Road Runners!

Part 12

Upon waking up, the mugger found himself bound tightly in the back of the car. He screamed, quickly cut off with a blow to the head from Hannah. "Shut up." All four kids said in unison. Hannah and Days were finally out of their restraints, and were now just sitting cross-legged beside each other. The seat belts weren't on, since Hannah cut them off to keep their mugger restrained tighter. 

There he was, a 28 year old, fully grown man, restrained in the back of a beat-up, stolen car. Restrained with rainbow duct tape and the remains of cut-up seat belts. What had gone wrong with his life to bring him to this point? Kidnapped by four teenagers. 

"If we take the tape off your mouth, will you promise to shut up?" Hannah asked. The mugger nodded. Hannah ripped it off as painfully as possible. 

"Jesus, what the hell?!" He shouted. "Who are you people?!"

They all gave a different answer at the same time. 

Lolita: "Runaways."

Rosalyn: "Teenagers." 

Days: "Kidnappers." 

Hannah: "Idiots." 

"Whatever." Lolita said. "Doesn't matter now. So what's your name?" 

"Uh... it's Jake. Jake Reding. "

"Cool, cool. I'm Lolita, this is Rosalyn-" 

"Hi."

"That's my stupid sister Hannah, and that's some guy that we picked up along the way."

"Days. My name is Days." 

"Whatever you say, Daisy." 

"Still Days." 

"How are you people so calm?" Asked Jake, calming down himself. 

"We've kind of gotten used to it." Hannah shrugged. "Plus, it's kind of fun. Like some really demented road trip." 

"I can't belive I'm saying this, but... I'm kind of into this, too." Days chuckled nervously, rubbing his neck. "It's the most fun I've had in years." 

Rosalyn straight-up laughed. "They're right. It is awesome. Spending time with you guys, I mean. The getting chased by the police thing not so much." 

Jake sat back up. "Huh." He gave a short, breathy laugh. "You're not the worst kidnappers, I'll give you that."

"You're calming down pretty quickly yourself, Jake." Lolita pointed out. 

"I'm a mugger. I deal with this every Thursday." He said. 

Everyone was silent for a little while, until Jake finally spoke up again. "Truth be told, I'd rather stay with you guys then go back to dodging cops." 

"I would do anything to get away from those drunk idiots. I don't think they can go five minuites without making my life miserable." Days said. Then he looked at Hannah. "Although, I guess I should thank them for sending me on this trip." He said. "I mean, I'd rather stay here, too." 

Hannah met Days' eyes and smiled. "What's there to go back to for me? A million ex-boyfriends and a pair of smothering parents? I'd rather start over where no one knows me than build off of some mediocre life." She nodded. "So I guess I'd rather stay." 

Rosalyn shrugged. "I don't think mom really cares about raising me right. I've had a neverending parade of 'Uncles' through my life, but, I would rather have brothers and sisters, like you guys. All I have to go back to are my 'Uncles' and... mom." She folded her arms. "I made the choice to go on this road trip, I'm not backing down now." 

Everyone looked at Lolita. She sighed. "You think I'm doubting this? No way. I'm staying." 

"So... does this mean..." 

"I think it means that we're all going through with this. Together." Days said. 

"As a family." Rosalyn said. 

"The best 'Worst Family Ever.'" Hannah laughed. 

"To Toronto we go, then." Lolita pressed harder on the gas, and they took off.

They were almost at Toronto. Just make it to Toronto, and they would be home free. They could do it.