Twist Of Fate

Sixteen

HARRY

There's a sort of awkward silence for most of the morning. Ever since I left the sports centre, Chloe has been moody. She barely says two words as I walk back across the park and settle under the shade of the trees again. Typical fucking woman.

I'm starving. I haven't eaten anything since the sandwich in the posh cafe yesterday evening, but I can't be arsed starting a conversation if all Chloe is going to do is give me puppy dog eyes and apologise for everything she says or does. I don't know which is worse: trying to understand all these long words she insists on using all the time, or listening to the word sorry twenty fucking times every hour. She's afraid of her own fucking shadow.

She's so obsessed with knowing where I'm going next. I don't have a clue what the plan is. I'm just winging it; minute by minute, hour by hour. I don't have all the answers. I don't have any of the answers, yet she looks to me as the person in charge of her, the one who must make all the decisions. I don't know where I am, and I don't know where I should go. And without a phone to be able to google anything, I'm pretty much useless.

I've never been particularly good at coming up with detailed plans. I've always been a live in the moment sort of guy. I've never really had stability or security, and when you don't know where your next meal is coming from its kind of difficult to plan ahead. Until the last couple of years I've had to fend for myself. Then Sofia came along and changed all that. Suddenly the day to day running of my life was taken over. Meals are cooked, washing is done, home is clean. It is a world away from what I was used to, but I resent being bossed around like a small child, and nagged from morning til night. It is the price I pay for the housekeeping I suppose, but I hate the monotony and being beholding to anyone. At least Chloe doesn't nag - that's her one and only positive.

"I don't think we should stay here," she says suddenly, interrupting my thoughts. "I think we should get away from the station."

I look up, waiting for her to explain. I had momentarily forgotten I was a wanted criminal.

"If the police manage to track us to Totnes, they're going to fall over us here aren't they? We're literally a stone's throw from where we got off the train. Alright, we're sort of sheltered by these trees, but if you want to disappear properly we're going to have to move on somewhere more remote."

"Like where?" Why can't she just get to the fucking point?

"Are you still against the idea of a hotel? Even just for one night?" She can't hide the desperation in her eyes. It would be funny if it wasn't so pathetic and irritating.

"No hotels."

She sighs, pulling at the long grass with her slender fingers.

"Fine. Then if you're going to insist on making us sleep outdoors, we need to be comfortable." She looks up at me, as though waiting for me to encourage her conversation. I decide to be awkward instead, and just stare at her belligerently without saying a word. She clears her throat nervously. "Yesterday when we walked up the road to that little deli there was a camping shop. We could get a tent, big enough for both of us. Nothing too expensive, just something cheap. I've got two months' rent money, so we could use that to buy what we need. We could get sleeping bags and an air mattress or something to make the ground more comfortable. I'm sure there will be maps or guide books with suggested campsites and walking routes. We could get one and just keep travelling around. If you really, truly want to avoid detection we shouldn't stay in one place for too long. And camping is ideal for those looking for solitude."

I nod, and get to my feet. Finally, a suggestion worth realising. "OK."

She stares up at me from her position on the ground, a look of uncertainty on her face. "What... you like the idea?"