Episode 5: Two of a Kind
Meanwhile…
I paced back and forth anxiously waiting for my pint-sized companion, Audrey. She was one ballsy chick that one. Smart too. Smart enough to see right through me I’m sure. There were so many times I just wanted to up and leave. Escaped those sweet judging eyes, but I had promised her. Promised to help find her dad. Promised her we would both find our loved ones together. To think a guy like me on some hero’s mission. It was a stark contrast from my life before and the selfish intentions I shared with my previous group. If you can even call us a group.
You see I had traveled with two men before meeting Audrey. A crooked cop, named David who framed me for murder and a convicted predator named, Mark. I had traveled with them for two months and had survived with them despite the dysfunctional dynamic between us, but back then it was all about preserving myself. Even if meant ignoring Mark’s angry outburst towards David and any poor souls we came across. Even if it meant looking away when David used his forked tongue to take advantage and hide his own dirt. Without batting an eye I watched them take and scheme.
Part of me even feeling at home with such behavior, but then I met Audrey and everything changed. She saved me. Both physically and mentally I was revived.
Now I was standing here doubting myself. Wondering what I would even say to her. The memories of them both perishing still fresh in my mind. The anger I felt when I almost killed Mark with my bare hands still vivid. If Audrey hadn’t stopped me I would have. That in itself scared me. How easy it was to resort to violence. To descend back into my old ways. Was I becoming the monster I once was or was I becoming something much worse? I wasn’t sure, but she had already made up her mind about me. I was sure of it.
I sighed stopping in my tracks eying a corpse just outside. “Speaking of monsters…”
I grasped the rifle still resting in my hand. Seeing the occasional corpse walking through wasn’t an unusual occurrence, but what came next definitely was. As I stepped forward towards the doorway ready to dispose of the mindless bag of bones, a strange man appeared out of nowhere behind it. He grabbed it by the head and stabbed it with his knife. Another man then ran up behind him carrying a gas can. They were both tall, white, blonde from what I could see, but one wore a long coat and a mask. A woman was also with them, but she veered to the left suddenly as they came closer to the rest stop.
I ducked behind the counter. Both in shock and in fear. Who were these people? What did they want? I watched the masked guy in the coat ordered his companion to fill up the gas can pointing towards the pumps. He seemed to be the leader. He stopped briefly studying our car. His hand lightly gliding across the hood as he walked. He then reached in his pocket and pulled out a glock as his eyes narrowed on the rest stop before him.
He entered slowly and cautiously brandishing his weapon. I held my breath as he reached the counter placing his palm on it. As he leaned over the counter, the other man called out to him.
“Hey, Matt! You got to look at this car!”
He turned around lowering his gun and his guard. He gestured for his partner to be quiet and turned around to my rifle in his face. His eyes widened and he froze.
“Put the gun down,” I said. My eyes still glued to his weapon. He slowly placed it on the counter and held up his hands.
"Good. Good. Now, who the hell are you?!”
He pulled down his mask and glared back at me. “Who are you?”
His partner then came walking in. The gas can still in his hand. He dropped it immediately upon seeing us.
“Oh, shit! Please don’t shoot. Please. We…we just wanted gas, sir”, he stammered. “Are you…are you the owner? We can give it back.”
I snickered, “The owner is dead. His body’s out back with a bite wound and a bullet in the head. Nah. I’m no owner. Just surviving. Now tell me is this your brother…Matt or Matthew? I did hear that right, right?”
The one they called, “Matt” looked back at his brother shooting him a dirty look and turned back to me frowning. “Yes. As my brother said we need gas. Are you alone here?”
“I’m the one asking the questions, here. I got the upper hand.”
“And we got the numbers,” he smirked. “So tell me what’s your name? You know mine. And well this is Nathan. Yours?”
My rifle remained trained on him. I rolled my eyes. “Whatever. I guess it doesn’t matter. It’s Vince. Now tell me. Where did your lady friend go?”
“Lady friend?”
“Don’t play stupid. I saw her. Where she go?!”
“To the restroom,” Nathan blurted out nervously.
“Nathan!” Matt hissed.
“Audrey…,” I gasped.
“Who?” they both said in unison as they exchanged puzzled looks and panic began to set in.
Sorry for the delay. I totally felt the pressure of getting this meeting right both visually and in writing! It’s an important and awesome moment! Hoped you liked it! The next chapter will follow this week and hoping to do another Friday! *crosses fingers*
