AN: The pole has spoken! Thank you for your votes - it was a close one. But here you go!
So sorry this is short but I'm knee deep in Ripples right now *side eyes*
Back soon. X
The first rest stop was a Denny's just outside of Columbus, Ohio.
Olivia looked up just as the driver announced they had exactly 20 minutes to visit the restroom and grab food before they'd be taking off again. She glanced at the faded restaurant sign that was in dire need of restoration and let out a heavy, deflated sigh.
20 minutes.
No exceptions.
She made eye contact with Dusty who didn't appear to be making any motions to move, just absently staring at the seat straight ahead. She gave him the indication that she wanted to get up, her eyes motioning towards the front.
He started looking around at all the scattered items on his lap - phone, chargers, half empty bags of chips and he stood up, grasping all the contents before a charger chord fell down on the seat.
She got up and moved quickly past him.
She didn't need food, she didn't even need the toilet at that point, what she did need was to get some personal space. It had boarded on two hours already and her cramped limbs were aching from spending so much time in the foetal position.
She couldn't believe it had only been two hours.
12 more to go..
She didn't know how she was going to survive this trip when she could barely sleep more than 10 minutes at a time.
She headed past the bus driver, a bout of fresh air filling her lungs as she exited the bus, nausea beginning to permeate from being suddenly upright. She figured she would wash up, refill her water bottle, grab a bag of trail mix and take some more painkillers. Hopefully then she could get some shut eye on the next leg of this trip.
When she entered the rest stop bathroom she made a beeline for the basin and began to run the tap. She could already do with a shower and felt a sudden need to brush her teeth. She splashed a generous amount of water on her face one handed, careful to angle herself so she wouldn't anger her shoulder before cupping her hand under the spray and drinking in a few sips before she reached up for a paper towel.
She blinked through her damp lashes as she blindly felt for the paper towels, that's when she caught sight of a reflection in the stained, foggy, barely-reflective mirror, her eyes widening at the presence.
But it was too late, there were hands over her mouth before she could stop them, a stab of pain shooting through her shoulder as she was dragged forcibly backwards and into a stall. Her heart thumped in her chest, her feet skidding across the floor, her futile scream getting muffled underneath a palm. She knew if she tried to wretch within their hold, she'd tear more than just a ligament, so she submitted - rendering herself completely and entirely still.
TBC
AN: Alexa play 'Who can it be now?' by Men at Work..
