Cherry Bomb |H.S|

Chapter 22.

— Texas. 1973. —

MARY JANE MILLER

"Well, that show didn't last very long on the road"

We all glare at Ryder as we look at the smoking Van in front of us pulled over on the road, the engine burning and the van spluttering every now and then making us back away.

"What do we do now? We have no change to call a repair man" I say looking at the phone booth right next to us, useless to us as we used every last bit of change on the other phone booth.

"We're fucked!" Alfie says sitting on the ground, grabbing a cigarette from his pocket and striking up a match to light it up — he left his lighter in the motel.

"We can walk it, probably only about a five or six hour walk from here" Niall says shielding his eyes with his hand as the sun beams down on us deserted at the side of the road.

"Only a five or six hour walk?! Okay big man, you walk it and we'll wait here" Ryder says crossing his arms as Niall looks at him with a glare.

"You have been on my last nerve all day! Just pipe down for one minute and fucking help!" Niall yells at Ryder while I plonk my ass next to Alfie on the ground watching them two bicker for the hundredth time today.

"Oh well sorry for being upset! I just found out my dead dad isn't dead, and oh yeah! He's not my fucking Dad!" Ryder throws back at Niall who punches the bridge of his nose trying to contain his anger.

"Look, we all have shit going on right now, we just need to pull our heads together and figure out how we're getting to that cabin before midnight" Niall says looking at me and Alfie as we share a cigarette.

"Is there anything in your van we can use as a boat of some sort?" Alfie asks standing up, looking at Ryder who's pouting sadly at his van that's about to blow any second.

"... if there's a lake by the cabin that means there's a river source somewhere, we find it and swim down it. It should take us straight to the lake" Alfie says as Niall looks at him with a big smile.

"You beautiful blonde bastard! Open the van Ryder, we need to find a boat!" Niall says walking towards the back doors with Ryder, just as they reach to grab the door handle a massive explosion is heard and we're all running for our live, the impact throwing us down onto the ground.

"Everyone okay?" Ryder asks as I lift my head up, debris flying through the air as the bright orange flames of the van are seen straight away.

Everyone pops their heads up also, no one injured but we're all in shock over how harsh the impact of it was, I know I said it would blow any second, but I didn't mean it.

Damn you mother universe.

"Guess we're not taking a boat either" Alfie comments as we all sigh in defeat on the ground, watching as the Van engulfs into flames and crackles in the silence.

"Well, Harry's a dead man" Ryder says calmly as I groan burying my head into my hands in exhaustion — how the fuck did we end up here? Why did I ever do this to myself.

"You four look like you could use a ride!"

We all jump at the voice, a green van parked on the road and two heads looking out the window at us all sat on the ground like road kill.