The Registry by Shannon Stoker

stuck his hand back out, hoping to get off this road and away from them.

Chapter 16
Females mature much faster than males. Girls must avoid unserved boys, as contact would only threaten a girl’s growth and development.
—The Registry Guide for Girls
    I am sorry about your eye,” Mia said.
    “It’s okay. It makes me look more like a man,” Whitney said with a fake gruff voice.
    The sun was starting to cause sweat to pour through their clothes. Whitney did make a pretty convincing boy. Her hair clung tight and short to her head. The dark hair on her arms helped her stay in character. Mia didn’t think it was a good idea to compliment her on this transformation.
    “The sun is brutal.” Mia took off her cap to wipe her brow.
    “Leave your hat on,” Andrew said. “Without it you don’t look like a boy. You look like a teenage girl trying to start a new fashion trend. We’ll end up caught.”
    Mia was surprised he’d spoken again so soon. She knew that his words were meant as an insult, but she found herself smiling nonetheless. Whitney even grinned, too. Mia could tell she was relaxing. Whitney always liked to plan; when they were young and would imagine their weddings Mia always cared more about what to wear and how to style her hair, while Whitney took more joy in scheduling out the day’s possible activities. Mia was certain Whitney’s brain was back to planning an imaginary timetable of their trip.
    As the next truck started to whiz by Andrew stuck up his thumb and waved his arms. The semi just gave a loud honk as it sped by, making Andrew stumble a bit. Mia looked at Whitney with a small smile and let out another little yelp as the machine passed. She didn’t care if Andrew was angered by their antics; they were having fun. She wished he could relax and join them, even if just for a moment.
    Second and third trucks were already visible in the distance. The land was so flat it was easy to see them as they approached.
    Within minutes, a large semi stopped on the side of the road. Andrew jumped up on the passenger side and greeted the driver. Mia and Whitney stared at the ground as instructed. Mia tried to listen but couldn’t make out anything they were talking about. Her nerves were back. She wanted to reach out and grab Whitney’s hand, but that would draw too much attention from their new benefactor. Young men didn’t hold hands.
    After a short wait the driver jumped out of his seat and walked toward the back of his truck. Andrew walked toward the two girls.
    “You two have to ride in the back. Don’t worry, I’ll be in the front with him,” Andrew said.
    “Where is he taking us?” Mia asked in a low voice. She felt nerves shoot all over her body. She questioned whether this was a good idea.
    “South. He’s going to drop us as far down as he’s going. You’ll be stuck back there for about four hours or so.”
    Both girls nodded, but Mia had no clue how far south he would drop them. She thought back to Whitney’s map and wondered if they were out of the “Iowa” place. She knew it was the wrong time to ask and Andrew signaled for them to go to the back of the truck, where their driver was waiting.
    “Don’t touch anything or I’ll give you boys a whipping,” the trucker told the girls as he opened the back. Mia glanced up at him. He looked sickly, skinny, and dirty, with hair almost as long as hers had been. She looked away, trying to avoid eye contact.
    A sickening smell flooded everyone’s noses. It was a mix between sulfur and rotten food.
    “Don’t be shy. What are you waiting for? An invitation? You’ll get used to the smell soon enough. I’m hauling manure,” the driver said.
    Mia hid her disgust and was the first to climb in the truck. She swung her leg up several times before sliding in on her belly, wishing she had asked Andrew the manly way to climb into the back. Whitney fared no better trying to enter the cargo space. The trucker gave Andrew a look before shaking his