"Town beach... what..." I sat straight with my mind curiously pinched. My voice was shamefully above a whisper making her look pleased. What was happening? Linda looked at me differently, as if she was about to say something but Tom stormed in looking at his phone yelling profanities. Stephen was hot on his trail.

'Shit... shit... shit... dammit,' he muttered one long monologue until I braved to ask him what.

"Evelyn knows we are here. Someone ratted us out, we need to leave soon."

It didn't shock me. Tom can never hide me under the rock forever. Thank goodness, I had hidden those letters and papers with me safely before Tom could even set his eyes on it. The plastic and ribbon were not to be seen as Tom plucked the duvets and things that belonged to us. Maybe Stephen has discarded it.

Tom looked at the crates for a minute long, sighed, and then walked out towards the cars.

After five to six days cooped up inside... freedom; it really feels good to be out in the open. I inhaled the fresh scent of earth, air, and mist as Tom abruptly said, "I will take her with me," plastering me in a mid-sniff. Suddenly I was yanked from the peaceful atmosphere and felt anxious. Was this a siege? Is something happening behind my back? After all, it was Tom and Evelyn that we are talking about.

"No. I travel with Stephen."

"Pumpkin please..."

"Nope, sorry," I said looking away.

Reluctantly he agreed. Then, he looked at Stephen and said,

"There is a back road I know which we can access after two miles through this dirt road which ain't connecting to the main road in any way. So, take this road. It will take you to a deserted alleyway connecting to the main road, pass through straight for five miles; you will reach a roundabout, take right and go for about ten more miles to reach the Long Island road, take the left cut from the signal straight to Petersan. I have my men there. Book a motel and stay safe, I will meet you there."

Stephen heard the instruction, nodded once and drove off.

"Who in the right mind will listen to that old man?" Stephen smiled smugly as he accelerated through the dirt road, leaving behind a cloud of dust explosion. I smiled feeling the varroom through my veins.

"But..."

"Oh you fool..." he started, but I cut him off just as he did.

"I know you dumbo; he or she must be following us or at least keeping a tab on us. I am not a fool. I was about to ask you what are we going to do? You duffer," I smiled smugly at him, making him grin toothily.

"Travel halfway through his instruction, and then from the roundabout, I cut left, travel straight to Rodhe Avenue road and then part my beauty in Rodhe Avenue, to get a car change, preferably. I know someone there. We travel for a while and if I am right, there is a road that takes us through some unmarked road back to Petersan. We park there and wait. By this time, my boys will be there. Can't trust anyone now," his voice travelled light, sounding dangerously sad.

He looked out and said, "Sleep girl, it's a long roll."

Halfway through, I got up, stretched and yawned to find the car not moving. Stephen was sleeping behind the wheel as I got out stretching my cramped limbs. The road beats my expectation. It wasn't dirt road all the way or deserted as I pictured. It was actually brimming with traffic. Good. A long ride through deserted highways always makes me anxious. I was hungry at this point. I got up and washed my face with the water. My black dress was still there in the back seat; reminding me of the events, making it hard for me to breathe.

Engaged... to Shaun? Oh my, I am such a fool. No wonder why Seb was angry at me. No wonder why Shaun was always sketchy to me. No wonder why I couldn't trust him completely like I did with Seb. Did he think I accepted that offer? You fool!

I quickly searched for my phone to see it was dead. Cursing out loud, I picked Stephen's phone and searched for the contacts. The door slamming shut plus his manly groan as he stretched himself from the crouch distracted me from searching for Seb.

"Hey sleepy head, man, you are a sleeper. I couldn't keep up and had to have a short nap." Stephen said as he came and leaned on the car, yawning loudly.

"I will drive, then." I offered.

"You... drive... my car, never! Is that my phone, whom are you trying to call?"

"I want to talk sense into that stupid Seb who cut me off. It's not like I am a normal teenager who could afford to call her crush at any given time." I huffed, making Stephen chuckle.

"Ooh, so you have a crush."

"Umm..." I couldn't deny either.

"Yes." He fisted the air and chuckled.

"You really are a fool."

"Can't blame me, after all, I am your brother."

"Ha, blame me now."

"I will. See; let's head over that dinner with the cute girl looking my way to eat something."

"Eat something or... eat her..."

He feigned being gross, "Gosh, I never knew you were so dirty. Makes it embarrassing for me to say you are my sister."

"Can't blame me, after all, you are my brother. I learn from the worst." I smiled innocently as I pulled away from the car.

