Total pages in book: 83
Estimated words: 80550 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 403(@200wpm)___ 322(@250wpm)___ 269(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 80550 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 403(@200wpm)___ 322(@250wpm)___ 269(@300wpm)
I wait and wait until finally the next car comes into sight, and I wave wildly with my thumb stuck in the air, hoping they’ll stop for me. It zooms by so fast my bathrobe nearly flies off, and I grab it to keep myself together while trying not to cry. Another one completely ignores me. Maybe the next one will finally stop and take me with them.
But then the car stops in the middle of the road, and my heart stops beating for just a second.
They stopped.
It slowly backtracks until it reaches me, and the windows roll down. A young man sticks out his head. “Well, hello there. What’s a good-looking lady like you doing here?”
Can I trust them?
I bite my lip, hesitating for a moment before I open my mouth. “I’m looking for a ride. Can I come with you?”
“To where?” he asks.
“The city is fine,” I say, pointing at the sign that’s at the end of the road before it makes an abrupt left turn.
He looks at his buddies, one of them behind the wheel, the other two in the back seat, and I realize the car is really crowded already. He turns his head and says, “Sure, jump in the back. There’s plenty of room here.”
The door opens, and two sleazy-looking guys stare up at me like I’m not wearing anything. One of them steps out, the stench of marijuana nearly making me throw up.
Good God. Do I have to?
Maybe I should wait for the next car.
“After you.”
I wince and hide it with a smile, but they still keep the door open. They seem adamant, and I don’t want to be rude. I hesitantly approach the car. I don’t know if I’m even making the right decision, but questioning their motives won’t get me anywhere closer to freedom. Going with them will.
I set my reservations aside and sit down on the bench as the one who opened the door for me slides back inside, sealing me between the two of them.
God, it feels cramped in here.
Another car drives by, and I’m instantly feeling the regret of not waiting for the next one instead.
“So where do you want to go?” the guy in the passenger seat asks me.
I blurt out the first clothing store that comes to mind. “Zara’s.”
He grins. “Is that why you’re wearing a bathrobe?”
His buddies giggle.
“Yep,” I reply.
“Okay, whatever the lady wants. Let’s go,” the guy behind the wheel says, and he kicks the car into gear and slams on the gas.
We race off so fast I have to hold on to my seat to stay put, and the guys beside me are awfully amused by my inability to adjust to their speed.
This is reckless driving, and these guys are out of their mind, probably intoxicated on mushrooms, liquor, drugs or whatever else because I can see it in their eyes. Their pupils are wide, their eyes bloodshot, and their grins are almost permanently fixed on their faces.
Oh God, what the hell did I get myself into now?
One of them sticks up a cigarette, takes a drag, then holds it out to me. “Want some?”
I shake my head and smile. “No, thank you.”
“You sure? It’s a good one.”
I shake my head again. “Thanks for the offer, but I’ll pass. I already had a smoke today,” I lie.
“Did you now?” another guy replies, laughing.
I don’t even know their names. I’m not sure I want to know.
I keep the two sides of my bathrobe wrapped together tightly as one of them peeks at me, and I suddenly feel very naked.
God, this was definitely a mistake.
“So why are you wearing a bathrobe?” the one beside me asks.
“Oh, just because,” I say. “I was warm.”
“Hmm, sounds like a great excuse,” he says, taking another drag of his cigarette.
The other one lights one up too, and I can smell the pot. I hide my grimace behind my blond hair so they don’t notice my disgust.
“So you came out of the woods, bare feet, wearing only a bathrobe, and you’re telling me you did this by choice? Nah, I don’t think so.”
The one in the passenger seat laughs. “Sounds to me like she was running away from something … or someone.”
Panic wells up inside me. “I’m fine, thank you. I was just camping, and I threw out all my clothes because they had holes. That’s it. I’m looking to buy new ones, that’s why I want to go to Zara,” I lie. “But if you don’t want to take me there, you can just drop me off again, and I’ll find someone else to take me.”
I hope my brazen response keeps them in check.
One of them suddenly places a hand on my leg. “Don’t worry, girl. We’ll take you there.”
The other one bumps into me from the side. “Yeah, don’t stress out. You want some of this?”