Fangs | mlm

Chapter 3 - The escapes

"What is it about then? I'm guessing you're not doing it out of the goodness of your heart?"

The stranger shot him a confused look. "It sounded like an insult."

"Yes, I guess it was." He didn't have the patience to stay kind or polite, he didn't want to, anyway. 

"Hmm," was the only thing he said.

Trevor couldn't let him leave it like this, though. So he insisted, "I need to know."

"But do you want to know?"

It took Trevor a moment to nod agreement for him to continue.

"Well, remember that I asked." He set his gaze at Trevor as much as driving the van would let him, even though the road seemed deserted. "I'm saving you, because they were going to eat you alive." His tone seemed calm, although there was an edge to it; this was what made the news worse to swallow. "And probably still are."

"Oh—" He had his mouth open, like he wanted to add something, but then closed it. He'd brought it upon himself, he shouldn't have asked. Even so, it didn't make it any easier.

There was a brief pause, before the stranger spoke again:

"Do you mind if I turn on the radio? I didn't want it to wake you up earlier."

"I don't care," he said shortly, shaking his head. 

Soon the Beatles sounded from the speakers and drowned out both the roar of the engine and the murmur of the night itself. The only activity that gave Trevor a sense of privacy was looking out the window, since he had his back turned on the stranger, and so he devoted himself to it. There was now a forest behind the glass instead of fields or grasslands. He was in serious trouble, and the person whom he had to work with was the stranger, out of all people. It didn't look promising.

After quite a while, he turned back and reached for the radio to turn down the volume; the stranger let him without asking. 

"Why are you doing this?"

"Doing what?"

He hoped he wouldn't have to say it aloud, but here he was: "Helping me. You don't benefit from it, it seems."

"Oh, this," he repeated, then grinned. "Well, I must admit I find you very intriguing. It's hard to explain, but there's something about you that... doesn't let me go of you." He turned to study Trevor's expression. "I can't let them eat you, can I?" he then added.

Suddenly, blood rushed to Trevor's cheeks, making slightly redder. Yet he couldn't explain why it had happened—it wasn't even an actual compliment. "Um, thanks, I guess." He did his best to hide his embarrassment, then he looked away.

He didn't get to look out the window again, since the stranger spoke:

"Wait a minute," he began at last. "I haven't introduced myself yet, have I?" He looked at Trevor, who shook his head for the answer, and so he went on, "Well, I'm William." He offered his hand over the gearbox, but Trevor didn't take it. "That's fine. We don't have to shake hands."

"Yeah." He avoided his eyes. "And I guess you know my name already."

"I do. It was one of the first things we learned about you." He took Trevor's frown as an indication to explain, "We had to. To make a plan."

"The plan of kidnapping me?"

He nodded. "Uh-huh."

Trevor arched an eyebrow at him. "It didn't really calm me down, you know."

"Oh. Sorry." William smiled nervously as his eyes went back on the road.

"One more thing," Trevor began, shifting in the seat. "Can you explain to me why you all wanted me? Why not someone else? There are tons of people like me out there."