Drexel Martin

Waking up shaking with fear is not the best way to start the day. I was laying on grass next to a pavement road. The car was destroyed and Lucy was laying in the ditch next to me. Gracie was by the burning car. She was standing.

I stood up and walked, limped, over to Gracie.

"What happened?" I managed to croak.

"Lucy was speeding over a hundred. It's unbelievable that we're not dead."

"She's alive?" I asked. She didn't look like she was breathing. Gracie nodded.

"All of our supplies and weapons are gone." Gracie shuddered.

"I can see a small town over the horizon. We could walk when Lucy gets up." I pointed to the east.

"She won't get up. She's in a coma." Gracie said indifferent.

I looked at her and then looked at Lucy. She didn't look very heavy.

"I guess I can carry her." I said.

"Don't be silly," She waved her hand, "You just broke your ankle. You can't carry her."

"I can try. I'll carry her for as long as I can, then maybe in that small town, we can go to the hospital." I said limping towards Lucy.

"Ok." Gracie looked exhausted.

Lifting Lucy onto my back, I began to walk towards the town. It hurt to be on my ankle at all, but I could feel Gracie helping me support it and Lucy at the same time. The town was growing as we walked farther away from the car. The fields we walked through were very uneven with where the corn grows and it took all I had in me to continue to carry Lucy as our walk grew smaller.

"Why don't we rest?" Gracie asked for the thousandth time.

I shook my head and looked at how little we had left to walk.

"We might have about a mile left." I said with my dry and hoarse voice. Lucy was getting heavier. She felt at peace though. Her body language said nothing about being in a car accident only hours ago. Yet, that was the gruesome truth. Someone from the village spotted us and ran over to help.

"I'll help ya'." She said in the most beautiful voice. I knew immediately who she was, only because I have met her before.

"Stella?" I asked gently setting Lucy down.

"How do you know my name?" Stella asked in complete bewilderment.

"It's me, Drexel." I whispered.

"Drexel?" Horror filled her eyes. I nodded and tried to reach for her, but she stepped away.

"Why did you leave?" I asked as tears filled my eyes. It takes a lot to make me cry, but this is enough to tear a man apart.

"I had to." She stumbled.

"Why? Why did you leave? I bought a ring that day. I was going to propose. Did I do something wrong? Did I hurt you? Do you," I swallowed, "Do you not love me?"

"God, Drexel! I love you! I still do! I got pregnant! I thought you would leave me if I told you, so I left before you could know!" She cried. She slowly sank onto the ground, and I followed.

"I would never have left you. I would have been so happy to have a child, that we created." I whispered.

"We have a girl." She whispered.

"Can, can I meet her?" I asked.