Morrow

Chapter 1

ELLE’S POV

“So, how was it?” while waiting for our clothes to dry, Reed suddenly asked me. A smile got unconsciously aligned through my lips as I took a glance at him.

He rarely asks those kind of question after a situation. More oftentimes, he immediately decides a plan and another in every possible outcome that could happen after we have an enough rest. Also, he doesn’t ask me about how it went. He would just give me an eye and communicate with me through it. It may not be that much, but, the looks from his eyes and lips depicted with a smirk. I can finally sense a glimpse of amazement.

“Well…” and everything that happened during the day flashed through my mind.

—FLASHBACK—

“Elle, do you know where to go?” while still looking at the road, I faced my body towards him, alternatively keep my eyes on the road and onto him, giving him a confused look.

“Uhm, I don’t get it. What do you mean?”

Do I know where to go? Yeah, I don’t really know where to go but what I know is that we need to get out in this situation right now. I definitely don’t have any idea what is on his mind but it’s Reed who we are talking about. If it’s him, I know it’s something that no one could even think would be possible.

He was shaking his head as he looked at me and leaned forward. “What?” That smirk printed on his lips is still giving me confusion.

“Take this car inside that way.” And pointed his finger out afar on the alley on the left side of the street, just enough for others to see with these street lamps.

What is he thinking?

“And why should I take this car there?”

“And, why not? Come on, trust me. We need a plan on this one, Elle.” I’m still confused with what he plans to do, but I do trust him.

Speeding up, I drifted the car on the location Reed told me to go and hid it on which no eyes could even see. Hiding ourselves behind the seats of our car, I peered for awhile and made sure that the cops didn’t see us. That way, we can finally execute the plan that Reed have in his mind.

“So, what’s the plan?” I blurted out the question while keeping eyes out for vision. I can’t wait to give myself some rest. It’s getting dark, yet, we are still here. I don’t want to spend my whole day playing games with dogs. They’re insane, don’t they ever get tired?!

“Tch.” That sudden Reed’s expression got me surprised. That drew a little curve on my lips mixed with a whole lot of sarcasm.

“Wow, you’re giving me that kind of face, huh? You’re already giving me that?!” I hit him on his shoulder and pointed my index right to his face. I expected him to get mad at me for doing that, but he just drew a wide curve on his lips and started to laugh at me.

“What? What now?! Why are you laughing?!” But that didn’t stopped him, instead he added volume to it. Wow, Reed is so loud and my eyebrows are starting to build a bridge again!

I just decided to wait for him to finish his business than to lose my temper. He’s not really going to stop, is he?

But later on, he made out a sigh. It’s a sign that he finally recovered from losing his mind.

“You know, what?” he made the first move killing the silence that ruled few minutes ago. “You looked so tense, chill out!”

“What did you say?”

“I said, you looked so tense.”

“Then, what if I am? Yes, I am so tensed! This is my first time driving on road Reed, and I had to teach myself before because all of you didn’t, then, you told me to take this vehicle in this alley because you have something in mind and I almost—”

“And I almost forgot about the plan, thanks for reminding me.” He exclaimed, cutting me in my moment, as if it’s the happiest thing for him.

God help me.

“Maybe, you should have let me finish first before saying anything? Hm?” I sounded with full sarcasm. “Be more sensitive.” I whispered. But that took the atmosphere into something like in a ghost town. It was suddenly quiet. He just heard what I said.

After a few minutes later, I tried to observe his reactions, and saw how hard he was trying to mumble a word. That every time he tries to open his mouth, it closes once again. He tried facing his body towards me but gets printed back on his seat. I guess it penetrated deep down to his bones.

“I’m sorry.” And finally, he said it.

“Yeah, but it’s okay. It already happened and sorry can’t change all that had happened but… I accept your apology.” As I slowly took a glance on him, he was already looking down, yet the sincerity in his eyes never escaped mine. I don’t regret the things I said earlier, I felt like he needs to know what I am feeling inside. At least, I was able to burst it out. A thorn inside was successfully plucked out.

“So, what’s the plan?” As I looked at him, slowly he did the same thing to me.

It only took a couple minutes of glances and we’re already in good terms, letting out some soft laughs and finally demonstrated our plan to escape.

—END OF FLASHBACK—

“Actually, it was incredible. I didn’t really expect that you can get us out right there that way.” I remarked impressively.

He really got me in surprise when he started to show me the map of this city, which is something only a few possess, but he has. He knew where were the corners with side roads, checkpoints and possible places in which the cops will hop in. He planned everything and I just do what he commands. Going through checkpoints and drifting across them using the side roads Reed points out to go, letting the cops chase on us. It only got us spent some little time until we succeeded on that first plan. It was only like collecting pebbles and stones. After that, we made sure that they would expect us to get through the bridge which we made very obvious to make it more effective, and we succeeded.

