Mangled Memories: Nowhere To Run - Preview 1 "On The Road"

I looked up at the brightly lit petrol station off the side of the road before turning back to see Foxy and Cameron across the road, arguing about directions again. I sighed before putting the grey hoodie over my head, concealing my fox-like appearance. I walked towards the front door of the petrol station before walking inside.

"Welcome, what brings you here?" A man with a gruff voice said from over the counter, I pulled the hoodie tighter before looking up at him.

"Just passing through," I said.

"What's with your voice?" He asked.

"Sorry?" I asked.

"It just sounds sort of... robotic, I dunno, forget I asked," he said as he leant forward on the counter, I just nodded slightly before walking down one of the isles and out of his sight.

I scanned through the different brands of chocolate bars before picking three out, all having brightly decorated wrappers to try and stand out from the rest.

I walked up to the front counter and handed the guy the items, trying my hardest to conceal my face. He scanned the items before looking up at the screen.

"8.95, what's with the tail by the way?" he asked. We went silent for a couple seconds as I tried to think of an excuse.

"Costume party," I said awkwardly as I felt over my tail.

"Understandable, pretty realistic, looks like real fur" He replied as I reached into my pocket and grabbed Cameron's wallet before pulling out a ten dollar note and handing it over.

"Whoah, I've never actually seen a mechanical arm before," the man said as he felt over my hand which along with the arm was reduced to nothing but an endoskeleton. "How'd you lose your arm, if you don't mind answering," He asked as he put the money in the register before handing me the change.

"A fire" I replied quietly as the memories came flooding back.

"Man... sounds terrible" he replied. "Those mechanical arms are pretty expensive, that's the first one I've ever seen" he smiled with a toothy grin as I grabbed the items.

"Have a good night" I smiled awkwardly as I walked towards the exit.

"You too, take care now" he called out to me.

I speed walked out of the exit and didn't stop until I was next to the road, I pulled my hoodie off my head and sighed as I flattened some fur on my head with my hands.

I looked at the chocolate bars in my hand before walking across the road to the van.

"It was a fucking left turn back there, I saw the map!" Foxy yelled.

"We're on the right road for fuck's sake, Pamplin City is this way!" Cameron yelled back.

"Guys, I've got chocolate bars" I called out, Cameron walked over to me and took a random one before climbing into the driver's seat of the van. Foxy did the same thing before climbing into the back of the van. That left me with the snickers bar. I climbed into the back of the van and threw Cameron his wallet before I sat next to Foxy, I watched as Cameron put the wallet back in his pocket before pulling out of the pit stop.

"We've wasted too much time, that fucking psycho is going to catch up" Cameron yelled.

"We're going your fucking way, you can stop yelling now" Foxy yelled back.

"Come on guys, stop fighting!" I called out over the top of both of them. "We have to put up with each other if we like it or not, we're in this together," I said when I noticed I finally got their attention.

"Sorry," Cameron replied. "I'm just stressed" he added.

"Sorry Vixey, hey, you should get some rest, it's getting pretty late" Foxy whispered back.

"I will" I smiled as I snuggled up to him.

"I've got to teach one of you to drive soon," Cameron said from the front seat. "It gets fucking tiring and we still have over a thousand miles to drive," Cameron said.

"Eventually" Foxy replied. I smiled to myself as I closed my eyes and tried to get some rest.

Later...

I bolted my eyes open and snapped from my sleep from the car swerving sharply.

"Goddamit," Cameron yelled from the front seat.

"What happened?" I asked.

"Almost fell asleep" he replied.

"Pull over, get some rest!" Foxy said as he woke up as well, presumably from the car swerving as well.

"And risk that fucker getting us!" Cameron yelled.

"Well, it's better than crashing into a tree!" Foxy yelled back.

"Fuck!" Cameron yelled as he pulled to the side of the road.

"That fuckwit is going to get us!" Cameron yelled.

"I don't have to take this! I'm getting some fresh air!" Foxy yelled as he climbed out the back.

"Come on guys!" I whined, trying to get them to calm down.

"Good idea," Cameron said as he climbed out as well. I sighed before climbing out the back.

"Let's stay here the night," Foxy said.

"We'll get killed!" Cameron yelled.

"Goddamit, why don't you let me make suggestions!" Foxy yelled back.

"Come on, stop it!" I yelled over the top of them.

"I'm out of here, I don't have to take this bullshit!" Foxy growled as he walked into the forest.

"Foxy! Come on, we have to stick together!" I called out to him.

"good idea, I'm going to get some fresh air," Cameron said as he walked off into the forest on the other side of the road.

"Guys! Come on!" I called out, it was too late, they were both gone. I sighed before looking both directions at the large trees lining the road.

"Foxy!" I called out as I wandered into the forest. As I walked it started to get colder as my breath turned to soft smoke, I pulled my hoodie over my head and held my hands close to my chest as I walked.

"Foxy, come on!" I called out. Silence, nothing but the echo of my voice bouncing off the trees. As I moved further through the trees, I could've sworn I heard something move through the bushes, I just shrugged it off as an animal before walking further, what sounded like rustling echoed from all directions before a stick snapped... from right behind me.

Click. I felt something cold press against my neck. A gun. I started breathing a bit heavier as dread overcome my body before I felt a leather glove pull my hoodie off. I slowly reached into my pocket and felt around. Empty. I watched as the figures hand slowly moved out in front of my face, my pocket knife in his hand.

"Nice to see you again, Vixey" an all too familiar voice whispered.

Mangled Memories: Nowhere To Run - Coming December 25th, 2016