'In everyone's life, at some time, our inner fire goes out. It is then burst into flame by an encounter with another human being. We should all be thankful for those people who rekindle the inner spirit.'
| thirteen |
I slowly get closer and while I do, I start slowing down, checking there aren't any cars behind me so as not to cause an accident or anything. The figure walking along the highway, I realize, is walking towards me, not in the other direction.
As I'm about ten meters away, I notice it's a girl. Short, slim, she looks healthy from where I'm sat, if cold since she's only wearing a pair of light blue three quarter length jeans and an orange top with long sleeves, but thin. I stop the car and open the window, poking my head out.
''Hey, you okay?'' I call out to her, wondering if she'll answer, wondering if I'm doing the right thing, wondering what I should actually do. Looking at her, I know she's about my age.
She looks up from the ground she was admiring, a troubled look in her eyes as the light from my car shines at her, and I take in her appearance. About Reagen's height, with a brown bob cut and light brown eyes, a slight frown on her face as she looks from the ground up to me. ''What?''
Her accent is different. She isn't from around here.
''I'm Indie.'' I tell her, trying a different tact. The girl stands beside my car, shifting slightly, holding herself for warmth, the wind having picked up. She looks a bit awkward, maybe knowing she shouldn't be talking to strangers. I guess I wouldn't either, but it's another girl my age, I wouldn't do no harm. ''I'd better carry on...'' She mumbles softly, looking so upset about something that it makes me grab her by the wrist and stop her. I know she probably wants to be alone, I know she wants to be upset without anyone there to witness it but I also know that she could die out here. One drunk driver and she could be dead and nobody would find her till tomorrow. I also know that a guy could stop her and that would be worse and that she could get ill if she stays out here for too long in the cold because at night, it gets chilly. So that's why I say to her, ''Get in the car.''
The girl stops and looks at the floor, obviously thinking it over. I know she's weighing up the pros and cons, much like I just did, by the look on her face. Two minutes later, she sighs to herself and walks around to the passenger seat.
''I don't know where you're going,'' she mumbles as she straps herself in, a small smile on my face. I feel good for helping her. ''But I'll be happy wherever you take me.''
That's probably when I realized I was going to sort of adopt her into my house, if she didn't have anywhere to stay. If she was gonna just walk around towns and cities, just for the sake of it, I'd take her in, because I wanted to. I want to help her.
As we're driving along, the radio quietly playing background music, I decide to try to ask her questions. ''What's your name?''
''Delilah,'' she whispers, looking out at the dark sky, her head leaning back against the headrest. ''I'm seventeen, turned a month ago.''
''I turned seventeen two months ago,'' I shoot her a small smile and she flickers one back, but it's gone in a second. I wonder what she's hiding. ''So, uhm,'' I clear my throat, not wanting to make things awkward between us. ''I'm heading to Maysville then I'll be heading back to Vincennes, where I live.''
Delilah just nods, knowing that'd be where I dropped her off. I'm still forming the plan in my head at that point and I have questions that need answers to be able to completely form the plan. ''And uh,'' I stifle a yawn, rolling my eyes to myself, still tired. ''What were you doing... you know, on the highway?''
