They descend from the peaks as snow begins to fall; The clouds so dark and extreme, it seems as though they are being spit out. The wind's increasing intensity signifies the beginning of a severe storm. The altitude goes down but the air in the car becomes thicker and colder. Nova leans her head against the window. The chill seeps through her hair and to her scalp. She remembers the snow back in Iowa. She never liked it. The cold always made her uncomfortable and the short days made her sad.

    She shivers and watches Harry from the corner of her eye as he fumbles with the heater control. He growls when the car refuses to warm up. She lets out another heavy breath. He mutters something under his breath. He takes a deep breath, his shoulders tense. After a few minutes he tries again.

"Fuck," he shouts, smashing his fists into the wheel. She jumps. He glances at her and then back at the road. She watches his jaw twitch and his thumbs tap on the wheel. "Are you cold?" He asks, his voice suddenly tender. Nova slowly nods her head. He glances at her again. His large frame shifts as he becomes irritated. "Nova," he begins softly. "I asked you a question. I need you to respond to me."

"Yes. I am cold," she responds. He sighs and scans their surroundings. The clouds have darkened the sky considerably and the road before them, once windy and slim, has ceased its curves. A small shoulder appears to their right and Harry pulls over, stepping on the break hard in frusteration.

"I refuse to let you freeze," he whispers, his eyes steady before him. A current is now present within his irises. Nova finally sees something within them and squints to see it better. She initially thinks it is anger, but it's not. From the side she sees uncertainty and angst, but when he turns to meet her gaze she sees intensity. She looks away nervously. "I can't drive in this," he says, pointing a finger to the windshield.

The snow falls hard now. The wind rattles the car. "We're going to have to stay somewhere tonight." He cusses under his breath. He takes in a long, deep breath and shuts his eyes before putting the car in drive and continuing down the road. He drives slower now so the car doesn't slide. Nova remains indifferent to the idea, however as they see buildings ahead through the snow, an idea comes to her and her body lightens slightly.

She can escape. She can get help. She realizes she can put herself and others in danger in her attempts, but she will do it. She has no choice. Depending on where Harry plans on taking her, this may be her last chance. Onyx fully engulfs the sky, but the lights from the cabins light up the very tips of the clouds. Just as they are about to enter the populated area, Harry slowly presses on the brake. The car rolls to a stop behind a tree. It sways fiercely in the wind and its branches crackle.

Nova looks up at him confused. His hands tighten on the wheel and then he sighs. He fumbles with the hem of his pants. Nova's heart beat quickens. He pulls out the gun. He refuses to look in Nova's direction. "Nova, I want to trust you," he states simply, gripping the gun tight in his hand.

"No," Nova whispers, backing up in fear. "No, no, no, I won't do anything. Please!" She pleads before Harry hits her across the head with the end of the gun, knocking her out. Harry lets out a breath that seemed to be caught in his throat. He scans Nova's head for any significant damage and relaxes when all he sees is a small red bump on her scalp, hidden by her thick hair. His head hangs low for a minute as he puts the gun back in the waistband of his pants. It rests even colder on his skin than before.

    His foot eases off the brake pedal and the car rolls forward. His hands suddenly begin to shake. He isn't fond of the idea of being stuck in a highly populated area, an area that very well may of heard of the escape by now. But he isn't fond of being stuck in the storm either, especially when Nova would suffer from the cold, so he has no choice. The lights from the scattered buildings ahead burn through the white haze of snow and intensify as they get closer.

A small, single story motel rests ahead. Its sign flickers frenziedly as Harry pulls into the parking lot. He puts the car in park, taking a deep breath after the engine halts. He studies his surroundings suddenly feeling uncomfortable. A stabbing pain arrises in the back of his neck and the sound of the howling wind is enhanced. He feels as though he is being watched and looks to his left. In the office stands a man. His features are hidden by the darkness as he peers through rusty blinds.

