148AN: You might have noticed some of my typos from last chapter, but I think I'll keep them there for people's entertainment. My friend pointed them out to me: ". . . save the peeing paint. . ." (supposed to be "peeling) and ". . . his hair and bear were unkempt and messy. . ." (supposed to be "beard").
Well we have about two chapters to go before the story ends. You know the drill, tell me if you want me to email you when I start the next story, or put me on author alert. My ID is 336524. Also, I'm going to put up another story soon, in probably a couple days. Please keep an eye out for that.
Chapter Fifteen-The Park
I followed him hesitantly towards the clearing behind the diner. The entire time, countless worst-case scenarios were whizzing through my mind faster than we were walking, not that it was an incredible fear, considering that the man–whose name I still didn't know–was strutting along not too much faster than a snail. I had to pause every step just so I didn't get ahead of him. Every one of those thoughts ended up with my murder, however it happened. He looked large enough to crush me in just a moment, not even giving me the time to gasp.
Closing my eyes, I tried to erase all the horrible thoughts out of my mind and kept reminding myself about the impending danger Shawn could be in. I snuck a glance back at Amanda, which was quite difficult with the burly man's strong arm around my waist, rather possessively, in fact.
"Don't look back," he growled, actually turning my head to face forward with an immensely-sized hand.
I panicked and fumbled for my purse, where I believe there was some pepper spray, in case I needed to use it. Then, I remembered that, when we were looking for some water, I had left it in the car. Biting my lip, I just kept hoping that luck would be on my side and I would somehow find Shawn alive and perfectly safe.
Darkness had begun to settle around us and veiled everything further than a few yards within eyesight. The trek, or modicum of onee, seemed to stretch at least three times longer than I thought it would be, but maybe that was only due to my anticipation and the man's sluggishly slow walking. It looked as if he knew most of the people at the diner
"Hey, Charley!" a man hollered.
"Randy!" he yelled back, waving at the other man with the hand that wasn't around my waist.
So now I knew what the man's name was, but that's about it. I don't find it incredibly smart to be wandering around with a stranger, but what choice did I have?"
"Well, we're here," he said once we were behind the diner.
The place was filthy with overturned trash bins, trash bags bulging at the seams, and stray pieces of garbage rolled around. Years of grime had built up, and I yelped as a rat scurried close to my feet with what looked like half a hamburger patty clutched in its mouth.
"Calm down," Charley told me.
"How am I supposed to calm down? I don't even know you!" I exclaimed.
"You don' need to."
I eyed him suspiciously. "Are you some kind of freaky murderer or something?"
"I'm not," he muttered simply.
"What do you mean you're not? Who is?"
"Summa those men I was standin' wit'."
Rolling my eyes, I regarded him with distaste. "So why are we back here?"
"To save face."
"Excuse me?"
"Well I don' think it'd gimme a good name if I did sumthin' to help ya. Ya know, 'round the guys."
I blinked a couple times and paused before opening my mouth again. "So there's no reason we're standing in this—" I started, looking around, "—place?" I finished.
"Nope, 'sides my reputation wit' the guys."
"Okay," I said warily. "Well then can you help me find my way to the state park?"
"Yup." He pulled a tattered map from his back pant pocket and opened it up. "Now, see here, this is where we are," Charley told me, pointing to a spot on the map far from the route I had intended to take, "an' you're goin' here, so ya need to follow the highway an' then get off here an'. . ." His voice trailed off in my mind, and I only listened enough to be able to get to the park on my own.
"Okay, well thanks a lot for your help," I cut in before he could continue telling me about a bunch of different routes to the park.
I smiled and walked swiftly back towards Amanda so we could leave behind the strange truckers and run-down diner and return back to the purpose of our trip, which had somehow deviated its way into the middle of nowhere. After taking a wary glance to my left, where the truckers were still huffing on cigarettes and taking long swigs of beer, I noticed Amanda, leaning against the car hood and chewing anxiously on her fingernails–which seemed to be bitten down to the bone–apparently waiting for me. She was looking straight ahead, at the endless fields across the road, but I know she heard me approaching.
"Amanda, I'm fine. Quit worrying. I found out how to get to the park, so let's go."
