All Chapters of A TALL HORNY STRANGER : Chapter 131 - Chapter 140

CHAPTER 131 The radio sat on the counter Old Scratched Dust on the dial It had been quiet for hours Too quiet Aria was folding laundry I was pretending to read Neither of us was doing a good job Every few minutes one of us would look at it Like staring would make it ring “It’s fine” Aria said “Yeah” “They’re fine” “Yeah” We didn’t believe it Then Static Crack A voice “Marcus you copy” I was on my feet before I thought Grabbed the radio “Copy” “Loud and clear” A breath I didn’t know I was holding came out “Adrian” “Yeah it’s me” “You good” “We’re good” “Room’s clear” “Copy” Silence Not empty Just waiting Aria stood too Wiping her hands on her jeans Eyes on me “Marcus” Adrian said “Yeah” “You keeping her safe” I looked at Aria She pretended to be busy with the laundry But her shoulders were tight “I am” I said “Good” Another pause Longer this time Radio hissed “How’s the estate” Adrian ask

*CHAPTER 133 The house was quiet again Too quiet After everyone went to bed After the talking stopped After the plates were done I was in the kitchen Light off Just moonlight through the window And the fridge humming I couldn’t sleep Adrian and Viktor were back Safe That should’ve helped It didn’t I kept hearing the radio Kept hearing ten minutes out Kept hearing what if they hadn’t made it A glass in my hand Water I wasn’t drinking it Footsteps Soft Bare feet on tile Aria Of course She stopped in the doorway Didn’t turn the light on “Can’t sleep” she said “No” “Me neither” She came in Sat at the table Pulled her knees up Wearing one of Eleanor’s old sweaters Too big Swallowed her I sat across from her We didn’t talk Not at first Just looked at each other in the dark “You okay” she asked “I’m trying” “That’s not an answer” “It’s the only one I have” She nodded “I keep thinking about the tunnel”

*CHAPTER 135 The truck moved slow Dirt road Bumps Dust in the air Adrian was driving Viktor in the passenger seat Map open on his knees Sebastian in the back with the gear Eleanor up front with the radio And me And Aria In the middle Shoulder to shoulder Hands linked Hidden under a jacket No one was talking Not really Just radio static And tires on gravel It felt like holding our breath Like if we were quiet enough The bad thing wouldn’t find us Aria leaned her head on my shoulder I didn’t move Just let her Her hair smelled like soap And smoke And her “You good” I whispered She nodded against me “Tired” “Me too” Adrian glanced in the rearview Didn’t say anything Just looked Then looked back at the road We’d been driving an hour Maybe more The estate was far behind now But it didn’t feel far It felt like it was following us Viktor tapped the map “Two more turns” “Then what” Adrian asked “Then we’re

CHAPTER 137 Ordinary felt weird After everything After guns After tunnels After him Ordinary felt loud Morning again But not the running kind Not the holding-our-breath kind Just morning Sun through the windows Coffee that wasn’t burnt Aria in the kitchen Bare feet Singing Badly I stood in the doorway Watched her She didn’t notice She was flipping something in a pan Actually flipping Not burning “Smells good” I said She jumped Turned “Don’t sneak up on me” “Wasn’t sneaking” “You were” She smiled anyway Big Real “Morning” “Morning” She plated eggs Toast Fruit Set two places Like we’d done this before Like we always would We sat Just us Eleanor was still asleep Adrian and Viktor were outside Sebastian was checking the fence Quiet But not heavy quiet The good kind Aria kicked my foot under the table “Stop” “Stop what” “Staring” “I’m not” “You are” I took a bite “It’s good” “Real

CHAPTER 139 The world smelled different After the rain Clean Wet earth And cold air And her Sun was finally out Weak But real Steam rising off the roof Off the grass Off us Aria and I were on the porch Coffee in our hands Blankets over our shoulders Feet bare Didn’t care Inside the house was quiet Everyone else was sleeping in Or pretending to After the storm “You hear that” she asked “What” “Nothing” And she was right No radios No engines No footsteps Just birds And dripping water “It’s weird” I said “What is” “Quiet” “Good quiet” “Yeah” She leaned her head on my shoulder “I don’t want to move” “Then don’t” So we didn’t We sat Watched the yard dry Watched the light get stronger After a while Eleanor came out Two more mugs Handed them to us Didn’t say anything Just sat on the other step With her own We drank In silence That wasn’t awkward It was full “Storm took down part of the