Hunted || Wesari

Chapter Twenty-One: Talk

Turns out, Noah hadn't been lying.

He found a toolbox in the trunk, and kicked them out of the car to give him space. Mari and Wes leaned against the hull, not saying a word to each other, listening to the tinkerings of the boy inside. Wes could only hope that Noah knew what he was doing; if he didn't, all three of them were fucked.

Then they heard the rev of an engine, which felt like music to Wes' ears. Seconds later, Noah poked his head out the window, grinning.

"Done," He pushed his glasses up his face, looking as excited as a toddler who had just been given far to much candy.

Mari kicked him to the back, before climbing into the driver's seat. Wes took the passengers. She wasted no time before pressing her foot on the gas, making the car lurch forwards.

They weren't going very fast, but to Wes, it was exhilarating. The last time he had been in a car, he had been scared out of his mind. But he was safe here, and could enjoy the ride, along with the passing view of the forest. It was a taste of his old life, and Wes loved it.

Eventually, his excitement wore off, leaving Wes with nothing but thirst and hunger. He heard Mari's stomach rumble, and knew that she was having similar thoughts.

"Hey, Noah, you guys wouldn't happen to have any food in here, would you?" She asked, making the boy divert his attention from the window.

"No, we don't," Noah shook his head. "We ate it all awhile ago, while searching for you guys."

"How long were you searching for us?" Wes asked.

"A month," Noah replied. "Ian was getting impatient. He thought that Mari had died, and was never coming back. He gathered a small team and headed out. The reason it took us so long was because we didn't have any way to track you; until Miel pointed out that you were probably near water. We followed the river, and there you were."

Mari sighed. "That's how I found you too, Wes. I should've expected Ian to think of that."

"To be fair, he didn't," Noah replied. "I thought of it the day I saw the river, but I didn't say shit about it; mainly because I didn't want him to find you. Of course, Miel wasn't an idiot, and she desperately wanted a gun. That's why she brought it up."

"Of course," Mari tightened her grip on the steering wheel.

"Did she die painfully?" He asked. Mari looked at Wes, expecting him to answer.

"She was shot in the head," Wes replied, assuming that the blonde girl had been Miel. "By Ian. It was quick."

"Good," Noah looked back out the window. "She was the only thing that kept me sane, among those four psychopaths."

There was a long silence after that as they drove. Soon, the sun was starting to set. Seeing as Wes had taken a nap earlier, he didn't feel tired. He assumed Mari felt the same way, as Noah soon dozed off, yet her eyelids didn't even begin to droop.

Suddenly, Mari veered off the road, taking a highway exit. Wes looked at her, and she got the message.

"Gas station," She replied. "We should check it. It may have food, water, or gas; hopefully all three."

"Yeah," Wes replied. "Good call."

It didn't take them too long to arrive at their destination. The building looked like a mess; the logo on the highway sign had been ripped off, and was lying cracked on the ground. The windows were smashed, leaving broken glass peppered around Wes' feet. Graffiti splattered the walls. It looked like it had been pulled out of an apocalypse movie; in a way, Wes supposed, it had been.