Chapter 3

CARA’S P.O.V.

It was a long exhausting journey. We only moved without any stops. How far is the east anyway? Did the driver know where he was driving to? I wondered. I checked the compass Aaliyah gave to me and it did not even move. Worst of all, I was out of water. What a journey. 

We suddenly stopped in the middle of nowhere under the scorching sun. 

“Why did we stop? I asked the driver who looked baffled

“I’m not sure. I think it’s the gas or something else.” The driver stepped out of the car and opened the bonnet. There seemed to be quite a lot of smoke or Steam I don’t know, but it was something of that sort. What a day. “What’s the problem?” I asked the driver who looked very bothered. He approached the car to the window side of where I was seated. 

“Have you any water?” The driver asked.

“I’m all out.” 

“Then, I’ll have to go find some. I believe there should be a station up ahead. But first…” The driver pulled some things in the car and went to the trunk of the car. He pushed the car to the side of the road. 

“I’ll be right back.” He said before walking away under the vexed sun.

I remained alone in the car in the middle of nowhere with no water. Who was this Tau, anyway? Why was he interested in me? 

I shut my eyes for a minute or so I thought. Revering sound of an engine. It was loud and coming from a distance. It grew louder and louder. It was beside me now. It sounded like a motorbike. The sound went off and the rider alighted. I felt the presence of the rider, so I gently opened my eye to, first, see the blurry image of a person with a helmet. The image became clearer and my the first survival instinct as a werewolf told me to step out of the car and transform. I instantly went out through the other door and transformed. I growled at the person but the person did not move. It was weird.

The person took of his helmet and it was a man. I couldn’t tell what he looked like because it was dark.

“Transforming out in the open. Well it’s night now, so no one can see.”

It’s night?! I studied the environment. It’s really night. I’m still in the middle of nowhere. Where’s the driver? 

“Your growl; you’re thirsty.”

How did he know? I transformed back to human form, because I did not sense any danger. 

“Here.” He handed me a bottle of water. “Drink it.” 

I hesitantly approached the man and collected the bottle. Without a second thought, I gulped down every single drop. It has to be the most refreshing drink of water I’ve ever had. “Thank you.”

“You should’ve saved some for later. Water is scarce in these parts.” The man said in a tone of disapproval.

Who was this man? Where did he come from? He could’ve killed me if he wanted to? He saw me transform but was unmoved.

“Weren’t you frightened?” I asked

“I was not.” He replied with a very unbearable confidence.

He was not frightened. That was a first. 

“What are you doing in the middle of nowhere?” 

“I was resting. The car broke down. The driver’s gone too.”

“Mmm. That’s bad. Can I take a look?”

“Sure? I guess?”

The man walked to the driver’s and pulled the lever that opens the bonnet. He went to the take a look at the engine. He looked at it carefully. 

“The driver went to get some water.” I said ignoring the fact that I’ve been in the middle of nowhere for over 5hours. Suddenly, I caught something running to me. It came closer and it became clear–it was the driver.

He came to a stop and had to take his time to catch his breath. He held a leather bag in his hands. I could tell he’s all sweaty and very exhausted. 

“Where did you go to?” I asked him but he still struggled to take a breath.

“To get water.” Where exactly did he go to? How far did he go?

“Give them to me. Go rest.” I said as I collected the leather bag. It had four bottles of water. Did the car need that much water? I walked to the car engine with an opened bottle of water in my hand. 

“Do you even know where the water goes?” The biker man asked me. “You didn’t even know that the car needed water. If you knew, you wouldn’t have finished that bottle I gave you.” 

“Well that’s why you’re here.” I handed the bottle to him. He scoffed as he took the bottle. I watched him pour the water into a small hole. 

“That should do it.” He closed the hole and closed the bonnet. “Now you wait.”

“Oh. Thank you very much.”

“I should get going.” The biker man said as he went on his bike and wore his helmet. “My journey is long. I believe yours is, too. Bye” The biker turned on his bike and zoomed off. Who was that? What a good man. I hope I meet him again sometime.

I walk to the driver who was fast asleep. It was quite late anyway. I got back into the car and stayed up till I fell asleep.

TAKI’S P.O.V.

I didn’t think I would take anymore breaks as I approached one of my destinations. The sky was filled with many stars I wished I could stop and just adore it while they were still there. 

I kept accelerating on the road. I did not have much gasoline left in my tank. I hoped for a station up ahead or maybe someone who would have an extra gallon and be willing to spare a little.

I spotted a car parked at the side of the road. I decided to see if they would have. I stopped my bike by the side of the car. There was a sleeping lady at the back seat. I couldn’t get a clear picture of her face but she was beautiful. I alighted my bike and walked towards the lady. I got close and she instantly rushed out through the other door and to my surprise, she transformed to a werewolf. Woah.

“Transforming out in the open. Well, it’s night so, no one can see you.”

She looked around and at the sky. Did she not know it was night? Her growl caught my attention. It sounded dry and a little too rough.

“Your growl; you’re thirsty.” I had a bottle of water. I reached for it and gave it to her, already transformed back to get human form. “Here. Drink it.”

She did not hesitate to take the bottle of water. She gulped down every single drop without thinking of anything. “You should’ve saved some for later. Water is scarce in these parts.” It was quite disappointing she didn’t know, but I guess this is her first time reaching here.

“Weren’t you frightened?”

“No. I was not.” Why would I be frightened? “What were you doing in the middle of nowhere?” I had no business to ask that question but I just wanted to.

“I was just resting. The car broke down. The driver’s gone.” 

I really should be on my way. 

“Mmm. That’s bad. Can I take a look?” 

“Sure? I guess?” 

What am I doing? I should be on my way. My journey is still long. 

I looked at the engine with my flashlight over it. I was not battery or the fan. I found the problem–the radiator.

“The driver went to get some water.”

The driver went to get some water? Where? I suddenly hear the sound of someone running. I was on my guard as the person got nearer. The lady seemed expectant of the person. Could it be the driver? 

The person came to a stop. He looked very exhausted and probably drenched in sweat. Poor man. He held a plastic bag that had what I guessed was water. The lady went to him. I did not bother to listen to their conversation. I look at my watch and I was running out of good time.

The lady was coming to me with a bottle of water in her hand. She stood looking at the engine like she knew what she was doing. 

“Do you even know where the water goes? You didn’t even know that the car needed water. If you knew, you wouldn’t have finished that bottle I gave to you.” 

“Well that’s why you’re here.” She handed the water to me. I scoffed and collected it. I was getting a little uneasy. 

“That should do.” I closed the bonnet “Now you wait.”

“Oh. Thank you very much.” It was kind of her to thank me. 

“I should get going.” I said as I went on my bike and wore my helmet. “My journey is long. I believe yours is, too. Bye” I turned on my bike and I rode off. I accelerated hoping nothing else would stop me “SHIT!” I exclaimed. I forgot to ask for gasoline.