Chapter two.

Zack's POV.

It is night when we get to our destination. I can barely see much of the farm, or the territorial sign that's at the front wooden gate when we first entered. 

The cabin is in a near distance when James' horse stops. I breath out, thankful that I'm still in one piece and put a distance to my body from his. 

During the run, it was a strange feeling I got when I was hook to him, I don't know why, but I think it's because I like his features, and that just makes me like him. I don't deny myself of any fact, especially when it comes to liking someone. 

He helps me get down, before he does. "Stay at the porch, I'll come fetch you." He state simply, and walks with his horse to a path. 

I stay mute, and rub my hands against each other, creating a sense of warmth and go to the porch. 

I can hear the sound of horses, whining and thumping their shoes against the floor of where they are kept. He must have taken his own horse to the stable too. 

After a few minutes, he is back, and stalking towards me. Even in the dark, I still, few at times, admire his body. He's hot in this cowboy dressing. 

I smile at him, and he outstretch his hand forward as a sense of gesture. "let's go inside."

"Hmm." Is my notion of reply. 

The inside is small, and cramped, very less spacious but the design is inviting, and it's warm in here. 

The sitting room is little, separated with just a wooden arc from the dining area. The walls are wooden, and looks thick, painted in navy blue, and ash. 

"Wait here, I'll go get my Uncle." He tells me right before he leaves. If I may include, his gait is long, and straight. He moves fast, and sharp.

When he's coming back, he has his Uncle behind him. I brace myself, and smile. I am unnerved at the moment. I still don't fully trust James, as my mind is still wavering to him being a killer, or instead a kidnapper. Oh, there is no such thing, I try to convince myself. 

"Hello," his uncle's voice is aged, a bit shaky, and of a well breed British tone. James too has that kind of accent, I've come to notice. 

He is now standing behind his uncle, his hands behind him, as his eyes are laced on me, and I can't help but want them to check out somewhere else other than at me.  

"Hi, sir. I had a problem with my car, I was traveling to Los Angeles. James decided to help me out, and said he'll offer me a place to stay till I have another means." I am hurried to say, my voice shaking in its own accord. 

I don't want to freak out. Since there seems to be no networking here, no laptop or system, I guess they might not fully want to trust me either. In their eyes, I could be a threat, just like I think of them...in a way. 

I learnt that people do that to strangers, they do check out the database of the stranger, search the stranger's name online, check if there's nothing off about the acquaintance before they allow them to sleep in their houses. 

I figured they would have done so too if there was a connection. 

"James' told me all about it, boy, but not your name. What's your name, boy?" The way he says boy makes me feel childish.

"Zack, sir. And yours?"

He chuckles, wiggling his brows momentarily, "West." I nod my head at his name. 

His uncle has freckles on his nose, his skin darker than James' but the chestnut flavour is glowing under the incandescent filament light bulb, fixed to the plastic ceiling. His hair is cut very low, and his face, having few lines that represents his old age. 

Mr. West's hand come to my back, and pulls me along with him to the dining room. "you know, you come at the right time. I just finished cooking dinner." He chuckles, and looks behind us, to where James is, following our tail. "you know what?" He whispers, and I have a sense that he wants to gossip. 

I shake my head, and lean closer to him, heeding into his playfulness. I like this uncle of James' already. "I cook for James as well, he is a very bad cook." He whispers into my hearings, and I laugh out, and mean it. 

My eyes glances over to James himself, who's rolling his eyes. "I hear well." His resounding thick voice state. 

"I wasn't hiding it."

"At least not in front of Zack, please uncle. Embarrass me in private." I like that he doesn't reference to me as a stranger, that would have stake my heart. Why do I even care? I am really a stranger, really I am.

"It is quite funny, truthfully." I remark and James groans, his muscles flexing in that motion. 

"Fine, I'll leave then. I'll go bring us dinner." And he's left, leaving his uncle and I. 

"Take a seat, Zack." Says his uncle, pushing me down with light hands into the leather chair with wooden arms. It is painted brown, as this part of the cabin is. The dining area is sandy brown coloured. It's a nice mixture with the navy blue and ash. 

