Part 2
Hayley coughed out water when she awoke. She stood up, and looked around. Where was she? She looked at Klaus, who was alive and swam in the lake near her.
"Where are we Klaus?" She asked him, Klaus shrugged.
"We're lost." He said. "I have no clue on where we are."
"Well, how did we get here?"
"When the bus fell into the lake, some EMTs dove in, hammered in the windows, und one by one took kids from the bus. I swam in, and saw you unconscious. I tried to warn the EMTS, but they were too busy saving the others. Knowing it might be too late by the time an EMT would get to you, I quickly swam to the nearest seat, und bit onto the springs under the cushion, letting it come off. I then pulled you to it. An EMT then saw it, and helped me by pulling you onto it. He then shoved it out of the window, and swam to help the last kid. I swam after you. The current pulled you here, and I followed. When we got near land, I pushed you to it, and the waves did the rest. Now, here we are."
"We need to get out of here, Klaus. I have to call my parents, and tell them where we are so that they can pick me up." Klaus nodded.
"I agree." He agreed.
"And we need to find you a new bowl or something that can make you live." Klaus nodded again.
"I agree on that as well." Hayley looked around again, and looked at Klaus.
"Stay here as I try to find help." Klaus nodded.
"Will do. The rest of the family will probably forget all about me, but for some reason, I trust you."
Hayley was about to go when she thought of something. She took out her cell phone, looked at Klaus, and decided against it. She was about to put her phone away when Klaus spoke.
"Hayley, what were you planning?"
"Nothing." She lied.
"Hayley; come on, tell me." Hayley shook her head.
"I don't want to hurt your feelings."
"Hurt my…what are you talking about?" Hayley hesitated. Should she tell him? "Hayley; tell me!" Hayley took a deep breath. Well, here she goes. She looked at the fish.
"I was going to give you my phone to let you call my parents while I go buy you a new bowl or something."
"Then, why don't you?"
"Well, the problem is I don't want my phone to get wet."
"It won't get wet."
"It will if you accidently drop it in the water."
"I'll be careful."
"Well, I just don't know." This angered Klaus.
"Hayley Dreamsmasher Smith; it pains me that you don't trust me!"
"It's not that I don't trust you; I just don't want my phone to drop in the water. Cell phones are expensive you know."
"Ja; I know, und I promised to be careful. I want at least someone in the Smith family to trust in me!" Hayley hesitated. She didn't know what to do. She was about to go when Klaus barked at her.
"HAYLEY; I SAVED YOU AS A BABY!" Hayley did a deep sigh.
"Oh, alright!" She turned back to Klaus, going to him. "I knew you would be upset; that's why I didn't want to tell you." Suddenly, she tripped, and the cell phone fell onto the ground. Hayley fell onto it the screen part of it. It flipped over, and fell into the lake. Hayley cursed. Klaus was about to say something when Hayley glared at him.
"Not a word!" She picked up her phone from out of the water, cleaned it with her shirt, and tried to turn it on. It didn't turn on. "No, no, no!" She tried again, and again, and again. It still didn't turn on. She gave up, and cursed loudly. "It's broken!"
"Sorry about your phone, Hayley, but maybe you can use a phone when you buy me a new bowl or something." Hayley put her broken phone in her pocket.
"That's what I'm going to do." She then left.
When Hayley brought a box of Ziploc bags, she placed it on the Check out Counter, She didn't see any bowls, plus she thought a Ziploc bag will be easer on a trip. She only needed one, but she couldn't open up the box just to take out one bag. Plus, she thought, she just saved her parents money when they need them in the future.
"I like to buy this box of Ziploc bags." She told the woman. The woman nodded, took the box, scanned it, put it in a plastic bag, and gave it back to her. Hayley thanked her, and handed her the money, which she grabbed. She was about to put the many in the cash register when Hayley spoke.
"Can I use your phone?" She wanted to know. "I gave you an extra dollar for it." The woman nodded.
"Sure; it's in the back."
"Thanks." Hayley then left for the back, taking the bag with her.
When she went to where the phone was, an elderly woman was already using it. The woman noticed her, and held up her hand to wait. Hayley waited.
Ten minutes went by, and the woman was still on the phone. Come on! She thought to herself. How long are you going to be on the phone? This is the 21st Century! Even her grandparents have cell phones! Sure, they were confused at first on how to use them, but she and her brother taught them, and now they can use them like they were teenagers instead of folks of advanced years.
Ten more minutes went by, and the woman was still on the phone. Hayley sighed, and threw her arms in the air. Unbelievable! I'm going to ask if I can use the one at the counter. She then went of.
The woman hung up, and turned around to give it to Hayley.
"Hmmm." She thought out loud. "I thought for sure there was a young lady wanting to use the phone. Oh, well!" She hung up, and left.
The woman behind the counter was talking on the phone.
Dang it! Hayley thought. I'll come back here later with Klaus. She then left the store.
"Oh, thank gosh you're back!" Klaus said as soon as Hayley came back. "I thought something bad happened to you. What took you so long?"
