Chapter 7: Chapter 7

Chapter seven.

The mail building looks more of a petty shop, than what I thought it would look like. James mentioned there's a library in here too, didn't he?

I can't believe it. I lead the way this time. We have parked the car behind the building since that's where the parking lot is. The doorway is silent, nobody there — no doorman. Well they don't need one since there's little population around.

In the mail office, there are only few people, whom if I'm to count are less than eleven, I suppose.

"I should tell you this—"

"Hmm," James cut in, and listens to me.

"This town looks like someplace the movie, The walking dead use as location."

He chuckles hard at my joke, and nudges his elbow against my rib, making me to cock a laugh too. "Oh, maybe I should start packing my stuff then, don't want the walkers to eat me."

"That would be eerie, but you'll be a good meat though, your muscles and all." He gasp, and widens his lips, leaving his month agape.

"You just didn't mean it."

I laugh, and push, "maybe, I do." My tone is raised, giving it all away.

"You deserve a punishment for this."

The way he says "punishment" has a ring to it. Or is it my imagination again? He is so unpredictable, or maybe it's just me, not listening in to his demands, and choice of words. I remember his uncle, saying that I've got something on him. Maybe I do.

"I don't mind any." Suddenly, I feel a build up tension as James goes silent, not responding to my speech.

I wasn't able to think much into it, because the blonde woman behind the booth motions for me to come forward right after she's finished with answering a man.

She has her hair pulled up into a high knot, her dressing sharp, and business-related. "afternoon, how may I help you?"

"I need to send a message to someone, a family." I assume to add.

She nods, and looks down to the shelf, at the other side, below the table separating us. "Okay, your name?"

"Zack."

"Zack." She repeats, and smile at me once her gaze is back on me.

Her lips broadens, saying, "you're not from around here, are you?"

"No," shaking my head, I answer.

"We are sorry for the inconvenience."

Oh. I might have been annoyed at getting stuck here just because my car had fault, but then, with James and his uncle here, I couldn't.

"It's fine."

"Here is the paper. Write your words inside and seal it into this," she gives me an envelope, right after I've collected a blank white sheet of paper from her. "once done, bring it back. We'll deliver your message as soon as we can."

I swear, it's funny. It's like I'm stuck somewhere where civilization hasn't grown, as though I'm in the stone age.

James helps me to take a seat, and I begin to write what I needed to. I begin with my car, developing fault after the call, then the situation of the town, then to James. I give more details around there to Susan, making sure that I tell her everything about James and his Uncle, and how nice they've treated me so far.

To spice it all up, I add my thoughts on James into the writing, knowing Susan will find it amusing.

When I'm done, I fold up the paper into the envelope and seal it. I made sure James' eyes doesn't see what I wrote down. He doesn't nose into it as well, which is a plus.

The woman collects the envelope, and reassures that they'll be quick with sending it across. I give her the location afterwards, and also write down my name into the registry book too.

We walk out in silence, my hands in my pockets. "now we head back to the cabin?"

"Right after we get your belongings." He reminds me, I gasp, he chuckles. "I knew you had forgotten."

"My bad."

Entering, kicking the engine on, we pull out, accelerating back to the cabin.

James motions the vehicle silently, letting the tires make low crunching sound on contact against the ground as we glide past. I look out of the window, taking in the small town.

I am amazed by the little to almost none civilization. It will take days just to send an information across. How funny. I smile just thinking about it.

My vision watches the vivid image of the buildings we pass. The sun shines down, reflecting through the windscreen, so I pull the visor down to shade my eyes from the burning yellowish light, and just as I do, my eyes catch the rear-view mirror to see that there's no car behind us. James does the same thing I did — pulling the visor down to protect his eyes — after some minutes.

We remain in silence, and inside, I hate it. There's a charging heat inside of this cramped space, making me want free as I feel somewhat inconvenient.

I look over to James, and decides to start a conversation.

"Hey," I say, and for a sharp moment, he tilt his head over to my side. I know I have his attention when he hums a yes. "why did you decide to stay here?"

It just came to my mind. I'm surprised really. Why won't someone has youthful like him stay here? He'll find more happiness in the city. Mind my meaning, I don't mean that this town is bad for someone like him, rather I mean that the city will offer him much choices. Plus, he's got many things to enjoy, and the city is most likely to give him that.

"It's choice, Zack." He state, his voice low. He breaths out. The way he'd talked — sounded unhappy. Is that a memory he's recalling?

I don't say anything, hopefully he'll continue his talk, but instead he presses down onto the accelerator, increasing the speed of the jeep. The coarse ground makes the tires sounds more crunching, as the insides quivers. It isn't a good ride, but I don't complain. I think he's angry, as he's concentrated on driving.

"I shouldn't have asked. I'm sorry." With me saying that, he sucks in air through his mouth, then he blows it out. I don't look at him, instead my eyes are placed straight ahead.

"No, I'm the one with the issue. I should be sorry." Then, acknowledge that you're sorry. I say inside my head.

"Why?" Now, I'm back to asking questions.

He squirm, and dabs his fingers on his eyes, scratching it. "I don't really know. It's something I don't really like to remember. Your question brought it back."

"That's why I should be the one saying sorry."

"And thankful to fate, you can get off now, so we get your stuff down." He says, making me look at my front again. I see that we are closer to my faulty car.

Oh, I hadn't noticed since all my attention was directed to him. He distracts me, I know.

Pulling to a stop, I get down before him. I stride straight to the back seat where I have my laptop packed inside its bag. Sliding it off the seat, as half my figure is swallowed inside the car, I pass it to James when I feel him behind me...his legs are touching against mine.

Him, being that close to my peach causes a fault in my brain that I struggle to control. I don't want to think about it. That will be just opposite of what my principles are. I'm responsible, remember.

Pulling myself together, meanwhile my face is all redden, I turn myself to the booth, not bothering to open it from the outside. I just scoop up the suitcase from inside, and pull it out.

"Done." I pop at James, and he nods. He turns to the jeep, and I slide the case, following his tail. This ground is very much not-so-nice. The way my hands vibrate as I wheel the case...back to planet Earth, I pass him the case, and he packs it into his booth.

"Did you help me get any mechanic?" I'm referencing to my car.

He doesn't answer right away. "yeah, but the man says he'll get it to work less than a week. He'll just have to the neighbouring town to get his tools." I want to laugh at fate for fairly keeping me here. If I was sleeping in the car, I would have cursed fate, but I love this version of reality.

"Okay," is my next word.

He hums, his eyes searching mine. I collect my laptop from him, lower my gaze, and move to the passenger seat. Entering, I unzip the bag, and bring out my laptop.

I turn it on, whilst he kicks the car back to life, and drives again.

There's no network available when the desktop comes to life. I breath out, defeated.

"Fate sucks." He remarks, catching my attention.

"What?"

"Nothing, just saying that fate sucks."

Now, I grab. "Yeah, it suck." I should have gotten to LA by now if nothing had happened, but then, I wouldn't have met James. I know I have an attraction to him, but seriously, being with someone that cares most about me is more lovely than this.

As we enter into the farm, I pull the visor back up. James' pulled his side's up a while ago. Inside the garage, I get down and at the booth, I slide my case down, the bag on my back.

"Do you...?" James offers to help, but I just smile, and shakes my head.

"Go, and feed your cows." As I say, he nods and I turn to my back, entering into the cabin.

It's strange even for me. Why my mood changes so sharply. I hope I hadn't unnerved him in any way.