Unliving Love

by Jason A Grimm

  Chapter 17

  Halfway Home

  Mike had been completely lost in his reading and only noticed that they had pulled off the highway when they stopped under the bright lights of the gas station.

  “Potty break.” Jen said as she turned back to face Mike. Tracy had already opened her door and started getting out. “You ok back there? You have been very quiet. I haven’t been able to tell if you were sleeping or reading.”

  “Been reading, why didn’t you just ask?” Mike opened his door, spun himself around, and pulled himself out of the car. He reached up, stretching his arms.

  Jen followed him out and walked around to meet him. She wrapped her arms around him and squeezed, pulling him close to her. “If you were asleep, I didn’t want to wake you.”

  “Nope been back there reading over the journal entries.”

  “And?” Jen asked with her arms still wrapped around him.

  “I feel like a total asshole.”

  “You shouldn’t feel like an asshole babe.”

  “How could I not Jen? He came to me for help, came to me to talk, and I blew him off.” He paused and took a deep breath letting it out in a large sigh. “When I wasn’t telling him he was crazy that is. I remember it so clearly. The day he told me he had to talk to me. How he needed some help and didn’t know who else to talk to, and what did I do? I told him he was sick.”

  “It’s a very strange situation and it’s hard to say how anyone would react in it. He even said that several times in his entries. If you haven’t seen it then you will don’t worry.” She leaned back and looked up into his eyes. “He knew you still cared about him. You were just having trouble dealing with everything is all.”

  “Yeah but I was his friend I should have believed him.”

  “Well tell him that.”

  Mike stood there in silence. “If I can.” The idea sparked a small fire of hope in his gut. He hoped that he could talk to him even if he could say one word. Just to tell him, sorry.

  “Oh I think you might have that chance.” Jen said with a smile on her face.

  “Why do you think that?”

  “Well he did what he did so they could be together. He said it himself in his suicide letter. Maybe you’ll see me around.” She leaned her head back against his chest. “You told me that.”

  Mike stood there in silence for a minute before he spoke. “I thought you had to pee?”

  “I do, waiting on Trace to come out. We didn’t want to leave all the stuff in the car by itself.”

  “Well what the hell am I?”

  “Injured chop liver.” Jen smiled as she spoke. “Let’s face it you’re not a hundred percent yet someone could easily get the best of you.”

  Mike looked back down at her and smiled. “You are such a brat but I love you.”

  “Love you too.”

  Mike leaned down and kissed her on the lips. “I can’t wait to show you a hundred percent.” He whispered in her ear then bit her earlobe.

  She let out a slight moan. “Well I can’t wait to take your hundred percent.” She reached down and squeezed his butt.

  “The mighty protector returns.” Mike said aloud as Tracy was nearing the car.

  She stopped staring puzzled. “What?” She asked.

  Jen turned to face her. “Oh just giving Mike a hard time about being hurt.”

  “Oh.” Tracy smiled. “I’ll go ahead and pump the gas.”

  “Oh, shit… wasn’t thinking… I’m sorry. The credit card is in the middle console.” Jen took Mikes hand and they walked towards the gas station. Once inside she led him hand in hand to the back near the restrooms. She peaked inside to make sure the coast was clear then drug him inside with her.

  She slowly backed him up against the wall and stood on her tip toes and started to kiss his neck.

  “I thought you had to pee?” He asked as he slid his hands around her ass and squeezed.

  “I lied.” She began to run her hand under his shirt and up his chest feeling his muscles then slowly slid her hand down into his shorts. “Hundred percent? I’m only feeling about sixty to sixty five here.” She leaned forward and bit his nipple through his shirt.

  “Well maybe you’ve just lost your touch.”

  She bit his nipple again even harder.

  “Ouch” His hand shot up to protect his nipple from another bite.

  “My fault?” She took her hands out of his shorts and grabbed the waistband of her shorts and panties then slide them down and off. Then she spun around and began to rub her bare ass against him. “How is this? I think I am feeling a few extra percent now.”

  Mike reached and grabbed her hips. “Yeah you’ll have the whole hundred for sure if you keep this up. He spun her around and picked her up and sat her on the sink.

  She let out a small muffled squeal. “Shit that’s cold!” She slid her hands back up his shirt and began to rub his muscled chest.

  He leaned in and kissed her on the lips.

  She let out a slight moan as she pulled away and leaned back then slid her feet up his legs and grabbed the top of his shorts and underwear with her toes and slid them down to his knees. “I want your hundred percent so bad!” She slid her legs back up and wrapped them around his waist and pulled him into her.

  When they exited the store thirty minutes later Tracy was waiting in the driver’s seat of the car. She had even pulled it up away from the pump. Jen climbed in the passenger’s seat grinning from ear to ear and Mike took his spot in the back seat. Opening the large bottle of water he got, he began to chug gulp after gulp.

