The Pack - On the Run

“That man smells like us,” whispered Mikey peeking at the shop assistant of the small petrol station we stopped by to grab some snacks.

The station was located in the middle of nowhere, and it was surrounded by dark, unwelcoming forest from every side. But it was the only place we had seen that offered any food since we had passed the ugly welcome sign, which was about 30 minutes ago - not that I had been counting...

“Don’t stare; it’s rude,” I chid my brother, ignoring his comment as I pressed the hot chocolate button on the coffee vending machine.

I tried extremely hard not to think about what the boy had just said. Contrary to the seven-year-old, I refused to admit I noticed the set of peculiar skills I had suddenly acquired after, well, that night.

Mikey obeyed me, immediately getting interested in the bags of jellies in front of him. I shook my head, frowning. For reasons only known to my brother, he started to listen to me more than our mum.

I handed Mikey hot chocolate and pressed a latte button, peeking at the cashier chitchatting with mum. He was a huge guy, built like a tank, with arms the size of overgrown watermelons. His face, covered in a somewhat shaggy, brown beard, held the edge of pertinacity and rigidity usually associated with people living in the harsh environment. Despite that, his chocolate-brown eyes were surprisingly tender.

“Long journey?” I heard him ask as he continued to pack the groceries into the plastic bag. He didn’t comment on mum’s dirty surgical patch, our dubious state of hygiene, or dark circles under our eyes that spared only Mikey. Almost as if the guy saw lone women with two kids looking like the victims of domestic violence on the run every day. Maybe he did. He worked at a petrol station after all.

“You have no idea... Ben,” Mum sighed tiredly, reading the man’s name on the plate attached to his blue t-shirt. “Me and the kids want nothing more than to stop somewhere warm with a decent shower and clean, hot water and have a good night’s rest.”

“Do you have a place to stay?”

Mum bit her lip and frowned.

“Well, that’s the problem... We didn’t plan to stop on our way to Dover Hill, but I’m so tired I can barely keep my eyes open. The kids could use some sleep too,” she explained, sighing silently.

Ben didn’t look surprised.

“If that’s the case, I know the place you’re looking for,” Ben said, handing mum a green pamphlet. “My sister runs an inn. Nothing fancy, mind you, but it has all you need, and Rosie, that’s her name, by the way, is a great cook, if I may say so myself. Plus, if you tell her I’ve sent you, she’ll give you a discount.”

“That sounds promising,” Mum chuckled. It was even genuine. “Don’t worry - we won’t rip you off. We don’t plan to stay long.”

“Never mind that.” Ben waved mum off. “Do you come from far?” He asked in a seemingly indifferent way. If it wasn’t for the recent developments in my body, I wouldn’t have picked on the slight spark of interest there. Mum surely didn't.

So I decided to use that very moment to approach the counter and hand mum her drink.

“Here,” I said, eyeing the man with caution.

He met my suspicious gaze head-on and offered me a broad smile that turned him into a big teddy bear. Well, okay, a grizzly bear.

I felt myself blush a little, and I bit the inside of my cheek, sensing this instinctive urge to drop my gaze. It was odd because I would never describe myself as timid. I tried to fight my weird reaction, but I gave up after two seconds, focusing on mum instead. She looked the most relaxed I had seen her in ages, and I wasn’t sure if I liked the fact it was Ben who made her lower her guard so quickly like that. He was just a stranger. If Mikey was right and that man smelled like us - and by us, he meant himself and me - it would mean Ben...

“Thank you, sweety. Ben here has recommended us a lodging house,” Mum brought me back to the present. I blinked. “And guess what? We’ve got a discount!” She added way over too cheerfully.

“Um, yeah, that’s great,” I smiled, faking enthusiasm. “Anyway, Mikey and I are about to head back to the car,” I pointed in the rough direction of our truck. “You know, in case you wondered...”

“Oh, okay. I’ll be right behind you. Do you have keys? I still need to pay for our drinks and the rest of the food...”

“Don’t worry, I have them with me,” I tapped the right pocket of my green bomber jacket and turned around, ready to head for the doors.

That was when I felt it - a soft stir in the air that brought Ben’s scent directly to my nose. I couldn’t pretend anymore. My little brother was right - that guy smelled like us. It was a strange mixture of wood, fuel, musk, and something oddly familiar, something that reminded me of that nightmare of a night when the shit hit the fan...

My eyes snapped to the guy behind the counter, and I froze, feeling my pulse picking up as beads of cold sweat started to gather on my forehead. Ben’s nostrils flared, and he took a whiff, his eyes widening slightly. The movement was barely there, but I noticed it.

I noticed it...

“Easy...” He murmured soothingly, his voice too low for human ears to pick it up, for mum to pick it up. She was too busy asking for directions to pay us any mind anyway. Not Mikey, though.

“Josie?” His anxious voice cut through the tension like a knife through butter. “Are you okay?” He whispered, approaching me. He tugged me by my hand, demanding my attention as he gave me a worried look.

“Y-Yeah,” I cleared my throat and forced a smile. I didn’t want to spook the boy even further. God only knew, lately he went ballistic when scared or upset. I most definitely did not want the episode with the TV to reoccur... “Come, we need to go. Mum’s almost finished.”

I quickly pulled my brother by his hand and as far away from the stranger as possible. I swore I could feel Ben’s gaze on the back of my head even when the doors to the shop shut behind us.