The ride back home seemed to take longer than before. Or maybe it was from being so exhausted. Either way, Leah had found herself fatigued. Bundled beneath a blanket that smelled like coffee beans, she sat curled up watching the lights pass by. They were getting closer to home, closer to anxiety.
She rubbed her eyes and readjusted, turning to face her driver. He was so quiet it made her ponder what he could be thinking about. Unless he thought she was sleeping again. She reached out and nudged him.
Daniel peeked over, "Still up?"
Her long lashes fluttered, "Barely."
"You should try to rest."
"But we're almost there. There's no point in trying to sleep, I'll just have to wake back up anyways."
"I wouldn't wake you."
"Oh so we're just gonna sleep in here?"
"How do you think I got you from the floor to the couch? Telekinesis?"
Leah sighed and lifted her head, "Maybe?"
"I carried you goofball."
"Does your back still hurt?"
He smirked and rose a brow, looking enchanting in the lights of the city. "You're not that heavy, trust me. I've carried you from my truck before, remember?"
The night they'd gone for pizza. He was right. She'd passed out in the truck after crying herself to sleep and yet woken up in her bed. What a Hercules. Surely he worked out.
She sucked in air, "I almost forgot."
"Just a friendly reminder," he rose an arm and curled it up to flex, "Hercules is here." He had stolen the words right out her mouth. He'd also caused her to reminisce just how many times he'd saved her butt, or coaxed her. Just by being around he was a big help by keeping her company. She wondered if it were a good idea getting so accustomed to him being there, seeing as he did have a life to return to eventually. One day she'd wake up and there wouldn't be a note. Her throat pushed a lump down.
Leah pushed his arm down and sat up straight, "Yeah but one day you'll be back home, working the day away."
"Well when you put it like that, it makes me not want to go back."
Chills scattered her body and she looked out the windshield. Was it selfish to not want him to leave? Yes it's very selfish.
"I was just saying." The tone in her voice was obviously disappointed. It stung the air like a bee in a silent night. She swallowed and folded the blanket off her chest.
Daniel glanced over at her, watching her hands fumble around on her lap. He sighed and reached his hand out, stopping her from fiddling.
Leah avoided him and turned her head out her window, pulling her hands away and slowly bringing the blanket back up to her chest.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing," she lied, "Just tired."
--
The truck had been silent on both ends for the remainders of the drive. Leah was fighting sleep, but wasn't winning the battle and had been dozing in and out the entire time. She could have swore she felt the truck arrive somewhere but hadn't had enough energy to check.
Not until she didn't feel any movement or hear the engine. Peeling her eyelids open she blinked to adjust her vision. They had in fact pulled in somewhere but it wasn't her home. Lot lights buzzed overhead and distant business lights shone in the night. She arched her back stretching before sitting up and taking in more of her surroundings.
The First Thing She noticed was Daniel wasn't in the truck, the second was that they were at a gas stop. Her heart eased a little and she tried to see inside the small building. Mother Nature was calling her and she prayed they had a bathroom.
Unbuckling her seat belt and tossing the blanket off, she climbed out the truck shutting the door with a slam. Her back arched as she stretched before ambling into the store.
Daniel Turned to the sound of the ringing bell over the entrance, "You woke up." He took his change from the cashier and grabbed the plastic bag off the counter, "I got you a bottled water, you want something else?"
"Yeah," she looked at the cashier, "Do you have a bathroom?" The older woman nodded like she hated her job and pulled a key chain from her apron, "Around the corner of the building. Watch the handle, it sticks sometimes."
Leah took it, thanking her before turning back to Daniel. They exited the store before she met his eyes for the first time since she'd fallen half-asleep, "Thank you for the water. I'll be right back."
He nodded modestly and gave her a hungry look before jumping off the curb and heading to pump the gas.
After pulling her eyes from him, she ambled around the corner and jabbed the key into the lock. The door opened with a loud and nasty creak, a fluorescent light automatically turning on.
Shutting herself in and locking it, the first thing Leah noticed was it was a typical public bathroom. Off white everything and it smelled like must and cheap air freshener. She sighed, if she could have held it in she would've.
It took her washing her hands to finally start to breathe out of her nose again. She rinsed the soap off and splashed water on her face before peering in the dirty mirror.
A makeup free face stared back at her, eyes of green lined with red from her slumber. She sighed noticing how much her face had changed since things began to happen and hunched back over for a second splash of water.
Coming up, She wiped her face down with a paper towel and took one last glance in the mirror.
Bad idea.
In the corner, the dark figure flashed, standing still. She yelped and spun around heart slamming into her chest.
But It had disappeared leaving her panting and spooked. Leah gripped the sink trying to tell herself it was gone and she was fine.
Then they hissed at her. She turned, sickly from hearing them everywhere she went. Sure enough to her tainted reality, purple snakes were emptying from the drain and creeping out of the faucet.
I can't even go to the bathroom now?! She thought, backing from the sink. It seemed as though they were multiplying faster than before. Her feet scuffed back until the noise echoed from behind her. She jumped and to her horror, more nasty purple visitors were coming from the toilet, the vents and the drain in the floor.
Ready to vomit or run, Leah turned and unlocked the door, pulling at the handle.
Watch the handle, it sticks sometimes.
"No, don't you stick on me!" She growled, tugging away at the dirty door. Her hands yanked with all her might but it refused to budge. "Please!" She peered over her shoulder seeing how many there were and how they were all getting close, "Please someone! Hello!"
Two touched her, sliding over her boots. Her gag reflex and fear combined and made her convulse. She kicked them off, and saw how full the bathroom was. No longer was it off white, it was purple, everywhere.
Leah screamed and began to pull and bang her fist against the door, "Somebody help me! Please! Daniel!" She knocked more snakes from her and tried the door again.
This couldn't be happening. She had just left Simon's house and already they were popping up like zits- squiggly violet zits.
Her body shook as she slammed her feet against the door, then her fists and feet again. Her cries grew louder and more desperate the more they began to shimmy up her legs. Shaking them off only presented twice as many coming up her legs. "Somebody! Please!" Her voice vibrated.
They rushed her like a football team. Her body was heavy as she tried desperately to hang on. She moved over and tried to pull the door from another angle, once again with no luck.
Her knees buckled and she held on to the handle to keep from being completely buried in the serpents. It seemed like the more they touched her the weaker she grew. Leaning her head against the wall, she slammed her hand and cried out, tears pouring down her cheeks, "Daniel!"
Boom!
A miracle sound echoed through the bathroom as the door flew open. Daniel had kicked it in, and immediately rushed to her. He put his arms around her just in time to catch her from collapsing against his body. Wrapping her arms around him she buried her face in his chest, shaking uncontrollably, "They were here! They were everywhere!"
He squeezed her and looked around in the then empty bathroom, catching the faint hissing before it disappeared. Dragging her out without bothering to try closing the busted door, he stopped and squeezed her tighter. Her weeping flared his instincts and he wasn't going to let go until she wanted him to.
If she wanted him to. Leah held on to him, shivering and crying. "Please don't leave me," she begged into his chest, "Please."
Daniel shook his head and whispered down to her, "I'm not, Leah, I'm not going anywhere." He stroked her head and let her cry it out as long as she needed to.
Beside them, the cashier rushed up complaining about the door, "What in the world happened here?"
"Don't worry," he glared, "It doesn't stick anymore."