Page 106 of Faking Forever 1
The sound of the windshield wipers thumped aggressively as I unlocked my seatbelt, turning everything off. The rain hiding the ground was equally as loud. Looking around at the pile in front of the car, I hop out, walking over to examine it up close.
The rain hit my face like a waterfall, drenching my clothes as moment my shoes hit the concrete. Getting closer, I could see between cracks and crevices, noticing the color red peeking through in some areas. It would be impossible to move them, so I try climbing a few, slipping and scrapping the palms of my hands, but carrying on until I have a good enough view of the object.
It was Big red, with abigass boulder on top of it.
The top of the truck was smashed entirely, and nowhere around it did I see any locks of blonde hair hanging about.
Taking that as a sign, I climb down, sliding down the majority of the way, my dress shoes smacking a puddle into the ground.
I slick my hair back with my hands, wiping my face with one of my hands, the rain re-soaking my vision all over again.
“Fuck. Where the fuck is she?” I say aloud, shielding my eyes now, walking to a nearby sign, torn from its pole and in the middle of the road now.
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“North Middletown,” I mumble, reading what I could make out.
I wasn’t far from where the store was or her trail. The accident was fresh, and I bet she wasn’t far away if I followed the road the rest of the way. The store is right near the end of the exit.
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PAISLEY
Almost there. I’m literallyalmostthere if the wind would just let up a little bit. I made it off the parkway and down to the boardwalk, but I was still much further than I wanted to be.
The rain was becoming heavier right when I had assumed it was at its heaviest. I was wrong. It was so cold it was stinging my skin, and my makeup had leaked down to my clothes from it all. I was also barefooted due to giving up on my sandals, which didn’t stand a chance even if it wasn’t raining. It’s too bad, too. They were so cute on me.
I looked in the windows in every store I got close to, checking for a sign of any living creature. There wasn’t anyone to be found.
I slept through every memo that could’ve warned me about this and took longer than needed to get ready. It’s my fault I’m stuck, if it’s anybody’s at all. It feels like hell, always learning stupid lessons that I could’ve predicted the outcomes 258
GREENHOUSE
of. I miss my family. I miss Sierra and Beau. I missJosh. I wish I were at that firehall right now, eating overly expensive chicken and hiding from the storm with everyone else.
Finally, one of the stores had a pavilion, which I ran to, searching for shelter for the time being, at least.
I miss Joshua. He would know what to do. Or at least what to tell me so that I could pretend everything was okay. Nobody even knows where I am—it’s a long shot if anyone is finding me out here. The streets were deserted when I left earlier. It was as if the earth was standing still, or the second coming had finally come to take us all away. I can’t imagine that people are searching foranythingthrough a hurricane. It’s despicable.
I wouldn’t do it either.
There was a small bench and table near the middle of the pavilion calling my name. Using the bench as a stair, I plop down on the table, splattering water everywhere. I begin ringing my hair out in sections, listening to my teeth chatter as I shiver. It seemed warmer when I was still in the rain.
When the rain was constantly hitting my skin, I was so numb, I couldn’t tell the temperature of it anymore, honestly. All around me, nothing was visible to the eye anymore. The rain had created a mist that was so thick, it was like smoke fire.
A strange black silhouette was floating through it, though, that I couldn’t take my eyes off. It was moving pretty fast and didn’t seem to mind the sideways rain and winds pushing at it. As it drew closer, it blended in more with the chaos. I could at least tell it was a person based on the stomping and suit jacket.
Suit jacket. Don’t tell me.
The tall, well-suited Joshua takes a few last steps onto the 259
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