Page 36 of Last Breath

Joy

Two Months Later

The rest stop is clean, which I appreciate more than either of my companions can understand. Sure, there are bullet holes in the hallway, and yeah, the room requires paint to cover all the doodles, but I can handle that as long as there’s clean water and soap. That’s clean to me.

“Come on, Joy,” Mal calls out, banging on the heavy metal door.

“Just give me a bit, Mal.” Picking up the tiny white box I pilfered off the shelf, I’d peed on the strip ten minutes ago, like the instructions stated, and I’m waiting. Impatiently, I might add.

“We need to go. It’s been too long already.”

Yeah, don’t I know that. Mytoo long,though, is a different worry than his. After almost two and a half months of running around with these two, I’ve finally tangled with fate.

“I’ll be a couple more minutes, Mal. Just go. I’m fine.” Trying to pull the fear from my voice, I shake the stupid stick upside down.

Am I afraid to see the outcome? Yep, you bet your ass I am.

“Fine, but—” After a pregnant pause—no pun intended, Mal bangs the door harsher.

Scaring me, I shout, “Jesus, Malachi!”

“We need to go now, Joy. Please.” Mal’s voice has changed timber.

Oh fuck.

“Okay, give me a second.” Placing the pee stick in the original box and pocketing it, I unlock the door.

With a fear in his eyes, I know something is definitely wrong. “What?”

“Hear that?” he asks.

“No, I don’t hear anything.”

“That’s my point. It’stooquiet, Joy.” With fear lighting his eyes, it tells me there’s trouble.

Taking my hand, Malachi speed walks us out front. Is it what I expected? Maybe.

Is it worse than what I expected? No, I’ve seen worse. I’ve been a part ofworse.

“Where is he, Mal?” I whisper.

Shaking his head, he calls out, “Salem?”

With no answer at first, we both worry. Two months ago, Malachi changed the dynamics. I knew there’d be consequences and I was fucking right.

Taking the Impala to a side road, slamming the car in park and hopping out, Salem paced the dirt road for close to twenty minutes. Malachi and I stayed silent in the back seat, watching, waiting on him to return. He’d mutter to himself, his arms swinging wildly as he talked to an invisible friend. His internal fight was always subdued by Mal, at least that was what I’d been told, but right now, I didn’t think that was possible. Salem was pissed off.

When they were kids, Salem was beaten, fucked, and treated worse than a rat in his own home. No schooling, no healthcare, nothing that would even make child services know there was a minor living on the property. Tress had created a toy that was invisible to the outside world, until Malachi and he met one day. Salem didn’t know any better, he had no idea that the relationship he had with his father and drug-fucked mother was as messed as it was. Malachi had been his savior in all ways that counted. He’d never known love, compassion, or care until it was shown to him.

He trusted Mal.

Malachi had broken that trust. I’d broken it too.

“Mal, what should we do? Don’t you think I should—”

“No, trust me, this is all on me. This is my fault.” Raking his fingers through his shoulder length hair, Malachi popped the door.

Rolling the window down, I rested my arms on the edge of it and I waited.

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