. I always find it interesting to drive down this road to the next town over, which is where we're headed. The cars just start filling into the road as we pass the ramps that people actually use.

"You know you're not the only one giving me trouble lately," He says. "A lot of kids have been messing with their stuff. They're all upset about the military being here. Seems like you're the only one they really care about, though."

There was only a brief moment of silence.

"Can you be honest with me, though? Why were you really back at that park?"

"I told you, I was just trying to get my scooter back—"

"Lies lead to more lies, Lila."

"I'm not lying," I say. I feel so stupid!

"Lila!" He exclaims firmly. "How do you expect me to help you if you keep lying to me like this?" He asks. I was about to claim I'm not lying again but... God. No, I'm not that stupid. I'm really fucking stupid, but I can control myself at least a little.

"I'm sorry," I say.

"Tell me why you were there, then."

"I was... investigating something. A box."

"A box?" Terry points to the back seat, "Like one of those?"

I look and lo and behold he has one of those yellow boxes just sitting there in his back seat.

"Don't worry, it's off. And its tracker is off, too." He adjusts himself in his seat. "Why are you interested in those?"

I swallow my fear of sounding stupid because the fear of being caught lying again was much, much greater. "Whenever I go near one it goes crazy. I wanted to see what was inside."

I glance over my shoulder again and go to reach for the box. In an instant he slams the breaks of the car and grips my wrist, pulling my hand away from it. "Don't."

I pull my hand back from his and sit awkwardly for the rest of the ride. He drops me off at the doctor's office in the town over where my mom works and walks with me inside. My mom sees me almost immediately and is concerned for what's wrong with me. Because I'm the daughter of one of the nurses, I only sit in the waiting room for a couple minutes before they let me in back.

About half an hour passes and I'm all bandaged up and ready to go home, and boy am I excited to go home. At around the half-way point, after we'd spent the first half completely silent, Terry speaks up.

"I'm sorry for lashing out at ya, kid. You just really don't want to see what's inside that box."

"What is it?"

He just put a hand up to silence me. Then the rest of the car ride was silent again.

When I get out of his car at my house we say good byes to each other and I walk inside. I almost forgot what day it was, but the man sitting on the couch reminded me quickly.