After endless hours of driving, sheer exhaustion forced Troy to pull over
at a hotel.
Kathy had fallen asleep long before, dozing in her chair.
He gently shook her awake, "Kathy, come on inside."
She groaned, "What?"
"I found a hotel."
Half-asleep, Kathy allowed herself to be led up to a seedy hotel room.
Troy went into the other room and fell asleep the instant his head hit the pillow.
The next morning, it was Kathy who aroused him from a restless sleep.
Numbly, Troy started the car, popped open a soda can, and tossed Kathy a honeybun.
Sipping at his Coke, he tried to shut out the screaming voices that overwhelmed all other sounds, but, made no noise at the same time.
Kathy gently laid a hand on his taut shoulder.
Troy flinched at the unexpected touch.
"What is it, Troy? What are you hearing?"
"I have to hurry. Angela needs me. Everything is screaming at me to rush, to get there before it's too late."
Kathy gently squeezed his arm, "If you need a break, I can drive so we won't have to stop."
He nodded, breathing deeply, "Thank-you Kathy. Thank-you for not thinking that I'm crazy."
She smiled, "Anytime, Troy."
As the sun set on the second day, he allowed Kathy to drive, knowing that he needed to rest for a bit. When he closed his eyes, it was 7:45 P.M. When he opened them again, it was 12 o' clock, midnight. He looked over at Kathy and saw her blinking slowly, struggling to fight sleep. "Kathy? I can drive now."
She looked at him gratefully and pulled over.
He drove on until sunrise, continuing past noon. He pulled over beside a street sign.
Kathy was suddenly wide awake, "Why are we stopping? Do you need me to drive?"
Troy shook his head slowly, "No. Angela's car broke down here." He walked toward the middle of the street, "Someone stopped here and gave her a ride. She hitch-hiked to Bayville. I think that I can trail their path."
Kathy nodded as she got back inside the car, apparently unfazed by his predictions.
Troy drove onward, his hunches drawing him closer to the city.
Suddenly, a name flashed before his eyes: "Institute for The Gifted."
'That's where Angela is.' Troy realized.
Kathy was waiting for him in the car, "You seem more confident." She commented.
Troy smiled, relaxing for once, "Yeah. If I can get to her, I think everything'll be all right."
Kathy had fallen asleep long before, dozing in her chair.
He gently shook her awake, "Kathy, come on inside."
She groaned, "What?"
"I found a hotel."
Half-asleep, Kathy allowed herself to be led up to a seedy hotel room.
Troy went into the other room and fell asleep the instant his head hit the pillow.
The next morning, it was Kathy who aroused him from a restless sleep.
Numbly, Troy started the car, popped open a soda can, and tossed Kathy a honeybun.
Sipping at his Coke, he tried to shut out the screaming voices that overwhelmed all other sounds, but, made no noise at the same time.
Kathy gently laid a hand on his taut shoulder.
Troy flinched at the unexpected touch.
"What is it, Troy? What are you hearing?"
"I have to hurry. Angela needs me. Everything is screaming at me to rush, to get there before it's too late."
Kathy gently squeezed his arm, "If you need a break, I can drive so we won't have to stop."
He nodded, breathing deeply, "Thank-you Kathy. Thank-you for not thinking that I'm crazy."
She smiled, "Anytime, Troy."
As the sun set on the second day, he allowed Kathy to drive, knowing that he needed to rest for a bit. When he closed his eyes, it was 7:45 P.M. When he opened them again, it was 12 o' clock, midnight. He looked over at Kathy and saw her blinking slowly, struggling to fight sleep. "Kathy? I can drive now."
She looked at him gratefully and pulled over.
He drove on until sunrise, continuing past noon. He pulled over beside a street sign.
Kathy was suddenly wide awake, "Why are we stopping? Do you need me to drive?"
Troy shook his head slowly, "No. Angela's car broke down here." He walked toward the middle of the street, "Someone stopped here and gave her a ride. She hitch-hiked to Bayville. I think that I can trail their path."
Kathy nodded as she got back inside the car, apparently unfazed by his predictions.
Troy drove onward, his hunches drawing him closer to the city.
Suddenly, a name flashed before his eyes: "Institute for The Gifted."
'That's where Angela is.' Troy realized.
Kathy was waiting for him in the car, "You seem more confident." She commented.
Troy smiled, relaxing for once, "Yeah. If I can get to her, I think everything'll be all right."