She slowly tore her eyes away from the scene and walked around to the side of the car, opened the door, entered, and gently closed it again. Once I started the car, she fell into a silent slumber. Sighing, I drove off towards the park with only the faint gleam of the moonlight to guide me.
The road and the scenery around it all began to blend together after the first few miles. Everything seemed to be the same to me, exit after exit, city after city. In fact, if it weren't for the road signs, which finally directed me to the state park, I would've thought that I'd remained stationary the entire time. Five hours and countless miles later, the darkness of the night was beginning to fade, as was the previously radiant shine from the stars. Another brightness broke over the horizon, filling the vast sky with a deep shade of pink.
I kept on driving, nearing the park at six o'clock, and headed straight for the campgrounds with hope that Shawn would be there. The place was completely deserted except for a couple tents here or there, and the ground was covered in layers upon layers of pine needles. Not an inch of the ground could be seen.
Shivering, I realized it would've probably been a good idea to bring a coat, but unfortunately I hadn't gotten that far in my thoughts. Crossing my arms over my chest, I wandered around the campgrounds, looking for any trace of Shawn. None came, and I kept on walking, unaware of where my legs were carrying me until I stopped. . . right where we had broken up ten years ago.
I found the bench he had been sitting on when I arrived to meet him those years ago and sat down on it, propping up my chin in my hands and just looking around at the effect ten years had on the park. Surprisingly, almost nothing had changed–the flowers and plants were beautiful, even in the middle of November and looked as healthy and cared for as ever. I half-expected Shawn to come walking towards me as if nothing happened, but he didn't, and after an hour of just sitting and reminiscing, I decided to go back and wake up Amanda.
On the way there, I spotted the main office of the park and headed towards its entrance, hoping someone had seen Shawn. I swung open the door and walked into the incredibly small place and up to the desk.
"How may I help you?" a middle-aged man said.
"I was wondering if a man passed through here in the past few days. He had brown eyes and hair, may have seemed lost, and he's in his late twenties."
"No, I'm sorry ma'am. I haven't seen him."
"Thank you," I said, nodding and heading back out the door and ran towards the car where Amanda was still sleeping.
I shook her awake. "Amanda. Amanda, wake up," I whispered.
"What?" she said drowsily, looking around. "Where are we?"
"We're at the park, but I don't think Shawn is here."
AN: Thanks a bunch for the reviews! Remember, constructive criticism is appreciated. See ya'll next chappy!
*~jULiA~*
|Recommendations|
dc-hypergrl (Plz r/r her stuff!)
Memory Lost by swim052001 (Not bad)
|Thank yous|
experiment626: Hola Kristen. XD. I don't think I can tell you what's going to happen. You'll just have to wait. Hehe. Thanks!
Abby: Wow, most people don't have the patience to read the first story, so they don't read this either. Most of my reviewers started reading it when I first started the first story. Anyway, yush, Shawn is sexy, but he's mine! Lol. Thank you a bunch! I love new reviewers!
Cutie Eskimo: Yup, I HAD to stop there. I don't know why she trusts the guy so easily, but I hope this chapter was reassuring. Thank you! I'm glad you wrote more this time! Lol.
Raineblade-ace: Mhm, I think everyone hoped nothing would happen 2 her. Yeah, as it was said in the story, she DID have pepper spray in her purse. Thanks!
Teea: Thank you! Yes, you're extremely perceptive. But it's good that you think in different ways from other people. Thanks for reviewing!
ME!1 as in. . . m.e.?: Interesting name. Anyways, um. . . thank you? I'm glad you had fun poking fun at meeh. *sniffle* It's not like I actually read over my typing. Stop bugging meeh! Lol, peeing paint! Thanx bunches!
Faded Soulfire: Yeah. . . interesting explanation. I know you meant that it was part of the story. Gawd, writing stuff at 3am. I actually write better then. Yeah, I think you made sense in your review (this one, I mean). At least, kind of. Lol. Water was amusing? Kewliez. Yeah, go to bed. You can get to ac4r later. Thanks!
Kry4me: Yay, new reviewer! Thank you! I'm glad you lyk mai story. Hmm, wut's going to happen? Sry, can't tell u! I don't think anyone knows exactly wuts gunna happen, but u can always guess, not that I'll tell u. Hehe. Thanks a bunch!