Page 16 of Even After Sunset

“Great. Well, I’ll let you go, then… Remember what we talked about. Stay out of trouble, and respect Jacquelyn. No funny business, alright?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Don’t make me regret sticking my neck out for you. I’m pulling some strings for you, Silas. Make me proud.”

Thankfully, he can’t see my spectacular eye roll.

“I will. Thank you.”

“Take care, Silas. Don’t forget: ten o’clock this evening. You need to check in.”

“Got it.”

And I hang up. Then I let my head fall back against the side of the camper with a hollowthud!

I need a few shots of Fireball right now. A few shots ofanything. Because this really. Truly. Blows.

And lucky me, this is only Day One.

I have to walk around to the other side of the camper where Jackie’s been waiting in order to get into my seat. I brush right past her and climb straight in, effectively cutting her off mid-question by slamming the passenger door behind me. Of course, a couple seconds later she climbs in to the driver’s seat, and I’m trapped with her for the foreseeable future. Literally and figuratively.

“Are you okay?” she tries again.

I turn and give her a look that clearly indicates how not okay I am right now. And how stupid she is for even asking. This new Jackie is resilient as hell though, and unfortunately for me, isn’t easily intimidated.

It takes her a couple of tries, but she eventually shifts into drive and we’re back on the road. The silence between us becomes almost a tangible thing that shapes and moulds to the space inside the cab; thick and heavy and oppressive. Eventually, Jackie leans over and presses a button on her phone, and a second later the cheery music starts up again… and so do the thoughts of lunging my body out of a moving vehicle. Because surely, whatever injuries I sustained would still be better than being submitted to this upbeat musical vomit for hours on end.

Jackie doesn’t tap her fingers or do that shoulder grooving thing she was doing earlier, though. I can tell she’s doing some serious thinking—which can only mean bad things for me.

Sure enough, two (overly upbeat) songs in, she suddenly turns down the music.

“Look, I know you’re mad at me right now. And you want to shut me out or whatever, and that’s fine. I just need you to know that you don’t deserve to be treated that way—how your aunt and uncle treated you. Just because you’ve done some stupid things or got into trouble or whatever, it doesn’t make it okay. It doesn’t give them the right to kick you out or… or beat you up while you’re passed out. Or while you’re wide awake or… atall.”

I still don’t lookat her.

“Thanks for the insight,” I scoff, “but think I’ll take a pass on the Dr. Phil car-pool edition.”

She lets out a frustrated sigh. “Silas, please… Can you stop being sarcastic for just one second? I just want—”

I lean forward and turn the music up to drown out the rest of whatever she’s going to say.

Desperate measures, I know.

She lets out another sigh, but at least she takes the hint. I take out my own phone after that and scroll through texts, only I’m not really taking anything in. My mind is all over the place. I’m so absorbed in my thoughts that I don’t realize we’ve veered off the highway again until we’re slowing right down, pulling into a parking lot. I look up to see a huge Walmart sign.

Jackie glances at me. “I just have a couple things I need to pick up,” she says.

I nod and put my phone in the cup holder, then lean back and close my eyes. I don’t want her to think there’s any chance I’m going in with her. Also, I’m tired as hell. Clearly, because I fall asleep almost as soon as her door slams shut.

Next thing I know, I wake with a start with no idea how long I’ve been out. I’m not used to falling asleep so easily. Not when I’m sober. I forgot how good it feels. Howeasyit can be.

Jackie is pushing a full cart toward the camper and the wheels make a loud clacking sound against the pavement; obviously the noise that woke me up.

She did more than just “pick up a couple of things”: the cart is overflowing. And is that… is that apillow and comforter set?

I open the door and peer round at the cart, where Jackie is standing in front of the main door to the camper.

“What’s that for?” I motion with my chin to the oversized see-through bag, even though I’m pretty sure I already know the answer.

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