ILY

green Earth di

, prin

gonna end up stuck here overnight.

k shrubbery

reets looked the same before I fell asleep in

drive, but the meds just knocked me out. Ug

X glanced at me while we trudged

In the freakin' wilderness? Why'd

We're not exactly in the depths of

to get past him. My back ached but I'd rather suffer pain than be anywhere near a total st

hat he told me to do," drawled my only

safety. Actually his only job. He got hired only to keep me alive and safe. That didn't entail mock

ng, I glanced down at the goosebumps on my cold arms. My nape and back felt slick with sweat insi

it for hours on the side of the road for a bloody tow truck." X sighed loudly, t

ly. Wher

ea. Must be near a police station. She and Karlo were shooting

somewhere remote? Without her? Odd. Or

or anything. I also didn't see any hints of a deadly weapon when h

unded slightly out of breath now. He stayed behin

hy

d to murder you might've

er?

rds. My chest tightened at the graphic images in my head.

et me? Because of my dad's mo

ce. Fully trusting him with my life might be worse than finding a way out of this wi

hances." X increased

ow, nothing did. Would I make it back home al

s limping towards the narrow dirt road, but brisk-walking. "My ears

Slow down! I

ght be bleeding to death now, b

chest tightened. Was he being serious now? "You go

ul, pr

per body. His leather jacket and pants looked wrinkled lik

my face. His beard didn't hide the

irdo. "I have a name." I touched the sleeve of

take it off of him. A round, damp spot s

"What the heck?

ared at the dirt roa

ged at his sleeve but he g

's just get us

us again. Just trees and shrubbery ever

't you?" He chuckled and walked on, le

ny?" How could he mak

h a ride. Then we'll get us supplie

ould we spend the night? Wa

oints were starting to hurt again. "Shit. You

one. Like I said, can't take any chances. Those nut

tly. But he still seemed calm e

ld be a payphone 'round here. A mall. O

. "I don't have their phone numbers memorized. E

hey wouldn't

he woods again?" Why did he even think it would do us any good? I would

e. No cars. No people. No lamp post

to a police station. Now we're just

ust keep walking," he muttered beside me, his brow

along the dirt road. We rode a tricycle and pa

head. Sweat dripped all over my face, neck, and clothes.

g the streets. Noisy cars. Smoke. Impatient motorists eve

de? My fever's gone. For now.

the polic

s." Axell held my forearm a

ed. "Wh

ing? Or ju

ing head drew blanks, my breath hitch

I squinted at him. Why wou

u dead would know

Why did he sound so ce

money's still money to

expected me to just trust him with my life? I just

this jerk jus

being out here. I was terrible with directio

...my last day on