Inside the car, Zane just stared at Nathan silently, letting the boy drift away into his own thoughts. He drove carefully and slowly this time, unlike usual.
Nathan's hands were clamped so tightly onto his knees that his knuckles were white.
"Make it faster, Zane," he asked. He didn't want to think. He wanted the adrenaline to wash away the tightness in his chest. If only that would help.
Zane glanced at the speedometer, then at the rearview mirror. Behind them, the farmhouse was disappearing into the shadows of the hills.
"I'm not doing that," Zane said quietly. He kept his foot steady on the pedal, maintaining a safe, slow pace.
"I said faster, please!" Nathan begged, his voice cracking with a mix of anger and leftover adrenaline.
Zane let out a long sigh. He didn't argue. Instead of pushing the car harder, he signaled and began to slow down even more. He steered the car off the main road and pulled into a small, empty rest area overlooking the valley.
