[ 1:48 PM ]
"what the hell do you think you're doing?" i hear from the other side of the van.
i grab apple's hand and rush around the van, coming upon soraya in front of a guy inside the van.
he's muscled and definitely pissed. his fists are clenched together, his veins popping out along his exposed arm as he's wearing a tank top.
"we were gonna borrow your van?" soraya jokes.
the guy looks between apple, ray and i. his eyes linger on soraya and i, a glint of recognition flashing through his eyes.
"you're those people the government are looking for!" he shouts, "you're terrorists!"
"i know it's our word against the government and media, but we're not terrorists. we didn't create this virus," soraya explains, her hands up in defense.
"believing anything you say is the last thing i'm going to do."
he goes to close the door on us and soraya leaps forward to stop him, grabbing the edge of the door to keep it from closing.
"wait! please-"
"stop!" he yells at her, grabbing her wrist to pry her hands off the door.
she gasps harshly, her eyes turning a blinding white.
"let her go!" i demand, shielding my eyes.
he releases his hold and soraya falls to the ground, her eyes returning to normal. i rush to her, crouching to her height.
"what the hell did you do to her?" i question to the guy. "are you okay?" i ask her.
she looks up at me, then the guy in the van who's got a horrified expression plastered on his face.
"you're pure," she tells him. "i-i don't know what i saw but there is nothing malicious about you. except this dark shadow, but that was like a small glimpse."
"what is she talking about? what the hell was up with her eyes?!" he questions.
"ray, what's going on?" i ask her, making her look at me with the guide of my hand.
"i don't know dom," she smiles. "i think i... i saw his, soul," she tells me, shaking her head.
"you..." the guy in the van laughs. "my soul? are you crazy?!"
"look bro, we'll explain any questions you want to know. we're not the enemy here," i say, getting irritated with how's he's treating soraya.
"i don't know you, or her, nor do i want to."
"whatever ill intent you have against us, i promise that'll change if you just let us explain. we didn't create or spread a virus. we're not that smart to be honest," soraya explains. "we're trying to figure things out just like you."
the guy sighs.
i help ray up and he offers his hand to her. she takes it, he helping her inside. she sits in the second row of seats behind the drivers and passengers. i help apple up and she sits next to soraya.
i join last.
"cool!" apple exclaims, looking at the back of the van.
the inside, behind the five seats, is a small room. there's cabinets and a bed set up.
"tiny home," soraya smiles, nodding in approval.
"you mind helping me out?" the guy asks, walking towards the bed. i follow his lead, transforming the bed into a lounge area; two benches and a table.
"double cool!" apple grins.
"i'm grayson. assuming from tv, you're dominic and soraya. i hear about you on the radio. social media is blowing up because of you two. but who's this adorable little girl? i almost didn't recognize you two with her."
"i'm apple!"
"my little sister," i nod.
"apple!" he smiles. "that's a beautiful name," he compliments.
apple shy's away into soraya, who's got an intrigued look on her face at this grayson dude.
he takes a seat on the right side of the bench and gestures to us his opposing side.
i close the side door as soraya climbs over the three seater before helping apple over.
soraya sits first, then apple, and i last.
we stare at grayson as he stares at us.
how much do we tell him?
soraya and i look at each other.
everything...
wait a minute soraya, we don't know this guy
i trust him. you'll have to trust me on this.
"anyone care to explain what the hell's going on?"
i look at grayson, who's patiently waiting, making silly faces at apple.
she giggles, shielding herself into me.
if you're wrong...
i'm not dominic. i know i'm not.
"what do you want to know?" soraya asks.
"who are you? what are you? do you know what's going on with this virus? can you stop it?" he questions.
"actually, grayson, if you've got a cell phone, we'd love for it to be destroyed," she smiles.
"but... i check social-"
"destroyed grayson. if we're going to tell you everything, we need you to trust us because none of what we say can leave this van. none of it."
grayson pulls his phone out, staring at it a little. he finally stands, opening the sliding door. he tosses his phone out, joining us back at the table.
he stares in anticipation.
"i'm dominic," i start. "this is soraya, and my little sister apple."
"the reason why we're wanted in the country, maybe the world, is because dom knew patient zero."
"my homie max," i nod.
"how do i trust that you guys are telling the truth?"
"that's the risk you'll have to take, because we're risking everything by telling you any of this stuff," i tell him.
"okay," he nods. "okay, i can be open-minded."
"yeah? we'll see about that," i mumble.
{ a/n: am i the only one that thinks wurli perfectly describes the relationship of soraya and dominic? is that just me though? should i call this book wurli lmao ??? alssoooo the tiny home is based off the tiny home the dolan twins are now selling and got wrapped so it's not white anymore and then i thought they had a roof deck when it was white but they didn't so let's imagine that they do but yeah wonderful lmaaoo }