behavior, the drive turned out to be anything but peaceful. The worst snowstorm she’d ever been in was smack dab on top of them. Only two things saved them. The snowplow leading the way in front of them and her rescuer’s expertise behind the wheel.
Once again, luck was on their side. The plow pulled onto the road just as they left the airport. The huge machine’s powerful lights hardly made a dent through the dense snowfall as they struggled to illuminate the street enough to keep them in the right lane, making every single minute seem like an eternity. Makayla kept assuring herself that if the snowplow driver felt it safe enough to plow through the storm, she could trust her companion’s abilities to maintain control as well.
Soon, the uneasiness took over. “What’s your name? I-I mean, what am I supposed to call you?”
He turned briefly to look in her direction with a confused expression. But his attention darted back to the daunting task in front of him.
This really might not be the best time to exchange names. Huge snowflakes hit the windshield before being swiped up to join the others on the wiper blades. Makayla had never seen snow like this. Her fingers were numbing as she sat with a death grip on the door’s armrest, the anxiety in the air increasing with each passing second.
“You can call me Ryan.” It was short and to the point, void of any emotion. But she welcomed any form of communication to divert her thoughts away from the storm.
“Thanks, Ryan. For doing this.”
He grunted with a nod in response.
“Don’t you want to know my name?”
“Sure.” His determined expression never changed.
“It’s Makayla.” He didn’t respond. Well, now she just felt silly. The last thing he wanted or needed was her distracting babble and that fact was proven by his persistent silence. Settling back into her set, she worked hard to keep her thoughts off the weather and on what they would do when they reached the next town.
She needed a new plan.
The tedious drive seemed to drag on for hours with the sound of the plow’s scrapping echoing in the dark night. Exhausted from the lack of sleep the night before and the ordeal of dodging Steven’s goon at the mall, Makayla struggled to keep her lids open. The car was so warm, Michael’s soft breathing from the back seat comforting her frazzled nerves. The last thing she wanted was to fall asleep. She needed to stay alert. Help Ryan watch for danger. And watch him for signs of a threat.
The next thing Makayla knew, she was waking up to the sunshine on her face. Blinking back the haze, she fought to make sense of her situation and work the kinks out of her neck by turning to look out the window. The snow had stopped, the sky clear of all the dark ominous clouds from the night before. A fresh blanket of snow covered the ground and trees, but the road was now clear as far as she could see in front of them. As the sun’s rays glistened off the snow banks, clarity hit.
She’d done it. Actually gotten away. Even when things started falling apart.
But now what?
“Sleep well?” The man beside her was talking, but his tone and attitude had completely transformed. He almost sounded civil.
“Yes, I guess you can say that.” She smiled uneasily over at him and was shocked when he returned one of his own. What a glorious smile it was too. His entire face lit up, those blue eyes full of life.
“Michael woke up a few miles back. I gave him a candy bar to keep him quiet so you could rest.”
Makayla twisted in her seat to peer at her son. His sandy blonde hair shielded most of his features, but the steady rise and fall of his chest assured her he was resting peacefully again.
“Thank you.” This man actually thought of someone else before himself. He’d let her rest and managed to pacify her son. But why? Probably to keep her from asking too many questions so the time would pass peacefully. She decided that had to be it.
“How much further to the
Once again, luck was on their side. The plow pulled onto the road just as they left the airport. The huge machine’s powerful lights hardly made a dent through the dense snowfall as they struggled to illuminate the street enough to keep them in the right lane, making every single minute seem like an eternity. Makayla kept assuring herself that if the snowplow driver felt it safe enough to plow through the storm, she could trust her companion’s abilities to maintain control as well.
Soon, the uneasiness took over. “What’s your name? I-I mean, what am I supposed to call you?”
He turned briefly to look in her direction with a confused expression. But his attention darted back to the daunting task in front of him.
This really might not be the best time to exchange names. Huge snowflakes hit the windshield before being swiped up to join the others on the wiper blades. Makayla had never seen snow like this. Her fingers were numbing as she sat with a death grip on the door’s armrest, the anxiety in the air increasing with each passing second.
“You can call me Ryan.” It was short and to the point, void of any emotion. But she welcomed any form of communication to divert her thoughts away from the storm.
“Thanks, Ryan. For doing this.”
He grunted with a nod in response.
“Don’t you want to know my name?”
“Sure.” His determined expression never changed.
“It’s Makayla.” He didn’t respond. Well, now she just felt silly. The last thing he wanted or needed was her distracting babble and that fact was proven by his persistent silence. Settling back into her set, she worked hard to keep her thoughts off the weather and on what they would do when they reached the next town.
She needed a new plan.
The tedious drive seemed to drag on for hours with the sound of the plow’s scrapping echoing in the dark night. Exhausted from the lack of sleep the night before and the ordeal of dodging Steven’s goon at the mall, Makayla struggled to keep her lids open. The car was so warm, Michael’s soft breathing from the back seat comforting her frazzled nerves. The last thing she wanted was to fall asleep. She needed to stay alert. Help Ryan watch for danger. And watch him for signs of a threat.
The next thing Makayla knew, she was waking up to the sunshine on her face. Blinking back the haze, she fought to make sense of her situation and work the kinks out of her neck by turning to look out the window. The snow had stopped, the sky clear of all the dark ominous clouds from the night before. A fresh blanket of snow covered the ground and trees, but the road was now clear as far as she could see in front of them. As the sun’s rays glistened off the snow banks, clarity hit.
She’d done it. Actually gotten away. Even when things started falling apart.
But now what?
“Sleep well?” The man beside her was talking, but his tone and attitude had completely transformed. He almost sounded civil.
“Yes, I guess you can say that.” She smiled uneasily over at him and was shocked when he returned one of his own. What a glorious smile it was too. His entire face lit up, those blue eyes full of life.
“Michael woke up a few miles back. I gave him a candy bar to keep him quiet so you could rest.”
Makayla twisted in her seat to peer at her son. His sandy blonde hair shielded most of his features, but the steady rise and fall of his chest assured her he was resting peacefully again.
“Thank you.” This man actually thought of someone else before himself. He’d let her rest and managed to pacify her son. But why? Probably to keep her from asking too many questions so the time would pass peacefully. She decided that had to be it.
“How much further to the
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