Escaping Parker - F.T. Zele Page 0,25
noticing it’s already 9:30pm
“I’m just going to rest my eyes for a bit,” I say with the full intention of falling asleep for a while.
Loud whistling noises jolt me from my sleep. Fireworks light up the sky not too far off in the distance. In my confusion, I start counting off the days I have spent running, and it hits me.
“Why didn’t you tell me it was the fourth of July?” I ask.
“I thought you knew what day it was. I’m sorry, but you aren’t missing anything. Keep your eyes over there.” He points at the horizon, where a spray of white sparks fills the air.
“It’s not your fault, it’s not like there’s really anything to celebrate being on the road, anyway. I just thought maybe Alice would have said something.”
“Holidays aren’t really their thing.”
“You know, this is one of my favorite holidays. I love watching the flashing lights illuminate the sky, never knowing where to look next, but somehow they are always right in front of you.”
I continue to watch the show off to the side and imagine I’m back at home, sitting in the backyard with my family after a BBQ, with my cousins running around chasing each other with sparklers. The Fourth of July was always a big deal in my house; a time when our family would come together, swim, and just enjoy being around one another. There was always more food than needed, topped off with desserts before we would all find a spot for the huge firework show hosted by the local high school. Our house was right on top of hill overlooking the school, and it proved to be the best seats in the house.
I wish I was back with them and not this far away, but I hope that they would be proud of the choice I made in running so I could be free from Steven. Which is kind of fitting, considering the holiday it is.
I wake up at sunrise, my neck sore from sleeping sitting up. I really need to take a break and get out of the car and stretch my legs.
The sun casts an orange and pink glow across the sky, breaking through the clouds. I’m unable to take my eyes off the breathtaking view.
“It’s beautiful, isn’t it? You’re usually still asleep and don’t catch them.” Rig rests his forearms on the steering wheel, looking out of the top of the windshield.
“It is, I’ve seen nothing like it before.” I stare out the window a bit longer.
“Well, you’ve been missing out on a lot, then, if you haven’t seen anything like this before. It rained a bit list night, nothing too much, but that’s why it’s that color. The sun is reflecting off the clouds.”
“So how much longer do we have till we are there? Do you want me to drive for a while so you can get some sleep? You must be tired,” I offer, not wanting to change the subject, but he’s been driving through the night.
“We have about eight more hours, but I’m ok right now. I don’t think you should be driving. If you happen to get pulled over, they are going to ask for your license and we can’t risk that. I’m ok, really.” He adjusts himself, like he isn’t comfortable sitting there.
“How about we pull over somewhere to eat? You have to be starving.”
“We could do that. I’ll find something close, and we can find a rest stop or a park somewhere and eat. How about that?”
“Sounds good to me.”
He checks his phone, and we drive a couple more minutes until we get to Wally’s, a rundown drive-thru. We order some not so great coffee and breakfast sandwiches, and find a nearby park.
Rig brings a blanket from the trunk. “Can you grab the coffee and the food?”
I follow him to a spot under a tree, where he sets up the blanket and I distribute the food
“Thank you, you must be so hungry and tired from driving all night. Are you sure you’re going to make it the rest of the day? Do we have a certain time we have to be where we are going?” I take a sip of coffee.
“Yeah, we’ll be fine. Don’t worry about it, I keep a good schedule.”
Rig is in no rush to get a move on once we finish our food, so I take this time to just sit back and relax a bit, not all cramped up in a car. I lie back with my