Protected by Love - Nick Jones

Chapter 6

"Hey. Is that the truck from last night?" Blake asks, as it stops on the other side of the roadkill.

"Not unless he fixed his headlight." Wade says, glancing at Nick.

Carly gets the attention of the driver when he steps out of his truck.

"Hey!" He looks up. "Don't you see that?"

Mel and the group look over to see a hand poking out of the roadkill pile.

"That's so gross." Mel says, as she washes her hands off with the bottled water.

He starts to climb up the side of the pile. He reaches the hand and starts pulling at it.

"What are you doing?" Nick asks disgustedly and walks over to Mel.

The man pulls at the hand. It finally comes loose making the man almost fall.

"Anyone need a hand?" He laughs, holding it up.

It was a prosthetic hand he started to wave around.

"I'm just fooling! It's not real! See?"

He knocks on it, proving it wasn't real. "I found it on the side of the road a few weeks ago."

Nick rolls his eyes and looks at his girlfriend.

"Are you sure you're okay?" He asks her softly, rubbing her back.

She nods as she finally gets all the blood off her hands.

"Sorry we took so long." Wade says, looking at his sister.

"It's alright. You guys made it."

The driver looks up at the group of young adults.

"What are you guys doing here?" He asks, curiously.

"We're all camping through those trees there." Wade says, pointing toward our camp.

Dalton walks over to them and looks toward Mel and the girls.

"Have you seen my camera?"

Paige rolls her eyes, Carly scuffs, and Mel sighs.

"No, Dalton. Last time I saw it was at the fire last night." She says wiping the water onto her pants.

Wade looks up at the truck driver.

"Hey. Is there a gas station around?"

"Well I got some gas in the truck if-" the driver starts.

"I need a fan belt."

Mel's head snaps up while Carly looks confused.

"What?" Carly asks.

"Just busted." Wade sighs.

"Of course. Perfect! I just put in a new one!" Mel says, shaking her head.