Maybe that was why Josh seemed so mature. He was so much closer to nature than anyone she knew, and he seemed so much more human for it. He was so different from her other friends.
Hannah closed her eyes and leaned her head against the rock behind her. She'd planned to spend some alone time, but now that she was alone, she couldn't stop mulling over things that niggled at her mind. Plus, her backside felt sore from sitting in the sand, and the little flies buzzing in and out of the shrubs had all apparently decided to crawl into her ears. No vision quest for her today, then.
Grumpily, she snatched her backpack from the rock behind her and pulled out her book. If she couldn't sit still and enjoy the view, she could at least try and read a few chapters. Hannah threw a soggy sandwich in the sand next to her to lure away the flies. Any bug in its right mind would prefer peanut butter to her earwax.
Fortunately, it didn't take long for her to get into the story. By the time she finally looked up again, the sun was already setting. She'd better go home.
Quickly, she packed up and climbed the hill separating the shoreline from the gravel road running alongside the lake. In a few minutes she was back at her car.
Opening the trunk to get a cardigan, her eyes drifted to the gas tank hatch. It was ajar. That was weird. How could it be open? And why?
Hannah slammed the trunk shut and put on her cardie, bending over to take a closer look at the hatch to see if it was broken.
Nope. Nothing wrong. She'd pop down to a garage tomorrow and have it checked out just to be sure.
Hannah got in and turned the key. A cold sweat broke out when she suddenly noticed the fuel gauge on the dashboard.
It was below the red line. The engine didn't sound too good, either.
"What the freak?" Hannah banged her fists on the steering wheel, cut the ignition and got out again. She stamped to the side of the car and took another look at the gas tank hatch. Her eyes drifted to the gravel road beneath it.
There were footprints there. And was that spilled liquid? Shaking her head in disbelief, she crouched down and picked up some dirt. It smelled like gas. Oh, this could not be happening! Someone had stolen her fuel. If she ever got her hands on the asshole who'd done this...
Cursing under her breath, she sat down behind the wheel again. What was she supposed to do now? There was no gas station around here. The closest one was the station where she'd bumped into Josh, and she was never going to make that on the few drops of fuel left in the tank.