"I'm sorry," Dave said. It was the first thing he had said since he and Becky had left the party. It had taken him about an hour and a half to work up the courage, but Becky didn't care. She continued to stare straight ahead as she drove them down the deserted, dirt roads of southern Ohio. Dave sighed and turned his attention back to the road.

       "I wonder if this is the end," Dave thought as he tried to replay the night's events in his mind and realised that he couldn't. That was bad, because Dave knew he could make an **** of himself if he drank too much. That made Dave think that Becky might not have been blowing things out of proportion; maybe he really had burnt some bridges tonight. He didn't think so while he still had a buzz, but now sobriety made it seem quite possible. Plus, he knew Becky was pissed that she had to drive. Becky was a city girl, and didn't know southern Ohio that well; especially at night. She was afraid that she might get them lost. This hadn't bothered Dave while he was drunk, but now that he was sober and couldn't recognize the road they were on, he was a little worried.

      "Um, Becks," he asked cautiously. Becky slowly turned her head to face Dave, and what he saw broke his heart. There was hate in Becky's eyes. She had never looked at Dave like that before, not in the whole two years they'd been together.

        "What," Becky demanded rather than asked. Dave thought that Becky's voice had confirmed it; they were over. He quickly looked down at the floor so that Becky wouldn't see the tears forming in his eyes.

         Without looking up Dave replied, "I think we're lost."

         "Goddamn it," Becky screamed as she slammed on the breaks. The wheels locked and the car kicked up a cloud of dust as it slid to a halt. Becky took a deep breath and then with forced calm she slowly asked, "Do you think we're lost, or do you know we're lost."

          Dave looked around and then thought for a moment before saying, "Yea, we're lost."

          "Goddamn you David," she screamed. "I told you you'd have to drive us home, but did you listen; hell no! You got shitfaced, and you embarrassed me, and now we're lost in the middle of the boonies; I don't even get cell phone service out here!" She paused for a moment and just stared at Dave with the angriest look he'd ever seen. He thought she might be waiting for a response, but before he could think of anything to say Becky said, "**** it," and got out of the car. For a moment Dave was confused and could only watch as Becky slowly made her way down the road. Then he realised that she was leaving and quickly got out of the car.

       "Wait," Dave yelled as he jogged to catch up with Becky. "Becky, where the hell are you going?"

       Suddenly Becky stopped and spun around; Dave almost ran right into her. "You want to know where I'm going Dave? Away from you. I'm through with your drunk ****." With that she turned and started walking again.

       "You don't even know where we are Becks, you'll get yourself lost."

       "I'm already lost, remember?" She didn't even slow down as she said it.

        "But, wait, I..." Dave searched for something, anything to stop Becky from going. He looked to the thick forests on each side of the road and suddenly remembered a phrase from his childhood. "There are things in them woods," Dave said. Becky stopped in her tracks and a smile spread across Dave's face. That phrase had always kept Dave close to his father when they had ventured into the woods around there home, and it seemed to be working just as well on Becks. Slowly she turned around and asked, "What kinds of things?"

       "Dangerous ones," Dave replied as seriously as he could. With that Becky broke into a quick stride and was back by Dave's side in no time. He tried to hide his smile.

        "Fine, but once we're back in Columbus I'm gone," she warned. That wiped the smile right from Dave's face.

         "Let's just worry about getting there first, " Dave said. With that he started walking back to the car, and Becky followed. As they walked back she kept looking to the trees, as if she were ready to run if anything were to emerge from them. Dave saw this and smiled despite himself. When they got back to the car he said, "I'll drive. I think I can get us out of here." Becky didn't protest and got in the passenger's side without a word.

         "Thank god," Dave thought as he slid into the driver's side. If Becks had wanted him to give directions while she drove he would have been f*cked; he had no idea how to get home. But he had try. Because maybe, if he could get them home, Becks would forgive him. Dave drove around aimlessly for about an hour before they ran out of gas.