Chapter 24: HP
On the road. We were finally on the road again, this time, driving at a reasonable rate. Compared to the Grey Sisters, the speed we were speeding down the country road, kicking up dirt and gravel dust behind us was almost comfortable.
It was both exhilarating and frightening to know we were that much closer to, well, wherever we were guided. And we had a goal. San Francisco.
We drove until three hours had gone by, our stomachs were growling, and all of us needed to stretch our legs and use the restroom. Cassandra pulled over at a rest stop next to the highway.
We filed out of the car, and when we were ready to get back on the road, Cassandra was back from buying food from the gas-station across the street, we clambered back inside the car.
Rachel offered to drive, Cassandra hesitatingly agreed, only after promising death to Rachel if she even scratched the car. They switched drivers, with the setting sun, we fell asleep to the Jazz music Rachel had opted to play.
The car shuddered to a stop and I opened my eyes, bleary. Rubbing the sleep from them, I blinked and looked around. It was still dark outside, from what I could see past the curtains covering the windows. All around me, the others were getting up. Looking at the clock at the front of the car, I saw that it was 9 pm.
We had crossed through a few states while I was asleep and Rachel had likely stopped a few times for gas and to stretch her legs.
"We've arrived." Was all she said as we stumbled, ran, walked, and raced towards the house surrounded by identical.
We rang the doorbell, not really expecting an answer, it was later at night, after all.
Instead, a little boy around nine years of age opened the door and shouted back into the house, "Mommy! Nico's here!"
When we looked at Nico, the only look on his face was one of sheer terror.
A girl who looked like she was in her early twenties came to the door and when she saw the five of us, mainly Nico, she smiled and let us inside.
We walked into the home, as soon as we stepped foot inside the living room, Nico flopped onto the couch, taking one of two for himself, leaving the other for us to squish onto.
Squish we did, as we awkwardly sat next to each other. Delphi next to me, along with Percy, on Percy's other side, Rachel sat.
An older lady wandered into the room dressed in a pair of unicorn pajamas. Seeing us, she grabbed the nine year old by his arm and swiftly walked back out of the room.
As soon as she left, we could hear hush-hushed shouting from a different room.
Catching a few words, that I made out, I finally put together that the boy's name was Max and he was supposed to be in bed half an hour ago.
The girl who we assumed was a Delphi, rolled her eyes.
"Ignore them." She said.
Nico sighed happily which turned into a "harumpf" when she shoved him off the couch and onto the floor, taking the couch for herself.
Turning to Nico, she addressed him with a pointed stare.
"Care to explain why you're here with four other lunatics at nine pm, when you said you wouldn't be able to visit me until Thanksgiving? Neeks." She said it with care in her features but a cold look in her eye.
"Well it wasn't my idea to come here, I was asleep, Rachel, the red head was driving. Besides. Why would I come here willingly, when you're still here? Rylie." Nico sassed in return. "Shouldn't you address your guests Max kindly let in as well?"
Now we knew her name. Rylie. And that her and Nico were friends before this chaos became life.
Some sort of friends at least...