A Viking, Willa, Josiah And His Lamb In A Truck | ✔

In Which She Gets Kidnapped

I didn't expect you to text me, but sure! We can meet tomorrow at dinner :-)

Carlos had sent the following message in response to my text and the Viking was quick to sniff my mischief as his eyes fiercely met mine.

"Who is Carlos?" I asked in the same croaky voice that I involuntarily adopted while talking to Josiah which betrayed me.

"Why did you---" the Viking paused, drawing in a deep breath which didn't pacify him one bit. "Who told you?"

Seeing a golden opportunity to blame this on another person and take no accountability of my actions, I said, "Jarred!"

"Did he tell you to contact him?"

"No . . . "

"Did he tell you that the person you texted is a liar and a cheater who is happily married to someone else now?"

"Wait-what?" I gave him a long look, confirming the painful words he uttered by glancing at Josiah and the lamb who were equally shocked. "Really?" The Viking had his eyes shut now, his fisted hands placed on the hood of the truck. I said in regret, "Jarred left the juiciest part of the gossip out."

His eyes fluttered opened and if this was anime, there would have been two fires blazing in them.

"Do you have any idea what you have done?" he started off slowly, then backed away from the truck. "You have made my life miserable the minute you came. Meddling into my stuff and coaxing me into doing things like this bloody trip! A trip where I didn't get a second worth of peace!" He was shouting now and his voice was thundering in the quietness of the highway. "You're bloody annoying and selfish. A pain in the backside! You don't deserve this privileged life and that poor mother of yours . . . Grow up, grow the hell up before everyone leaves you! Spoiled, little . . ."

"Why? Go on," I whispered, swallowing the lump in my throat which refused to go down like a ball bobbing on the surface of the water. I raised my chin up defiantly. "Why did you stop?"

"Fine, hear the truth and I hope it gets in your thick head," he bellowed, his jaw clenching underneath the shabby beard. "A girl like you will always end up alone. See, why the lad with the lamb doesn't give a shit about you? It's because how unpleasant you're to be with. No one will like you. No one."

"Oh yeah?" My voice cracked, goddamn it! I took a glimpse of Josiah who soundlessly shook his head, blushing a little and offering his meek support. Stomping towards him, I grabbed his hand. "You're with me."

And then I sprinted on the highway with him, waving my arms at an approaching family van which slowed soon.

I stuck my head in the passenger seat window and said as sincerely as I could, "Sir, Ma'am, please help . . . This man has kidnapped us and now he plans to leave us in the middle of nowhere . . . " I pointed at a baffled Viking who threw his hands up in the air, staggering back. "Please help."

The van door flung open with little hesitation, the frightened woman inside taking Josiah and me in her warm arms for consolation as her tall, skinny husband stepped out to confront the giant Viking.