Hijacked

Chapter Six

He came back a few minutes later holding two cups. She tossed their empty drink containers in the plastic bag as he climbed back in the car. He put her tea in her drink holder and put his coffee in his. He wordlessly handed her back the keys and she started up the car.

Before she knew it they were back on the highway and headed out to nowhere. She drove for another hour or so and then saw the turn to get onto Highway 58. She took it and looked down at the clock. It was now four o'clock in the afternoon, she'd left her house this morning just after ten. She'd been driving for nearly six hours. She looked down at the gas gauge and saw that they were doing okay, they were still well above half a tank.

Most of the drive was silent, but occasionally they talked about little things. Trivial and stupid things just to clear the silence and engage their minds. Emily was in danger of getting tunnel vision as she drove so she needed something to distract her. She didn't ask him anymore questions about what was going on and he didn't tell her anything more. They also finished the pretzels, ate the apples and started on the warm waters.

At five p.m. she saw a sign that said the next township was five miles ahead.

"I have to stop up here, I can't drive anymore." Her eyes were stinging and tired from staring at the road for so long and she was getting a headache from concentrating. Her right knee was aching from working the pedals, her butt was numb but still managed to hurt at the same time, her tailbone felt as though it was trying to gouge a hole through her skin and her back was starting to get sore. She'd had no idea that driving could be so painful.

"Okay."

When they reached the road into the town she pulled off the highway and stopped in an empty lot right off the main road. She was exhausted. She'd been driving for almost seven hours with only two brief stops.

"I'll take over," he offered and opened the door to the car. She opened her door and climbed out so they could switch places. She took a second to stretch out her leg and her back before she climbed back into the car and closed the door beside her.

As he looked around the car, adjusted the seat and the mirrors to fit him and got a feel for it she checked the map. They were just under halfway there. Midland was getting closer but home was looking farther and farther away.

Tom started up the car and brought them back on the highway. She leaned back in her seat and stared out the window at the darkening scenery as they drove on.

She did her best to keep her thoughts at bay as he drove. Kevin and Ben would be heading out to their gala soon, she hoped that they'd been able to get their suits and that they would be able to have a good time.

They deserved a night out and they deserved to go to this dinner after years of putting it off. If their night was ruined because they were worried about her, she would never forgive herself.

They lapsed into silence as they drove on. Because it was getting dark Tom had to really concentrate on his driving since there were no street lights on this section of the highway. Emily felt so drained that she was fighting just to stay awake. It was nine o'clock when she finally put her foot down.

"We have to stop soon."

"I can keep going," he said, staring at the road. He was squinting slightly as he shifted in his seat for the fifth time in as many minutes.

"We've put almost three hundred miles on this car without stopping. You can't push this kind of car like that."

"And this is what kind of car?" he asked, not taking his eyes off the dark road.

"A city car. The type of car that gets driven to and from work and occasionally on the weekends. This isn't a car that you take on road trips or push too hard."