Open Highway, Unknown Location, Unknown State....
High winds greeted them as the roar of Duko's bike echoed across the open terrain as they left the backwood town of Trenton County in the thick haze of exhaust and bad memories. Duko glared at the road steering the bike around winding curves while Rae held on to him gripping him tightly via his waist and her arms. She wasn't quite so use to riding motorcycles, but she felt safe with Duke no matter where they went nor how they traveled. She couldn't explain it, but after their first encounter, she felt as if she could trust him with anything and that he'd do his utmost to keep her out of harm's way. Her vibrant red hair seemed to dance at the prospect of her new found freedom as it was caught up in the wind causing it to wave behind them. She had the backpack on and her arms through both straps as they sped down the road getting further and further toward the notion of freedom they both seemed to crave.
Duko seemed to know where he was going although she suspected he had no real sense of direction. It was a liberating experience for Rae to feel the pulsing engine of the bike and it's loud roar echo as they passed open lots, trees and vast rain ditches she'd never seen before on her way out of the town she hoped to never have to see again.
At the age of sixteen there was a lot she could not do out in the open world unless it was a statutes of state law for her to be considered an emancipated adult but even then there were limitations. She knew Ed Earl was much too much of a coward to think about going to the law when it came to Duke, but that didn't mean anyone on the outside wouldn't be so inclined. She knew Duke wasn't much for public affection or rather affection at all, but she knew people, especially the nosy kind that never seemed to have anything better to do than to worry about what others were doing in their own daily lives.
Duko continued to speed them down the highway without a word. She imagined he looked quite intimidating to a great many people with his tendency to frown and glare behind darkened sunglasses as if his impressive height and muscle tone wasn't enough to make people nervous. The scent of oncoming rain filled the air as they continued to journey through countryside and finally ended up coming upon a nearby town.
They'd left Trenton County in the dust hours ago, but remained in the last stretch of Oregon as they stopped into town at yet another roadside motel due to the rain. Duko knew he needed to get them set up for the night and rested before their trip continued and the local bar was calling for his attention. He parked into the lot of the motel and entered the main office leaving a curious Rae to sit on the bike making note of the new place and the people that came and went. They seemed more city like than she'd been use to and of course curious about her companion as he exited the front office and motioned for her to join him after ensuring he'd parked the bike in a place where he could see it.
While traveling with Duke had been fun, Rae wanted nothing more than to hop into bed and sleep until the sun came up. They awoke quite early the previous morning just as Duke had promised they would and the seemingly endless hours of open countryside were dull to say the least. Listening to the growling of her stomach, Rae realized that they were on the road for a while since they had breakfast and to make matters worse, she had difficulty walking toward the room due to her legs being numb from holding the same position for a long time and the shaking engine of the bike. She didn't complain of course, it was good to be out and about but she needed to get use to traveling long distances.
Duko was unphased by any of it as he seemed to be with anything else going on in his life. He lead her to their room for the night opening the door via his key and ensured she was settled in for the evening. His mind was already on getting a drink from the bar, but he wanted to make Rae as comfortable as possible before then.
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Room 103, Roadside Motel, Outskirts Of Oregon.....
Rae breathed a sigh of relief when they entered the room and Duko turned on the air conditioner. It seemed to circulate the stuffy hot air that was trapped behind closed doors since last someone rented the place. It wasn't a bad room, with dark green carpet, thick blue drapes covered the windows and there was a small wooden desk on one side of the sizeable room, a small wooden round table with two chairs, a mini fridge, a wall television, and the bathroom on the opposite end of the room with both a shower and a tub to relax in. It was certainly cleaner than most places and a bit cozy if she were to be honest more so than her former home.
The bed caught her eye next, a large thing with a cool to the touch comforter that was also blue and an odd mix of blue and white pillows in various sizes arranged in a neat fashion. She tossed her backpack onto the nearby table and launched herself into the bed. Her red hair spilled all over the pillows in every direction and she pressed her right cheek into the softness pleased to finally have somewhere to lay her weary head again.
Her eyes had been so heavy that she had fallen asleep right there and didn't notice when Duko pulled off her shoes tossing them to the side of the bed and set to work making the place as comfortable as he could manage. She'd been fast asleep when he brought her food and drinks from the local market and still remained so when he took his leave of her a second time to head down to the bar.
By the time Rae awoke, she was alone in the semi darkened room as Duke had left on the television for her and it was nightfall. She yawned and took time to get to know her surroundings before venturing toward the food he left for her finding herself very grateful that he thought of it as her stomach continued to rumble in frustration at her having skipped so many meals. His chosen delicacy for the night were spanish tacos and she was far too hungry to offer any means of objection as the delicious scent of the meat filled the room when she opened the square white styrofoam container.
She'd been fortunate that the meal was still plenty hot and that Duke was considerate enough to bring drinks. She had not seen him since he arrived with her but she figured he'd gone down to the bar after seeing him take an interest in it when they first pulled up to the motel. She wasn't fool enough to attempt to follow him due to the age restrictions in this area and simply resolved to amuse herself with the television and possibly a much needed bubble bath to pass the time. She knew all too well that he'd return, he left his dog tags on the nightstand and his wallet in the drawer.
She thought it strange that he didn't take it with him going into a bar, but being thirty-five afforded him a luxury when it came to certain things. Rae turned her attention back to her meal pleased that she'd woken in time to still enjoy it being hot as she settled in for her solitary night in the new motel.
The intensity of the pouring rain appeared to have picked up outside and she was grateful to be indoors when it did.