"We just have to stay calm," Rachael said, Michael panted furiously. "They can't know it was us for sure. And even if he did call the cops, they'd be too late."
"But what if they do find us? They aren't exactly after you!" Michael argued. Rachael sighed and looked into her review mirror.
"They're gonna want me. I'm harbouring a fugitive." Rachael said. Michael looked at her. He began to smile and then burst out into laughter. "What's so funny?" She asked. Michael just shook his head still laughing at what she said.
"We're so fuckin' screwed." He said. Rachael went serious, but then gave in. The sudden rush of adrenaline hit her like a thousand bricks. She nodded and manically went red.
"Yes, Mike. Yes we are." She giggled. She never thought about it til now, but Michael had a very piculiar laugh. It was like a kindergarten child learning his ABC's amd thinking; You talk funny. She's never laughed so hard in her life. Never could she remember a time where she did. Apart from the time her father tickled her so hard under the arms that she had a five hour stitch. What was she going to do now, she was on her way to six months in juvenile hall for kidnapping Michael and assaulting a man who tried to rape him. It was just too much to take in for the long haul. And if she ever did go back to Brisbane, nobody would give her the time of day to let her tell the right story.
'Well, you see, it was Michael's fault. Had he not run off to the train station, I would've have stumbled onto the scene of his almost near rape. The least I could do for a friend who's always made me giggle whilst takin' the piss out of my day, innit?' she thought sarcastically. Was she that screwed for when she returned. What if she couldn't even find Luke... She'd never even told Michael that she spoke to him. But, did that matter. Michael didn't have a private life, so it shouldn't have mattered if she spoken to his apparent lover.
Michael fell asleep after a few hours of singing to the radio. It was a long dirt road from Twin Town to Dundee. Only nine more hours away from Luke, but come five more hours, she'd be sleeping in the nearest motel. But, she couldn't use her Aunts' credit card. What if the police were tracking her? This could be a long trip. And if it came to it, they would sleep in the old beaten, rickety shit box she called a car.
She yawned, over ahead were cattle and lightening. It had been so hot the past few days that mother nature decided it was best to strike back with a vegeance. Water! Michael awoke with a jerk. The thunder up ahead had frightenned him, his eyes went entirely wide. His pupils dialated.
"I'm up!" he shouted. Rachael turned and looked at him, she put her hand on his head.
"Hey, it's okay. It's just the storm." She announced. Supposebly that made it all better, perhaps. Michael sat up straight and looked out the windshield, he squinted.
"Where are we?" he asked.
"Somewhere between Dundee and Capriconia Wells. But, if we stay on this track, we should be in Sydney by tomorrow afternoon. Michael looked at the GPS, he could see all the symbols, knife and fork to represent resteruants. Park benches to represent national parks. And beds to represent--
"There's a motel about a kilometre from here. We should stop there. Get warm." he said. Rachael nodded and pulled into a cross roads. She looked left and right.
"Fine, but remember where the crossroads were. Because, I have a terrible memory." She said. Michael licked his dry lips, they cracked at the force of hydration. He could feel the skin peeling off them. He needed food and water badly. All that Pepsi did was make him need to use the toilet. Thankfully, Rachael wasnt an easily disgusted person, and let Michael urinate into one of the bottles at his feet. So long that he emptied it when they made a next stop. The drive took a toll on Michael, he'd never been in so many places other than when he moved five months ago. But, even then most the time he was asleep with earphones in. His iPod was his biggest peace of mind he had at that point in time. Thank god for Rachael, she could've never spoken to Michael again after he mocked her poetry. But, loyalty is what it is. Even when most of the girls who dissaproved of Michael tried to tell Rachael being around him was social suicide, she turned a blind eye on them. She didn't care much for school yard politics, Those who dictated the ways of the school playground were stupid and stuck in a place where cheerleaders are forever remembered for being pretty and slutty, although celibate for those who thought otherwise. Rachael was a good friend, and it was for this Michael was entirely thankful. He probably would've been beaten and killed after being raped by the man at the station. Six feet under with tattered clothes and soiled body. Or would the man choose to chop him up into little pieces and feed him to the fishies. He gulped at this thought and put total confidence into Rachael's presence, after all, she was the one driving.
"A couple hours sleep, Michael, after that we're gone. Do you understand. No more arguements.' Rachael said. Michael agreed and nodded like a child. "Four o'clock, we're gone. Is that understood?"
"Yes." Michael replied. He'd finally given into her words.
***
"We're really sorry to bother you Miss Leofolt. But, we have reason to believe your niece Rachael has assaulted a man." Detective Johnathon Benson said, as Aunt Faye stood at the door.
"Excuse me?" She asked.
"We have-"
"No, Rachael wouldn't. She couldn't hurt anybody, unless someone was in danger." She interrupted. " And even if so, how do you know it was her, what evidence do you have?"
"People at the scene recognised her, and her friend Michael Clifford who is now a runaway. We tracked them down to a gas station out west. Did she tell you where she was going?" asked Benson.
Better not tell them Faye, they might say you contributed to the delinquency of a minor. Rachael's a tough girl, she'll figure it out! Faye thought to herself. "No, I don't know where she is."
