Shatter

Chapter 44

               "Raven!?" I recognize Chandler climbing up into the truck, looking for me. One second I think it's some sort of sick hope, and really it's the men trashing Dave's truck, but a second call lulls me back from that fear.

                "Raven!!" He sounds so scared. "Rae!"

               "I'm here." My voice sounds so small...no wonder he can't hear me, calling out again, but for pure fear, well shock actually, I can't bring myself to move for a few long seconds when Chan makes such a verbal whimper, whispering and repeating the word 'no' and 'Please dear God' that I have to move when he starts to leave the truck, probably to look around for me.

               "Chandler..." I clear my throat. "Chandler I'm here. I'm down here!" I bite my cheek, hard, to bring back some of my senses while I drag myself out from under the seats, my boy in panic climbing up again to see me.

               "Raven! Are you ok?!"

               "I'm fine. I'm fine." I nod so he'll calm down a little, but his eyes aren't any easier, and his face looks paler than usual in the car light when he takes a look at me before squeezing my upper body in something I'd describe as a desperate embrace.

               "Good." He nods. "That was smart." His voice cracks before letting his body go halfway limp, sighing and massaging above his eyebrow.

               I don't know what to think, but when he's trying to catch his breath, gripping my hair to make sure I'm really ok, and it's so obvious he's just been terrified when his chest shakes against mine, I'm really glad I'm all right. "Fvck...I thought...did you see who it was? Like, faces?"

               "No. They just trashed the car and I just hid." My bodies slowly easing up. I'm not really trembling anymore but my throat is still tight. "Chandler. It was because of the truck. The drugs right? Dave and everything?"

               He lingers for only a second, sighing before helping me up off the floor. "Yeah. Most likely. I don't see what the heIl else it could be." I watch him examine the crack in the glass before scoffing. "No skin off my nose...at least with this truck. I'm sorry I left you."

               "No it-"

               "Don't say its fine." He closes his eyes and takes a second to calm down. "I hate it when you say that. I know fvcking well you're still scared. And it's my fault." He mumbles the last part.

               His fault? I guess even Chandler thinks like that sometimes. Taking the blame for things that aren't his to be blamed for.

               I can't have that though...I won't have it.

               "No. It wasn't. It's just how things are. With your dad and Dave...and this truck."

               "Ha...right."

               "Hmph...I think I need to sit down though." I look out the open door, completely chilled since it's getting closer and closer to December, and I'm really hoping those guys are long gone because if they're not we're just sitting here in the middle of the night as open targets.

               "You're unbelievable." Chandler catches me off guard.

               "What?"

               "I said..." He hops out of the front seat and walks around the door, bending down to make a store bag rustle when he joins me in the back. "You're unbelievable."