"Lame move, Lillian, really lame; you can't copy from the best." He tsk'd as I carved my brain for some comeback. However, the jingling door and the blushing girl saved me from spurting something lamer.

Ordering a heavy lunch for a pack of four got the girl weirder out. She kept looking at me in a strange way. We both ignored her nosy glare.

Though the road was packed, the diner or the neighbouring shops were not. It looked as if they were stuck in time without civilization progress. The men wore shabby clothes, worn outlooks and the woman was still in the eighties theme. I have no idea; have I time travelled. The only thing lacking is an entrance of a cowboy. I am seriously losing it.

However, I have to admit. The food was remarkable. In fact, so delicious, that we almost didn't have space for their special pie for dessert. Well, it's us siblings sitting here. Stephen made this lunch stop a competition to see who can eat the pie now and obviously, the cow won; golfing down my own few bites. He kept signing me a loser.

Not even able to laugh, paying and walking out felt like a task.

"Oh boy, I am stuffed. I feel like a walking balloon. And I never had a chance to flirt."

"It was your pathetic idea to have a competition. I feel sad for not able to eat that scrumptious pie. It was awesome. Ooh..." I groaned, rubbing my protruded belly.

"Indeed. Let's head over there and rest for a while. You drive. I don't think I can now."

"Awesome." Yet, I felt the contrary actually.

We sat on the bench inside a bus waiting shed and continued to sit, looking ahead into the looming traffic crossing together in a rush of colours and blaring horns. People tend to be doing exactly the same though they lacked the speed of the automobiles.

Shaken from my stupor, I looked at Stephen to see him open-mouthed, lightly snoring and drooling a little. I laughed out loud, in fact, guffawed seeing him drool, waking him up with a start. I did take a picture of it though. He wiped the drool with his hands and smiled guiltily.

"Gotcha pooh bear. That was hilarious," I said in between laughs, with my hand tucked in the pockets.

"Shit... we almost wasted an hour." He said looking into his phone, yawning loudly. "Oh, Looks like we missed calls too; Pete and Tom have called. And..., oh that stupid Evelyn called too, what does she want now? Come on, let's go."

Getting in and accelerating through the traffic, sent a shudder through my spine suddenly. I think the image of getting busted will never fade away. However, it was quickly gone as Stephen played the music.

"I don't know what will happen once we... uh, touchdown." He said suddenly on guard.

"Either I kill someone or I die." I flatly replied, making his hands grip on the wheel tightly.

"Hey, relax. I will deal whatever happens when it happens, Steppy. Don't worry." I assured him that echoed through my hollow bones like an alarm ringing. I was lying to myself here.

"Wow, it's been so long since I heard that nickname. I almost didn't recognize that. You remember how I used to hate it when you called me Steppy? It made me feel like I was a freaking staircase. I hated you when you said that." he smiled lost in thoughts.

"I never forget." I simply replied as I looked out.

"You know, from what Tom said, Evelyn is behind you for accruing the documents. She came to Evangeline with false accusation and information or something, for some reason. It's a twisted game. I am still picking my brain from his brief confession. I think only your mother can clear us from this cobweb." Stephen said, plainly as if not interested in knowing if I am listening or not.

However, his voice was a comforting distraction from the painful silence subsequent to our nostalgic train ride to childhood.

"The documents; I have no idea if I should safeguard it as a treasure or destroy it."

"What was in it?" I could feel his voice travelling to my face, as he looked at me curiously.

"Amythene," I replied.

"What?"

I sighed, "Let's stop there. I need something sweet." I am not in a frame of mind to think and explain of its potential danger and that I am its carrier.

Wordlessly he dropped me as I staggered into the ice cream shop, disoriented, for a tub of ice-cream and two spoons. Walking back, I saw Stephen looking at me with those eyes; the one he used to give me when I ran to his room in fear or anger; all those years ago.

"Eat. It's your favourite flavour." I said.

"Hmm, chocolate..." he said as he plucked out a large scoop and hopped up and down when he felt his brain freeze.

"Ogre..."

We sat in comforting silence, eating ice cream and listening to some forlorn singer screaming her emotions into the microphone.

"Amythene is a deadly solution, invented by some nerd scientist that could cause mass destruction. One drop could burn out twelve-mile radius as per his suggestion, I suppose. He created the formula and it's in the papers. He never created the solution, only samples. But the formula alone can be dangerous and that's enough. There are many brainy scientists, right. The two papers are the finding of his deadly creation, Stephen, and my blasted mother has given it into my hands... to... decide. Destroy or conceal ... I don't know."

"That is grave. Was that all in the scroll?"

