Liam raised a brow. “Funny-looking? That would be Falon,” he said.
I frowned. “Everyone knows the pretty boy always dies off first,” I reminded them.
“Which means I'll live!” Hilary suddenly piped in.
Julie and I started laughing, and Liam looked to Hilary. “What's so funny?” he asked.
“I'm going to be the only one alive,” she told him.
He smiled and kissed her gently. “Yes, you will, baby.”
Julie and I both rolled our eyes.
♥
“What if we stop a serial killer?” Liam asked as Julie and I stood in the middle of the road. I was surprised at how many people had actually passed us and just kept going. Maybe it was our faces.
Julie rolled her eyes. “You're still going on about that? Give it a rest, Liam,” she told him.
I laughed slightly at her exasperated tone. That was how brothers and sisters were suppose to talk to each other, I thought. It was the same tone Ava would have used with me if the tables were turned.
“I'm being realistic now! I'm talking about some southern, knife-toting, weirdo that likes to skin his victims and eat them like Sunday supper,” he told us.
Julie looked to me. “If a psycho like that came, I'd give him Liam. Ask for him to show his mouth shut before he killed him,” she told me, and I laughed.
“What did she say?” Liam yelled, looking to both of us. “Got something to say, say it to my eyes, Julie!” he told her.
“Don't shut up, and I’ll go crazy, southern psycho killer and chop you up myself!” Julie yelled back.
“Bring it on, shorty!” Liam baited.
Julie actually started that way, but that was when I saw the glare of a car again and I grabbed to her arm. “Car! It's a car!” I yelled, and began jumping up and down.
Julie did too, and we waved our hands in the air. I thought the car was going to stop, because it had begun to slow down, but when it got close to us, it sped up again and left Julie and I in a cloud of dust.
“Stupid jerk!” Julie screamed, then started coughing. She waved the dust from her face, and we both walked back to the truck.
Julie sat on the tailgate with Liam and Hilary, and I looked out at the road again.
“I think we're just going to have to break down and walk. There has to be a house or gas station somewhere close by,” I told them.
“You'd die of a heat stroke first,” Julie said, shaking her head. “We couldn't baby the truck a little further?” she asked, but Liam was already laughing at the idea.
“Sis, the tire is completely shredded. I'm sure Falon doesn't want to replace a rim too,” he replied.
I shook my head. “I don't. But if we don't hail somebody down soon, I'd still risk it.”
We stood there, the sun boiling down on us, the temperature rising, and the sun falling lower and lower. They wouldn't admit it, and I wouldn't either, but none of us wanted to be stuck out her after dark.
I finally grabbed my bottle of water, which was hot and half empty, and tucked my cell phone in my pocket. “That's it. I'm walking. There has to be a house somewhere up ahead,” I told them.
Julie jumped from the tailgate, and grabbed her water too. “I'm going with you,” she told me.
I stopped. “You would be exhausted, Julie. You need to rest,” I told her, but I could already see that I was losing the argument.
“I'll be fine. Will you be okay?” she asked, looking at Liam and Hilary, but Liam wasn't looking at us, his eyes were on the road.
“Truck! I see a truck!” he yelled, and jumped from the tailgate. He waved his hands, running into the middle of the road. The truck slowed, and then, surprising and heaven sent, he stopped, pulling up beside Liam.
“Wait here,” I told Julie, and ran up beside Liam. There was an old man driving the truck, but I heard Liam telling him about what happened.
“I can give you a ride into town,” the man offered. “How many of you are there?” he asked, his eyes wandering to Hilary and Julie.
“Four,” I answered. “Is there a tow truck in town?”
He looked at me, and after staring for a moment, he nodded. “Best in the whole county. He can change that tire too, and get you back on the road tonight,” he replied.
Liam looked at the girls, and then at the man. 'Is there any motels in town? We've been out here all day,” he replied.
He shook his head. “No motels, but you kids are welcomed to stay at my place. My wife should have some dinner cooked, and we got a few beds. The kids never visit anymore,” he said, and he sounded like he held a tad bit of regret in that statement.
Liam nodded, and looked at me. “What do you think?” he asked.
“Sounds like our only option,” I told him. “I'll go tell the girls,” I replied, and went toward the truck.
Liam ran up beside me quickly, and gripped my shoulder. “You don't think he's crazy, do you?” he asked, and there was real fear in his voice.
I laughed.
♥
We grabbed our bags and put them in the back of the truck. Hilary and Liam sat up front with the old man, and Julie and I sat in the back. WE locked the blow up mattress in my truck. And put all of our bags in his, though, the bed of his truck was cluttered beyond belief.
Mostly, it was rattlesnake skins. I thought Julie might have a heart attack when we