Once I'm seated, and he has too, "you could try going out tomorrow with James since he'll be getting the cows some medicine," he tells me.

I smile, and brush my hand through my hair. "that sounds nice. I should. The fault with my car could give me time to explore this area."

"Sure. Our town is beautiful, really, and fresh. Even the air is pure, free from pollution." He accolades, and I chuckle. True. I won't deny that. I've noticed so too.

"But why isn't there network around here?" That has been bothering me since. 

James' uncle, Mr. West looks down to the table, "the server went down few days ago, and it hasn't be re-fixed. Sorry for the inconvenience though."

"No, not at all." I quickly correct him.

He continues. "You know, the town is small, very little in the geographical mappings. Also, our mode of connection to the nearby big cities is little. But don't belittle us, we have everything needed to take care of ourselves. We are just people who love less crowds, and stick together." 

I so much love that. This is someplace my writer part has been craving for. He would wish to stay here forever, and imagine in silence and write down his thoughts. This is alluring, just thinking about it.

A clicking sound of boots makes me look to my side, to the door where James comes out from. He is carrying a wide tray, containing three dishes, inside of them is our food, I suppose. I stand up, but a rebuke from Mr. West makes me sit back down.

"No, you don't. James will do this for you, for us. You're our guest."

I give him a teary look, "thanks." This looks like a lovely family they built together. For me, it's not really that much of a loving family I come from. 

Especially after coming out, father won't talk to me. He'd insult my sexuality, and say things I would wish to clear out from my brain, well thanks to my fiction, it did help somewhat. It is infuriating when I think about it. This isn't about me choosing this deliberately, but being myself. This is me. It all lessens when I grow up, and live by myself, that way I get to chose more by my very own conscience, not someone controlling me.

I smile at Mr. West, just in time James puts down a plate in front of me. He comes to sit down, opposite from me. Mr. West is sitting at the head, to his left is me, and to his right is James. 

"It's red pepper noodles, I hope you don't mind." James isn't really asking. 

Why would I mind?

"Nah," I shake my head. "It's a nice food by the way." Once Mr. West is digging into his food, I open my dish and start to eat too.

"This is sweet. You're an amazing cook, Mr. West." I say, and mean it.  

"I put the pot on fire, I started the cooking, why won't I get a praise?" James sounds cheated. I am surprised that he wants me to praise him. Is he...oh, my gosh, let me not think above the clouds in my head. 

"Haha. A jealous James. You've got something on him, boy." Mr. West declares, shocking the heck out of me. It is true, I am shocked as well as James. Both of us looks at each other for a brief moment. 

"Uncle, please." Begs James. "I was even thinking that, if probably Zack could follow me to town tomorrow, so he can send a message to someone, perhaps, family?" This time he's faced me, a concern look in his eyes, as he asks. 

"I have a cousin I can message."

"That's good then."

"Right," I mutter beneath my breath, before going back to eating. 

When we are done eating, James and I packed the dishes before we both wash it. His uncle has gone to sleep, remaining just the two of us. 

"I should show you your room," wow, I get to have a room, not just a room, but one of myself. How nice of them. I thought I'll be sleeping in the living area... on a floor most likely.

"Okay,"

We walk up the stairs, and stop at a door. James opens it, wide enough for one person entrance, also wide enough for me to see most of the inside. Thank goodness the moon is full in the sky, so I am able to see in the dark. 

"I'm grateful." I say, and mean it. 

James shakes his head, his hands comes to rest on my shoulders. "it's normal. Most of anyone would do this same thing." 

Him, adding most into the sentence makes me laugh. He rolls his eyes again. 

"It is funny, really." I state simply, and he pouts. 

"You think?"

"Don't tell me you don't think so too," is my reply. 

"Maybe, a little though." He says, and then he adds, "you should go to sleep. It's late already."

"Okay," his hands on my shoulder goes back to their rightful place. He smiles down at me since he's taller than I am tall. 

"Okay. Night. Don't forget to lie down." Him, saying that confuses me. Wouldn't I lie down before? He has left before I think of asking him why he'd say that. And so far, I noticed that he's got me asking questions inside my own head with no reply.