"Umm, a map of a sort to some place but its seriously gibberish-looking, at least for me. I am not sure about you. I was never a map person, you know. Well, I will show it to you. The last one was her final letter. Thus, the scroll was abundant of five papers. Four of it, oniony fragile coffee coloured papers. The fifth one is her letter," I sighed sadly as if something valuable of mine was lost. It did feel that way. I ran around in circles to come around to this feeling; a feeling of dreadfulness. Should I destroy or should I...

I didn't want the ice cream anymore but I couldn't waste it either. Reluctantly I started eating it again, spaced out, thinking.

"Lillian..." he yelled as he put his cold spoon on my face.

"What the..."

"You spaced out... listen, is this reason why you are so... worn out?"

"Or what, Stephen, I have running around like a headless chicken to retrieve another puzzle, another vital-stupidity; if that makes any sense. I wasted my life, weeks, for this. I..."

"Its fine, no matter what, I am here with you. But, listen, your mother was very clever in giving each of us abundance of time before the bad people could kill us all for the greater damage. You were not running around senselessly. This is dangerous. The formula, if what the scientist said is true... it is deadly dangerous. It shouldn't exist. Even though you hide it, what if someone else finds it in another time. We are already bombarded with deaths and violence in the worst case. We do not want to contribute by ourselves a weapon for the shameless people who laugh after such heinous crimes, nope. Not for them and not from us. People shouldn't die for powerful people's whims. Let's destroy it."

This is why I loved him. He always gives me meticulous details of explanation that leave room for improvement making it as if he just passed me an idea and I have to act on it; it lessens the shame and guilt for me. I smiled at him as I ponder on the last line he said. We shouldn't be the reason for other people's whim. Let's destroy it, yes.

I smiled happily for the first time after receiving the papers.

The silence was shut down by the vibration on his phone. He read the message and then quickly averted his eyes when he saw the call. It was Evelyn. Looking at me unsurely, I nodded, and he answered the call.

"Hello..."

"Where are you taking her?" she barked. "Tell me, so help me God or I will rip you. You believe that skunk of a man upon my word? He made a fool out of yourself and you jumped into his trap. Fools! I am tracking your call, please don't do anything rash and go into his den. I want to save her. I promised her." Evelyn waited for Stephen to reply.

"I obey no one's command. I will bring her where I think is safe and wise. Neither yours nor his," Stephen replied in a mere whisper as he shut down the phone. "God, I hate it when they command us as if we are their puppets."

I remained silent.

"Change of plans, for better or for worse. You trust me right?"

"With my life," I squeezed his hands on the gear.

"All that I want," he smiled.

Quickly, he accelerated through the light traffic; he severed right to take a u-turn and revved his engine back through another road. The buildings sprinting aside me with people into a thick grey line got my mind racing with numerous thoughts. What will their life story be? Are they going through something like me? Or are they going through something far more sinister? Where will I be if this wasn't the case of my life? What is happening with the kids in my school now? School... oh my God! It's close to graduation. What will I do now?

Somewhere in between the murderous glare of other people, sprinting cars, buildings, and people; I drifted off into a sore necked dreamless sleep.

Waking up, felt a herculean task. My neck and back were sore and aching from the stupid position I fell asleep in. I have no idea where Stephen was taking me but I think the roads were getting familiar with. As it was close to tea time, I asked Stephen to stop. I badly needed to pee. Stopping by a café, Stephen walked in with me. He sat down ordering cappuccino and chicken sandwich while I used the washroom.

Coming back, I saw him looking out through the window, his food untouched.

"You know, I never wanted this to be like this. Whenever I heard the weird conversation by Tom and Evelyn, I believed it wouldn't be too serious like this. Today, I have no idea to whom I should hand you over. For better, or for worse, right..." he slowly unwrapped the sandwich foil and gorged down a huge bite; clearly shaken up.

"I have no idea, what I would have done without you, Stephen. I can't trust Seb nor Shaun, not even Pete or Simon; so, it's really a huge relief that my own... uh, brother was there with me till the end. But, if it happens that you are turning me to them. And it comes to the point that my trust was on a brick wall, I am sure, I will die by own hands, Stephen. So don't you dare give me stupid doubts or guilt now, you hear me?"

Stephen chuckled as he lightened up. "After few more miles, we will reach home. Before that, give me those letters. A huge surprise waits for you there. But, don't worry, trust me."

I didn't question anything, I gave him the letters. Though the word surprise and trust hung on a loop in my head there; something in his tone suggested he was dejected. But, I let it be.