"There's no car in the driveway... Miss Leofolt do you drive a nineteen ninety-six Mercedes Benz?"
"Yes."
***
Morning had come, but still it was dark. Michael had showered and put his formal shirt back on with his undershorts he wore just incase it got hot. Rachael was still alseep, snoring silently. Michael smiled, she pinched her nose which woke her up immediately. She gasped for air. "Argh!" she exclaimed, "What's goig on?"
"Rachael, it's four o'clock in the morning. You fell asleep." Michael caressed her cheek. She smiled and looked out the window. Pitch black. "I went and fetched you coffee from the lobby"
"Thank you." She said, getting up and reaching for a cup on the bedside table. She chose the one closest to her, it's handle was chipped and was a herpes hazard. She took small sips. "I guess you slept okay."
"No." He said, shaking his head. He pointed to the side table of his bed. It had a old black and white television set on it. "Spent most of the night watching reruns of The Nanny."
"Oh, god. Mistah Sheffield!" Rachael mocked the likes of Fran Drescher. Michael laughed and sniffled. His nose was so cold from the air vents, which were particularly strong for an old beaten up motel that probably stood there since the 1900's. Michael's laugh went fade at the sight of blue and red. The colours flashed against the walls and splashed onto his skin.
"Cops," Rachael said, getting up, placing her cup down. She grabbed her purse and keys from the countertop near the door. Michael picked up his jacket. He was scared and shaken up by this whole fiasco. When could he retire from running... "Michael, if anything happens, I want you to grab the keys and drive. keep going til you find Luke, okay?" Rachael said, Michael nodded and got his legs at the ready. Ready to run to the car. Just as the police officer entered the lobby. Rachael opened the door and went first, creeping down the corridor, tip-toeing toward the stairs. "Go, Michael." She whispered. Michael went first and carefully walked down the steps. He could hear the chatter from the lobby. The lobby clerk was describing Michael's features. He turned to Rachael and nodded. This meant he was ready to run.
"Now!' he shouted. He frantically ran toward the car, Rachael not too far behind, her pubescent breasts keeping her down. She gasped, holding her breath until she opened he driver's side. She quickly slid in and tried to unlock Michael's side. It was a useless thing, the lock always jammed. And at the most inconvinient moments. A police officer glanced out the lobby door, spotting Michael trying to frantically jimmie the lock.
"Hey! Michael!' he yelled. Michael was close to tears. He wasnt going to go back to the smell of cat piss and bourbon in his town. He ran around the back of the car, fuddling open the trunk, it led to the back seat. He climbed in as quick as he could, slamming it behind him.
"GO!" Michael shouted. Rachael started the car, forgetting that it needed to be warmed up. It chuffed and chuffed.
"Bloody car!" She shouted! The police officer was approaching, closing in on them. "Come on baby, just like last night!" finally the car started and whirled its' engine. And in good timing. She screeched the tires, taking off with just the push of a pedal. She felt absolute need for speed. She took off onto the dirt path and toward the cross roads. The policeman hurried to his car. Soon he would lose them, Rachael took a detour, while taking a double back to Mountain View and on their way to the bright city. just a few hours.
***
"Shit!" Michael exclaimed, putting his hands in the pockets of his jacket. "It's gone!" he shouted. Rachael looked at him quickly, then back at the road.
"What is?" She asked. Michael began to cry.
"The letter. The last letter Luke sent me. It's gone! It must've fell out of my pocket and onto the pavement when I got into the backseat. Shit!" He said kicking the glove compartment. Rachael put her hand on his shoulder.
"Hey, it's gonna be okay." She said calmly.
"I know that you called him." Michael said bluntly.
"Called who?"
"Luke. I know you called him." Michael replied.
"I didn't think it mattered." Rachael said, reaching in her purse for a tissue, handing it to her friend who was crying without sobbing his words.
"It matters to me. If you're going to call him, I should know. Is he expecting me?" Michael said, wiping a tear from his eye. Rachael didn't reply. She continued to race down the dirt highway. Focusing on the speed, looking out for the authorities. "Is he?" he repeated.
"Yes."
"Great."
"Michael... Were you actually going to surprise him? He wants you to be in Brisbane, sleeping in your warm bed, taking the Summer off while registering at universities on the weekends." Rachael urged. Michael wiped his nose. He'd cried one too many times these past few days, this was the first time Rachael was to blame. Luke was his. His little secret, although not exactly one. But, he thought Rachael would know this. Of course, she was just doing what was in his best interest. Looking out for him, and he supposed she had good intentions. But still, how dare she! "I really do think we're in over out heads right now."
"You saying you wanna turn back?" Michael asked.
"No, Michael!" she sighed.
"Good, because we're not." He fidgitted at his pants, he held his penis, he eagerly had an urge.
"Michael." Rachael said. He turned his head toward her. She reached into the backseat and handed him an empty bottle. He took it.
"Thanks. Just nerves, you know..." He said. Once again, Rachael would be exposed to Michael's urination methods, but this time she chose not to look. At least not for all of it.