Page 33 of Cavern of Silence

The beat of the music is soft yet happy.

"Turn it up, please," Hunter yells out.

Julieta does as he asks, and in my rearview mirror, I catch him and Vanessa making out.

Are you freaking kidding me?

They can't keep their pants on in the car?

For crying out loud.

Vanessa whimpers and Hunter tries to muffle her sounds, but it's not successful.

I blow out some air and try to turn the music up, but it doesn't go any louder.

Julieta leans to my ear. "I think we're in a porno theater again."

I quickly catch her eye but have to focus on the road.

"Do you think they know we can hear them?" she asks.

"Not sure."

"Maybe they are into that."

"What?"

"Other people listening to them when they have sex. There's a word for it..."

"Sorry. I'm not up on fetish definitions."

"You don't have any deep, dark, fetishes you partake in?"

I haven't even had sex in three years.Maureen was so sick her last few years of life, and even before that, it was hit or miss. She lost most of her sex drive between the chemo and radiation.

"Nope. I guess I'm boring. You?"

And probably would embarrass myself if I had the chance.

"Not sure. I'm probably boring, too."

"I highly doubt that. Pretty sure you're a firecracker in bed," I blurt. Heat rises in my face.

Crap. Why can't I control my mouth?

I have zero game. I'm seriously doomed to never get any ass again for the rest of my life.

She sits back in her seat, and I pretend to concentrate harder on the road.

I'm such a moron. I might as well be the forty-year-old virgin at this point.

Vanessa's muffled whimpers only get more frequent, and I take a deep breath.

For hours we drive, and Julieta points out where to go. We finally drive down a long driveway and through another tunnel of trees. At the opening, there's an outline of several plain-looking buildings, but it's so dark I can't see anything beyond the structures.

When I park the Jeep, Hunter calls out, "Where are we?"

Julieta quietly replies, "Somewhere forgotten."