"Sorry." Hayley told him as she took the box out of the bag, and started to open it. "I waited for over 20 minutes for a phone."
"Und? Did you get it, und contact your parents?" Hayley shook her head.
"No; I gave up by then." She took out a Ziploc bag, opened it up, and filled it with water. "Here, jump in." Klaus did just that, and she took it out of the water. She put the box back in the bag, and carried it, along with Klaus. "Let's go back. The phone should be free by now!"" And with that, she went off.
When they neared the store where Hayley brought the Ziploc bags, Hayley's stomach growled.
"Suddenly, I'm hungry." She said.
"Ja." Klaus said, his stomach also growling. "I'm also hungry."
"And your fish food was in the suitcase back on the bus."
"Well, it's lost now, along with everything else in there. But, it's okay. I can have human food. You do have money, don't you?"
"Yeah, surprisingly. That's how I could afford the Ziploc bags."
"Of course. You call home, and then while we wait, we can get something to eat." Hayley nodded, and went into the store.
Both phones were busy again. She cussed to herself.
"Still busy." She said.
"Let's just find someplace to eat, und come back." Klaus suggested. Hayley nodded with agreement, and they left the store.
Minutes later, they arrived at a roadside diner: Nikki's Diner. It was designed to resemble a 1920's train car.
"Perfect!" Hayley said. "Let's eat there. I hope they'll allow a fish in there."
"I was allowed at other places." Klaus said. "I don't think it'll be a problem."
"Hmmm, that's true. Wonder why that is." Klaus only shrugged. They then went in.
When Hayley got in a booth, she put down the bags beside her. A woman in 1920's clothing's and gave her a menu. Her nametag said her name was Molly.
"My name is Molly." She told her. "Thank you for choosing to dine here. When you're ready to order, give me a holler."
"Thanks." Hayley said to her. "I will." Molly then left as Hayley looked at the menu. She picked up Klaus so he could look at the menu too.
"Okay." Klaus said. "I know what I want, both food and beverage." Hayley nodded as Klaus told her what he wanted. Hayley then yelled Molly over. Molly went to her table with a pen and a notepad.
"We know what we want." She told her. Molly was confused.
"We?" She asked.
"I mean, I know what I want." Molly nodded, and got her pen ready.
"What can I get you, darling?"
"I'll have a cheeseburger, French Fries, fish sticks, and chili." Molly wrote all of those down, and looked confused again.
"You want all that? Are you sure you'll eat it all?" Hayley nodded, and rubbed her tummy.
"Yeah. I'm really hungry." Molly just shrugged.
"Okay." She left.
As Klaus and Hayley had their drinks, the TV news turned louder.
"And in breaking news," Greg said on the TV. "A bus, carrying collage freshmen students, going after My Morning Jacket, plunged into the lake earlier today." Both Klaus and Hayley spat out their drinks. They grabbed napkins, wiped their faces, and looked at the TV. "Terri is on the scene about to talk to an EMT who was trying to save those poor kids. Terri?" The screen switched to Terri near the bridge where the bus plunged into the lake. He had a microphone in his hand. "A drunk driver drove the bus when it went into the lake. Now, I'll hand you over to Carl, an EMT on the scene, who'll tell you more on what happened here today." He leaned the mike to Carl so he could speak.
"What happened here today with the bus was a very awful tragedy." Carl began. "And to think it could all have been avoided if the bus driver was sober, but alas, sadly he decided to drink while driving, thus paying the ultimate price, death."
"And the freshmen on board?" Carl frowned.
"My fellow comrades and I tried to save all of them, but, sadly, they all didn't make it."
"Every single one?"
"Well, one of them was missing; Miss. Hayley Smith." Terri gasped.
"Hayley? I know her! She's my neighbor's daughter!"
"Oh, my! I'm so sorry, until she shows up alive, I'm afraid for the moment she is pronounced dead."
"Well, the Smiths won't be happy about that."
"No, they won't. Nor will the other parents. Just let this be a lesson to drivers everywhere. Don't drink and drive, or it might be the last thing you ever do."
"Thanks, Carl. And now, back to you, Greg!" The screen switched back to Greg.
"Boy; that's horrible!" Klaus observed. "Makes you glad that we survived, huh Hayley?" He heard crying, and turned to Hayley. She was, indeed crying.
"I know it's sad on what happened to your peers, Hayley. But, you have to be strong. There's nothing to do now."
"I should've gotten to the front of the bus sooner." She sobbed. "Then everyone might've been saved."
"Hayley, don't blame yourself. You did all you could. The driver shouldn't have been driving drunk, but he was." Hayley sniffed. She looked at him.
"Why do people drink and drive, Klaus? Why, after all of those warning on TV and in the news, do they still do it?"
"Because they don't think it'll happen to them. Just like texting, talking on the phone, und other stuff that'll distract them. It's sad, but that is how it is sometimes." Hayley sniffed again.
