Can't Catch Me!

Chapter 4 - The Quest

He shook his head and snorted a little.  “Come on, before the kung-fu cows start attacking.”

We didn’t have to walk far.  I sat on the rocks and started to wash the saliva off my skin and clothes.  Thankfully the sun was high in the sky and there was a warm breeze.  As I spread my shirt over a flat warm rock to dry I looked up to find Joel’s eyes on me. 

“Strip,” I demanded as I put my hand out for his dirty clothes.

He pulled his shirt off but left his jeans on.  Seeing my raised brow he shrugged, “They are ruined anyway.”  He looked at the rips in the bottom of them and frowned.

We washed ourselves in silence.  Joel’s eyes turned to me watching me as I scrubbed my arms and cursed myself for not packing some soap.  Silently he moved over and gently began to rub my back. 

“I miss you,” I mumbled as I closed my eyes and enjoyed his touch.

“What do you mean?” he asked quickly and stopped rubbing.

“I don’t know, you aren’t yourself lately, you seem so distant.   I miss you.”

“I know Cissy,” he said so quietly but with so much pain in his voice.  “I can’t Cissy... I just can’t.  Just let me get you to somewhere safe.”

“Joel, where are you taking me?  You obviously have somewhere where you thought we should be. Where are you taking me?”

“I need to leave you somewhere safe, somewhere where they can’t find you.”

“Leave me!  What exactly do you mean by ‘leave me’?”

“I have to do this alone Cissy.”

“No!  No Joel.  No you don’t.”

“Yes I do!  I can’t risk you again Cissy.  I won’t let them take you away from me too!”

“No Joel.  We are in this together.”

“No! Don’t you understand Cissy?  I almost lost you!  I can’t lose you!  Not you too.”

“No Joel, don’t do this, no,” I stood there with tears running down my face. 

Joel stood up and took a step away from me.

“Look Joel, I won’t let you do this.  We need to be together.”

“No,” he said firmly and turned from me.

I stood looking at his back with tears streaming down my face.  Who was this?  I understood his pain but I never expected him to shut me out.   I never expected him to leave me.  I though he knew me.  I thought he loved me.  Obviously I was wrong.

“Where are you planning on leaving me?” I asked numbly.

“D150 with Gavin.”

“Gavin?  You are going to leave me with Gavin?”

“He promised me he would look after you if...”

“You had this arranged?”

“It wasn’t like that.”

“Great.  Fine Joel.” I grabbed my damp shirt off the rock and yanked it on.

He didn’t answer me he just looked away. 

With damp, stained and ripped clothing, and wet hair I looked bedraggled as I stomped away leaving him behind me.

“Where are you going Cissy?”

“What do you care?”

“Of course I care.  That is why I am doing this!”

“No you are doing this because I am inconvenient.  You are doing this because I remind you of her.  Because she betrayed you.”  I stopped and looked at his face.  “Joel I didn’t mean that.”