After forty-five minutes, I arrive at the blue concrete building that I wouldn’t even know was a business if the map on my phone wasn’t telling me this was it. The sign is so faded you can’t even read it.
Before I go in, I text my dad.Made it. Going inside now.
An old man with a long, white beard comes out of a rusty metal door, waving at me.
“You Ella?” he yells.
“Yeah,” I yell back, getting out of the truck.
“Come on in,” he says.
I follow him inside and see parts scattered everywhere.
“It’s over here,” the man says, climbing over a stack of newspapers to a counter with a cash register.
I meet him over there, getting out my money. “A hundred and fifty?”
“A hundred sixty seventy-five with tax.”
I hand him the money.
He smiles as he gives me the change. “Couldn’t get a date tonight?”
I smile back. “Didn’t want one.”
He nods. “Already had it with men, huh? You sound just like my daughter, but she’s forty and divorced with two kids. A girl your age should still have faith the right one is out there.”
“I’m not even thinking about that. I need to get through college before I worry about guys and marriage and all that.”
“Smart girl.” He hands me the change. “But there’s nothing wrong with going on a date now and then.”
“My dad would disagree.”
He laughs. “I could see your father being that way. He’s always talking about you, saying how proud he is of you. I’m sure he’s in no hurry to have boys showing up at your door.”
“Yeah. Well, I should go.” I pick up the part.
“Need some help carrying it out?”
“No, I’m good. Thanks!”
When I’m back in the truck, I text my dad again.Got the part. Heading home.
On the way here, I was so focused on finding this place that I didn’t think about my strategy with Briggs. I really have no idea where to start. If I don’t know what he’s going to do, how do I defend myself?
I’m halfway home when storm clouds roll in, making it dark and hard to see. There aren’t any street lights out here, and the headlights on my truck are clouded over. The light rain turns to a heavy downpour, fogging up my windows so I can’t even see what’s in front of me. I slow down and pull over to the side of the road. The rain is going sideways now, rocking the truck. I get out my phone to tell my dad I’ll be late, but I don’t have a signal.
I shut off the truck, noticing I’m low on gas. After ten minutes, the rain finally slows to a light mist. I go to start the truck, but it won’t start. It’s done this before. I just need to wait a minute and try again, but when I do, it still doesn’t start. I try it over and over for fifteen minutes.
“Shit,” I say, resting my head on the steering wheel. “Come on. Just start.” I turn the key, but nothing happens.
It’s almost eight. My dad’s gonna freak out that I’m not home, and I can’t even call him to tell him what happened.
Getting out of the truck, I walk down the road a little, looking for any nearby homes, but it’s dark out, and I can’t see beyond the side of the road, which is nothing but trees and rocks. I walk back and hop up in the truck bed to get a better look. There’s nothing, not even a flicker of light from a town. Just darkness. I’m on a deserted road in the middle of nowhere, in the dark.
What if nobody drives by? Or if they do and they stop, what if they try to kill me?
I check my phone again for a signal, but don’t have one. Maybe if I walk farther down the road, I’ll pick up a signal.