"It just doesn't seem fair. I mean, for all of the other people on board. They're innocent. They didn't do anything wrong. I saw that someone was pregnant. So, not only was she killed, but also a baby who didn't have a chance at life. And poor Rachael and Lindsey, they were my friends! They didn't deserve this, not even Lindsey." She cried and cried. Klaus felt sad for her, not knowing what else to say to her, so he just let her cry. Molly then came with their food.
"Here's your food." She said. She then noticed Hayley crying. "Are you all right?" Hayley looked at Molly, and nodded. She tried to manage a smile.
"Yeah, I'm fine." She lied.
"Yeah." Molly said putting her food down in front of her. "The news can be so depressing. Makes you lucky that it wasn't you or someone you love, wait, it wasn't someone you love, right?"
"Only my friends and some classmates of mine. It was my school."
"Oh, I'm so sorry. Well, if you ever want to talk, you know what to do." Hayley nodded. Molly then left.
"Are you going to be okay, Hayley?" Klaus wanted to know. "You have to eat." Hayley nodded, as she wiped away some tears.
"I'll be okay." She said. She put Klaus' bag on the table, so he could eat. She began to eat also.
"Molly!" Hayley called as soon as she and Klaus were done with disserts. "Check, please; we're done!" Molly came up to them, confused again.
"There it is, again." She said. "'We'." Who's this 'we?"
"Oh, I'm sorry. I meant, "I'm done.'" Molly then noticed Klaus.
"Were you referring to your fish? Is that why you ordered all of that food? I thought fish only ate fish food." Hayley faked a laugh.
"What? Me. feeding my fish people food? That's crazy! I told you I was really hungry, even for two desserts afterwards." Molly laughed too as she grabbed the bill and money.
"Yeah, that's crazy alright!" She began to leave again when Hayley spoke up.
"Oh, Molly, before you go, can I use a phone here? Please? It's an emergency." She told Molly everything.
` "Oh, my!" Molly said. "Honey, that's terrible!" Hayley nodded in agreement.
"So, can I use a phone?" Molly nodded.
"We usually don't let our customers use the phones here, but since this is an emergency, I give you an exception." Hayley smiled.
"Thanks."
"No problem, sweetheart. Follow me; I'll show you the phone." Hayley got up, and followed her.
"It's here, dear." Molly said when they were at the phone. "Tell me when you're done."
"I will." Molly then left. Hayley picked up the phone, and dialed home.
"Hello?" Roger's voice answered on the other end.
"Roger." Hayley said. "Our bus went into the lake, and Klaus and I are lost. Are Mom or Dad there?"
"No they're not, but Steve's here."
"Steve's fourteen. He can't drive."
"He can drive a tractor." Hayley was about to say something when she decided against it.
"Can you pick up Klaus and I?"
"But what about your friend?"
"She's dead. Everyone's dead."
"Oh, well, that's a shame. What about the rest of your tour? Didn't you say it was fifteen weeks, or something?"
"Yeah, but, I think we should come home now. Plus, I got no one to drive us for that long."
"Well, no one wants to drive with the fish in the car. Are you sure you want to come home? You might be missing out on a chance of a lifetime." Hayley sighed. She really didn't want to, but with all that happened, felt like she should.
"Yeah." She replied.
"Okay, I'll pick you up, kiddo. Where are you?"
"On the West Virginia/Virginia border at Nikki's Diner."
"Okay; I'll be there in three hours."
"Thanks, Roger."
She hung up, told Molly she was done, went back to Klaus, and she told Klaus.
"Let's do something until then." Klaus said. Hayley nodded, and she grabbed her things, and they went out.
They returned to the diner at ten minutes to. Roger wasn't there, so they waited….and-waited….and waited. Molly came up to them.
"I'm sorry." She apologized. "But, we're closing for the night. You can wait outside if you'd like." Hayley thanked her, grabbed Klaus and the bag, and went to wait outside.
"I don't get it." Hayley told Klaus. "Roger should be here by now."
"Well, it's Roger." Klaus said to her. "You shouldn't be surprised." Hayley sighed.
"I guess. I'll go call again. Hopefully, Mom and Dad will be home." She was about to go, when a voice spoke up.
"You need a lift?" Hayley turned to the young man who had spoken to her.
"I'm going to Langley Falls, Virginia." The man nodded.
"We can take you there." Hayley was confused.
"Really? I wouldn't be a burden to you?"
"What? You? Nah! We'd be happy too." Hayley nodded.
"Sure. Thanks." She was a little unsure to go with strangers, but she didn't want to wait for her parents. She went after the man.
"I'm Dylan."
"I'm Hayley."
Dylan led her to an RV. A second young man was there.
"We have company, Boss. This lay and her fish are going to Langley Falls. Can they come?" The man smiled.
"Sure; the more, the merrier." He looked at Hayley. "Come on, little lady." Hayley went in the RV with the two men.
"That's my boss, Leo." Dylan told Hayley. He then was confused. "why are you taking your fish with you?" Hayley gave a nervous smile to him.
"Don't ask." She said, and that was that.
"Here we go!" Leo said. He turned on the ignition, and the RV took off.
Both Hayley and Klaus were unaware of what they were getting themselves into.