Harry strokes Nova's soft cheek before bracing himself for the cold. He runs across the lot towards the office, careful not to slip on ice. The door to the office refuses to budge without force and Harry nearly loses his footing as it finally opens with a harsh creak. The door slams shut behind him. Warmth seeps into his clothing, offering immense relief.

The office is small and smells of old wood and cigarettes. It is clear to him that it has not been renovated in years, the paint on the walls is chipping, a ripped cow-skin chair is tucked in the corner near an empty tourist brochure case. The front desk is weathered and looks as though a dog has chewed on it. A T.V. rests on the side of the desk blaring static. Harry meets the man's bleak gaze. Offering a small smile, he approaches.

The man's wrinkles gives him a rough complexion, his brows are pushed in making him look severe. He leans against the wall, his arms folded in front of him. He doesn't move his head but his eyes follow Harry's movement. They stare at each other a while before Harry opens his mouth to speak.

"Do..." He begins, pausing to wipe his nose. "Do you have any rooms available?" The man stares a while longer before licking his chapped lips. He doesn't move.

    "Not many people come 'round here," He says. He pauses, waiting for Harry's response. "'Specially in this weather," he nods in the direction of the door. Harry clears his throat and offers one small, quick nod.

    "Right," Harry says. They sit in silence and Harry realizes that the man needs some sort of explanation. "My wife and I are off to California. Didn't really expect such a storm comin' through here. But, um, here we are. Thank god you're open, do you have any rooms available?"

    "Your wife," he says almost questioningly. Harry nods. "Where is she?" He asks. Harry nods toward the door.

    "The car." He begins to feel a heat rise within him. He feels challenged and he doesn't like it. He squeezes his fingers tight at his sides.

    "In the cold? Your leaving your wife in the cold," He says, raising his eyebrows.

    "We have the heater on, can you please get me a room? We are exhausted." The man finally moves from his slouched position and comes toward the desk.

    "It'll be $65," He says, extending out his arm. Harry fishes his pockets for cash. A strong gust of wind rattles the windows. Harry looks back at the car for a moment, worried for Nova. Several feet beyond the car, something catches his eye. A tall figure stands. It lifts its hand and waves at him. Harry squints, this figure is utterly foreign to him. "Hello," The man snaps in Harry's face.

"S-sorry," Harry says, handing over the money. The man frowns at him and opens up the cash register. Harry looks back. Its gone. His heart begins to pound heavily against his chest. Hard, slow pumps. Nova hasn't moved. He looks back to the man. He blinks and behind his lids he sees her. He sees them. They hold her limp body against them. Their gloom covers her shoulder and they place a clawed hand over one of her eyes. His eyes are wild when he opens them.

"You alright?" He asks skeptically. He gives him a quick nod and smile. He blinks again, seeing nothing. The man hands him his change and a key and looks outside again. "Your wife," He nods. "Is she ok?" Harry pauses a moment, giving him a miffed look.

"Yes."

"She's knocked out."

"Like I said we're very tired. Thank you," He nods and saunters out. The cold nips at him instantly and he lets out a large breath. The vapor that expands into the space around him reminds him of smoke and he silently curses himself that he didn't ask the man for a cigarette. Nova sleeps peacefully. He glances the surrounding area tensely. There is no sign of anyone.

He opens the door and wraps an arm around her back and another under her legs and lifts her up. She is cold and Harry holds her closer to him. Closing the car door and locking it, he approaches room 1E. He unlocks it. He pauses before stepping in. The heat he felt previously in the office resurfaces. He looks to his left again. The man stares at him harder now. Harry's gaze shifts from Nova to the room before him and walks in, letting the dark consume them both.
~
A/N
    Hey guys, i'm back! Hope you all enjoyed this chapter. Just letting you all know that I won first place in the fanfiction category of the Beach Awards. Just wanted to thank BooskiBabii for judging my book and enjoying it! And thank you all for reading and enjoying Lurk. Your support means the world to me! Much love xx.
-Isabelle<3