Scourge

Chapter 7

The sun was just beginning to rise when I woke up. Frost is still fast asleep, but I would need to wake her soon. We have a long day ahead of us. I was about to move when I saw something out of the corner of my eye. I try to stay impossibly still, but the figure walks around the car and sees the broken window. The driver side door swings open and I see the firing end of a handgun.

"Now I'm only going to ask you once. Get out of my car."

The yelling causes Frost to stir. She is facing me and can't see the gun behind her head, but the look on my face lets her know that we are in danger. My eyes dart back to the person. A middle aged brunette, very rugged looking.

"Ghost, what's going on?"

"Just get up."

Frost moves without hesitation. She went to grab the bags but the woman was getting impatient.

"No, go ahead and leave that there, since y'all think it's okay to just break in and do whatever you want."

"Please ma'am, we'll be out of your hair soon. We just need to get our stuff."

"Leave it or I'll blow your brains out."

Frost turns around and stares at the woman. Her facial expression slowly begins to shift from angry to disgusted.

"Great, I got a sick Mexican in my car. Take your shit with you, I ain't tryna get sick from your kind."

"My kind?," Frost raises her voice.

"We all know that this sickness came from whoever got a drop of color in them."

Lady, you are wrong. On so many levels.

I feel Frost tense up and get ready to start a fight. I sit up and grab her hand, giving her one of the backpacks. She calms a little and looks at the woman.

"You're gonna have to move if you want us to leave."

She steps back but still keeps her gun on us as we climb out of the car. She spots the brochure in my hand and holds out her palm.

"Give it to me."

I reluctantly hand it over, reminding myself that I've studied that map and know it like the back of my hand.

"I should just kill y'all right now, but I wouldn't want to get sick from moving your bodies. Ay boy, whatcha doing with her anyways?"

I'm about two seconds away from skinning you alive. In my head, of course.

Without hesitation, I sling the backpack onto my shoulder and grab Frost's hand, my fingers interlacing with hers.

"She's my girl."

The lady grits her teeth.

"Get out."

Frost glares at her.

"Oh bless your heart."

She drags me away before anything else could be said. When we were far enough away, I slowed down.

"Bless your heart?"

Frost sneers and comes to a stop.

"Down here, we use it as an insult."

I didn't realize we were still holding hands until now. I slowly pull away to not make it so awkward. It feels so natural and right to hold her hand. To tell people that she's mine. But I don't let myself believe that for one second.

"Frost, you okay?"

She scratches her arm and picks at a leftover scab without noticing. I pull her hand from her arm and she looks at it.