  “Sorry Trace.” Jen said still smiling

  “It’s ok.” She smiled at Jen. “I used the time to call Grant anyways.”

  Jen spun to face her. “What did he say?”

  “He said he was sorry he couldn’t come and that he is trying to get someone to cover his shifts so he can come down tomorrow.”

  “Well I hope he can find someone. You won’t have as much fun if he isn’t there.” Jen spun back around in her seat facing the front. “Just have to get back on the highway and keep going. It’s a straight shot till we get off the highway.”

  “I wouldn’t mind getting off again though.” Mike said form the back seat.

  Jen smiled and spun her head around and gave him a playful dirty look.

  “What?” He returned her smile. “I get cramped in the back seat I like to stretch my legs.”

  “Mm hmm.” She spun back around.

  “I didn’t even ask you Mike, do you mind if Grant comes down?” Tracy said as she started the car and began to drive off. She peaked up in the rearview mirror. “This kind of investigation is once in a lifetime kind of stuff. Most people who do what we do only dream of it.”

  “Of course it is. You’re family now Trace so you automatically get a plus one.”

  She smiled at him through the mirror. “Thank you.”

  “So some of the stuff in the journal is unbelievable, what kind of evil do you think it is Trace?” He asked as they pulled back onto the highway.

  “Well it’s hard to say until we get in there and really investigate. If it is the Warren guy like we think then it’s more of an evil spirit but it honestly sounds almost like a demonic presence too, so it is a bit confusing to be honest.”

  “I looked up more on Warren Montgomery and he is a really big name in your town.” Jen spoke up. “The City Library is named after him. Montgomery and Son’s funeral home, the one Wes’s funeral was at, was his too. He didn’t have any known descendants so the “and Son’s” must have been added to give it a more family feel. He owned quite a few of the businesses in the town then too so it’s no wonder why he got away with everything he did. ” She said as she turned back to face Mike. “I still can’t find any actual blueprints of the house and Wes was right there is a bit about him being suspected of being in a cult.”

  “Yeah and if he was in a cult, and it was a dark religious cult, then it’s hard to say what evil is pa
cked away in that house.” Tracy said as she peeked in her side mirrors in an attempt to pass the semi in front of them.

  “What does that mean for Wes and Emily? In the journal she seemed scared of Warren if it was him. She even said there are ways to hurt her kind. Are they in danger?” He asked as he looked at Tracy through the mirror. “As bad as the experience we had there was, it doesn’t seem like he’s contained anymore so after reading these.” He pointed to the tablet he was reading the journal entries off of. “I have to say I am worried about them.”

  Jen reached her hand back and grabbed Mike’s. “Once we get there Trace is going to figure some stuff out.”

  “Yeah and if Grant can get down then he will be able to tell us more. He is the president of our Paranormal Club after all.” She paused as she passed a slow moving car. “He knows his stuff.”

  “Well if he doesn’t like his job he can always quit and Jen can get him a new job.” Mike smiled.

  Jen let out a laugh. “I already told her that but I don’t think she believed me.”

  Tracy smiled and if there was more light in the car Mike was sure she was turning a little red. “I didn’t think you were serious.”

  “You do realize my dad owns half of the businesses around campus.” She smiled at Tracy. “Not the one he works in now though, I checked.”

  Tracy couldn’t help but let out a laugh. “Well I will tell him when I talk to him later.”

  “So what’s the plan for when we get there? I mean when are we doing the investigation and all that?”

  “Well the first day we are doing a walk through so Trace can see the layout. Then setting up, then I don’t know. To be honest after last time, I’m nervous so the plan is taking baby steps.” Jen leaned her seat back so she was practically lying in Mike’s lap and reached back and took his hand in hers.

  “First night a walk through then we’ll set up stuff and go from there. If Grant is going to make it then we’ll wait for him to help start the investigation.” Tracy said.

  “Ok sounds good.” Mike began to play with Jen’s hair. “Did you tell my parents everyone was coming with us?”

  “Yeah.” She smiled. “They were excited. I think your mom likes reasons to make big dinners.”

  “Yeah she does. I bet that was the first thing out of her mouth.” He smiled. “What is she making?”

  “She wasn’t sure lasagna or chicken parmesan she said.”

  “So probably both.” All three let out a laugh. “I am going to read some more.” He reached for the tablet and turned it on. “Let me know if you want me to drive or anything.”

  “Ok.” Tracy said as she gave him a nod through the rearview mirror.

  “We will babe but I think we have it under control.”

  “I know you do. You are women hear you roar and all that.” He gave Jen a smile. “Just being polite.”

  “Yeah, yeah… just go back to reading.” She pulled the hand she had in hers close and gave it a kiss before letting it go.

  Mike thumbed through the selections of journal entries and found where he stopped. Pressed the next entry and began to read.