"Mom," Lucy said, sitting up in bed to see Mari with her bag in hand heading out the door. Mari sighed and returned to sit next to Lucy.
"I'm sorry honey but I've got to go."
"Can I come with?"
"I'd prefer you to stay here. Jody will be here and will answer any of your questions. She can take care of you a lot better than I can."
"No she can't," Lucy argued.
"Honey you're starting to catch up to me in age. I can still remember what being thirteen felt like. I'm barely an adult, hardly a suitable mother for the girl that's going to save the world."
"I think you're doing a pretty good job."
"Thanks."
"You're still gonna go, aren't you?"
"Yea. I've told you about revenge, right? Those demons didn't just torture me, they did it to my family and innocent strangers. I can't sit by and let them ruin anymore lives. Understand?"
Lucy nodded and Mari tucked her back in then kissed her on the forehead. Mari slipped out the house quietly and went in her car. She drove for with no problems for almost an hour before her car started making weird noises and broke down on the side of the road.
"God damn it," she muttered, getting out and popping her trunk to get the emergency kit she always kept. Grabbing the flashlight she went around and opened the hood using her limited car knowledge to determine that there was absolutely nothing wrong with.
Just as Mari was about to give up and call a tow truck another car came down the road and stopped net to her, rolling down they're window. It was a man, mid to late 30s, with a full beard and brown hair. Something about his face made Mari trust him before he even said a word.
"Do you need some help?" he asked.
"Yea, do you know anything about cars?"
"Oh…well no, sorry. The only help I can be is to give you a ride."
"Could you really?"
"Yea sure, no problem."
"Cool let me just grab my stuff," Mari said, turning back to her car. She grabbed her bag and made sure to tuck her gun in her belt loop.
Don't go with him.
"I have no choice." She locked her car doors and got in with the stranger.
"Chuck," he said once she was fully seated.
"M-Christina," Mari said.
"So where were you heading?"
Don't trust him.
"R-Watertown," Mari lied, still trusting that Mary knew what was best.
"Really? That's a long way out, especially this late at night," Chuck commented.
"My father had a heart attack," Mari explained, trying to pen why Mary was so against this random guy. They had driven far enough up the road now that there was a gas station to pull into.
"Alright, enough with the lies Mari. And Mary, leave," Chuck said tapping Mari on her forehead.
"What the hell did you just do?" Mari asked, holding her head that was suddenly feeling light and empty.
"I sent Mary back to heaven, she'll be back in a few hours so we have to talk quickly. And when she does come back to think about our conversation too much, ok?"
Mari nodded, scared, wishing she had done as Mary said and not trusted Chuck.