Chapter 171

We drive straight through the night. At one point, we stop for another bathroom break. At least the toilets here are slightly cleaner and I feel less gross about the simple process of peeing.

It’s freezing cold, and a biting wind whips through the toilets, nipping at every bit of exposed skin it can find.

Claire is much more subdued when she takes us to the lonely toilet, paying no attention to the weary eyes of the homeless woman in the corner, trying her best to hide from the approaching frost.

Unfortunately, the homeless woman isn't as content as Claire to just ignore the situation. “Here now,” the toothless old woman says, and struggles to her feet. “What you be doing with those two girls?”

Claire takes a gun out of her jacket and shoots the woman point blank between the eyes. The boom echoes in the loud room. For a moment, I hear nothing else, and my ears start ringing. Tully lets out a scream I can't hear and jumps in my arms. The smell of gunpowder and blood and piss hangs h