On our final plan, we only need to make them wonder of our existence. We lured in all of the cops from the checkpoints we crossed to follow us, while others were on the other side of the bridge. I waited for Reed’s go signal, and made myself ready to rev up through the highest speed possible in a single step on gas.

Until then, he finally made a nod. Forcefully, I stepped right on the gas which made a screech on the back. We immediately grabbed the bags we brought with us when we left the house. As we were approaching the middle most of the bridge, I held my left hand tight on my bag, and right hand on the steering wheel and harshly drifted it to the edge, jumping it out of the bridge and splashed to the river.

“Are you ready?” I just gave him a nod as an answer and waited for our to car to drown before we take an exit so no one can see us escape underwater.

“3… 2… 1… Go!” We immediately took a deep breath and dived in. Night time has completely covered the skies. We are now sure that it will be hard for them to look for us and one more thing is that they were all lured in our trap. They are all in one place and the only time that they have last seen us is this time. Even if we pass through the side roads where we went moments ago, no one can see us. Such perfect escape.

We swam as fast as we could as to make sure that if they’d do a search, we are safe.

When we were finally out of the scene, the first thing we made was to make sure that no one is around near the corners of the trees near the river or no one is coming through that way while getting out of the water.

We almost got caught when someone passed through there with a flashlight on. Silly us, we even brought our things. It’s making us much harder to move due to it’s weight. Good thing, time was just enough and we were able to hide behind the trees there.

We let out a sigh of relief when the passerby just walked through and didn’t bother to check if there’s anything strange in his surroundings. Maybe he really didn’t feel us being around and just went straight.

That’s how we ended up here. Taking our time to rest with these trees around and letting our things dry before using them again, even Reed’s map that was covered in plastic got a little wet inside. We’re lucky enough that none of our things got missing.

“Psh. Piece of cake.” He replied with full or arrogance and here he goes again, imagining sitting on his own throne, so full of himself. I just gave him a sneer of disgust and looked away.

How can I be hating this guy, yet, admire him at the same time? I don’t believe it! I really hate it every time he brags about everything that he got, but his confidence overpowers his arrogance and I admire him with that! Is this normal?

I just shrugged things off of me and never thought of it anyway. I shouldn’t be thinking things towards Reed that way.

“Oh, by the way. How come that you have the map of the city? I mean, we all know that only a few owns one, right? Also, you are really knowledgeable about how things work around the place. I totally did not expect that you’re able to predict where to find and get away from the cops, or maybe you already have an idea that you can find them there, don’t you?” I asked him directly to cut myself off in drowning into my fantasies.

It took a moment for Reed for give me a response after that. His expression suddenly changed from someone who’s high-and-mighty into a most down-to-earth person. His smile became genuine, and that was the first time I saw it. But it didn’t last that long. Sorrow teared down that sweet smile he was wearing, that it scattered and nabbed the sprinkle of bliss his eyes contained.

“Actually, this was from dad. He gave this to me when I was still young. I was around four or six years old that time, I guess?” he explained as he stared on the blueprint and played it on his fingers. “He said that one day, if I ever get on a sticky situation, I could make use of it. Which made sense as of what happened today, right?” he chuckled as he slowly took a glance on me and traced a curve on his lips. I don’t have any idea how he does it but his emotions spreads through me. I can totally feel what he feels deep down from his heart.

“I kept it for a very long time now, and I didn’t really expect I’d be needing to make use of it today.” He continued as his interest rising notable from his voice. “I’ll never ever forget the reason why this has became a piece of my father’s memory with me.”

His words left me in shock. My eyes widened as I took a glance on him and did not realize he was already looking at me! That built up more tension inside me. What does he mean about a piece of his father’s memory? Does he mean like..?

“S-so, what do you m-mean by that?” I looked at him in an aghast expression. “W-where is he? I m-mean your d-dad?”

He abruptly looked away from my gaze. Slowly his face turned red, fists clenched, and eyebrows met in his rage. I see agony and revenge in his eyes. His past must be hiding something inhuman.

“They said he died in a car accident. I don’t believe it.” He vented stressing every word he mumbles aggressively.

“He was once part of the police department…” he stopped in a moment and took a breath deeply as if all of his strength were taken away just with those words.

Another secret was just revealed in front me and that put me in another shock.

He was?

“But little did he know that one day, his life will just be taken away…”

“What happened?” I couldn’t take hold of myself from asking any longer. I wanted to know how it happened, and how it ended up this way. There must be a way to end this.

…

“There was no accident, just betrayal.”