He straightened the papers. He snapped all four papers into his cell and read the last letter. He scrunched it into a ball and asked me to keep the letter. Paying up, we left the place. But, Stephen took me to the backyard and asked me to burn the letters. From the garbage can, he pulled out a cardboard piece and collected the ash on it. From the café, he asked for a small paper bag. He took the ash into it and drove off once again.

I was seriously damaged with all the travelling. Nothing seemed to be processing in my mind.

I was surprised and beyond fazed when he took me through the gates that I left all those days ago. My big house stood ominously in the afternoon setting sun. Three cars identifiable as my family's and several black, tinted SUVs' were parked in front.

Evelyn was angrily talking with Tom as Sam tried to negotiate something.

When our car rolled in, Tom visibly shook in anger. Sam looked pale and Evelyn waited for us to finish this off. She was ready to shred us into pieces. Alright! Let's face it. It all started from here in this house. Thus, let this finish here.

I got out and was quickly faced with Evil-in's saliva outburst.

"Where the hell have you been? How dare you defy me? You trust his words than mine?" she inhaled and exhaled like a grunting pig, immediately blasting my hatred scales up. I simply stared at her and then the surrounding to realize, the people in black uniform was actually two sets with a single white thin strip on the shoulder, differentiating the group. The men in white, who shot me all those months ago, were sitting in one of the lavish black tinted car parked near to the side of my big house. With the windows rolled down they were looking at me.

"I never defied anyone. It was you all who defied my so-called freedom. I have been living with my nose in staples... not even allowing me to breathe freely. And now suddenly you expect me to trust you all?" I hissed with all my anger infuriating to a boiling point. "Never," I yelled.

"I know you went to take the last clue, did you find it?" Sam said, nonchalantly trying to show as if he was one of them.

"And..." Tom began.

"What?" I asked, loving how they were all standing on the edge.

"What did you find in the treasure box, your mother hid?" Evelyn was so close to losing it.

"That's between us."

"Tell me, please..." Evelyn said sweetly.

"Some gibberish letters and numbers," I saw Linda poking out from the entrance, with an unexplainable look on her face.

"You fool; they are worth millions, in fact, billions. Where is it?" she screamed.

"Oh, I burned them. Didn't think it was important," I casually said as Linda smiled, the white men flocked out from shadows, clearly enraged.

Everyone else held their breath. When I looked up from my fingers, Evelyn burst out in fisted rage to rake me out as Tom drew the gun on her. The white men pulled their gun out, pointing at Tom as the black uniformed men all drew their weapons on each other.

The swish, swish of everyone showing their weapons were kind of comical to me.

Evelyn stood her ground as Sam weaved out from the gunned masked as he was about to say something. Evelyn dared to pull a gun on me and snarled, "You pig...I safeguarded you... you... ungrateful bitch. I will kill you."

I suddenly laughed out loud, clearly losing it.

Everyone's stance faltered as I laughed maniacally. I walked towards Evelyn and positioned her gun to my forehead. When I was sure she will not pull the trigger, I cocked my head to the side and I asked, "Do I look scared to you Evelyn?"

I pushed her hands closer to my head.

"DO I look fuc*ing scared," I whisper yelled, Evelyn remained quiet. "Go ahead, shoot me. I don't mind." I plucked her hands and pushed it aside from my head. "You say you safeguarded me, since when you pathetic bitch? Huh? Since when... all that I know was, you all being indifferent to me, treating me as if I was dirt on your shoes. The floor you get to stomp on. Dress me and dance around parties like meat on display. Don't you dare say you all safeguarded Me." with one swift motion, I plucked the gun from her hands, rolled her hands to the back and pulled her to me so that she was under my elbow clutch.

I pressed harder, without leaving her hands and screamed, "I shoot her, and I will shoot you all. Don't play with me. Everyone drop your weapons."

Someone pulled the fire, and it was a war cry.

____________________________ 

One more chap and Wild Space is over! That doesn't make me feel good. I still don't have much moving in this but still, I loved writing this book.

I had a mistake in my original draft making this a 51 chapter book. Just like Haunting. I wanted this to be straight 50. But, my stupid mistake did this. So, yea, one more chap and then full focus on my mysterious medieval styled modern love story with many ups and downs- Hearts Apart.

I hope you enjoy this so far and will recommend it to your friends here.

What was that open talk by Stephen? Did he have some secrets to hide?

What is with Shaun as she said?

Is Tom trustworthy?

Why was the whole lot of people in front of the house?

What do you think will happen now. 

Wait for the last chap :)