Driven to Dragonflies ~ Chapter 5

"Where are we, Owen?" I demanded, "We got off the interstate a long time ago and I don't recognize a thing."

"We're in north Florida, babe. State Road 13 to be exact, south of Jacksonville about an hour," Owen explained patiently as he got out his smart phone and strolled absently about in the shade of the huge oak trees checking Google maps. "We've got about another hour to go, but I'll warn you, some of it's going to be on dirt roads so it may get a little bumpy."

"Where are we goin', Owen? I assume you've got some plan?" I asked as I worked my fingers through my hair trying to remove some of the knots.

"Well, we've gotta get to someone who can help us and those guys in the van aren't going to think of looking for us at my cousin's place. It's a shack out in the middle of a bunch of potato farms, along the St. Johns River.I know you don't know Zoey yet, Francie, but I know you two will hit it off. She's a little rough around the edges but if you can look beyond that, she's also one smart cracker."

"Francie?? You look like shit! Are you okay, babe? What's the matter?" Owen had shoved his smart phone back into his inside pocket of his leather jacket and was now bracing me by my shoulders. I admit, I did feel a little light headed but what the hell?? What's going on? I was still in a fog from that dream I'd had on the back of the bike. It's odd that I don't remember sleeping and how could I have been? Nobody sleeps while riding a motorcycle! And now we are headed to see the woman from my nightmare? NOT so fast!

"What the hell is going on, Owen? I'm losing my freaking mind! I just woke up from a really bad dream about her... and..."

"About Zoey?" Owen asked. "How could you have known anything about her? I don't think I ever mentioned her before and I know you ain't met her yet. Besides, when were you ever asleep? We just pulled in here."

"I don't know, I don't know!" I grabbed my head as if to trap what was left of my sanity inside. "I was either asleep or I was in a trance. All's I know is I don't remember a thing about the last three hours except for the rain hitting me in the face when we first got on the bike. After that, we saw Zoey in the bar and went to see her play and that weirdo was in the dressing room with the dragonfly and..."

"You're not making any sense, Francie, honey." Owen said cautiously, leading me back to the seat of the bike. "Cop a squat and take a breath. You're just not thinking straight. Maybe you were dreaming. Dreams'll mess you up like that sometimes."

"O, I'm freaking out here. Ever since that night we met up again, and then you led me to that van, and, and..."

"Shhhhh baby!" Owen wrapped his big arms around me, pressing me to his chest. "I know, I know. It was a mistake and I see that now. Believe me, I know. But I'm going to get you out of here. They're not going to find us, I promise."

"But who ARE they, O?" I demanded as I wiped back tears from my face. "Who the hell are they and what do they want?"