Not sure how to feel about this chapter, I suppose it's more of a transition? I'll be taking a break from writing for a little because I have some major school assignments coming up soon. I also feel this wasn't my best chapter, so I want the next one to be better. Please bear with me, but do also leave reviews. :)
"So how's your head?" Mari asked as she started her car. The sky was looking overcast and though the ground wasn't completely covered with snow yet, it was still cold enough that her older car needed to warm up for a minute before she got started.
"Well I woke up with a pretty bad headache, but it's not too bad now. Your wrist looks pretty messed up though," he pointed out as he sat back.
She shrugged and looked at the purple bruise that was covering most of the side of her wrist and hand. "It looks worse than it is but it's not like it doesn't hurt."
Silence fell between them until she put her car into drive, thinking it had enough time to warm up. "So are you from New York?" he asked, making conversation.
"Yup, born and raised. What about you?"
"Same here."
The two continued to make small conversation as she drove along the empty roads lightly coated with snow that had yet to melt. They were surrounded by trees and practically nothing more as she drove, cementing the feeling that they were isolated from almost all of the rest of the world.
Back at the farmhouse, April was sitting against the arm of the couch with a journal in her lap, staring at the blank pages while thinking about all the things that had suddenly changed once again. She felt almost numb to everything at that point, unsure of how to react to losing her best friend, her dad (again), and her home she had come to know for so many years. Now, she was back where she and her family began, and despite the present company she felt very alone.
The house around her was solemnly quiet as Raph kept watch over Leo, and Don and Mikey went to look around the barn. Part of her wished she had gone with Casey and Mari just to see what it was like outside the farmhouse, but she was also glad she stayed in. After a moment she decided to search the cabinets for hot chocolate or tea, but found nothing. With a soft sigh she returned to the living room and searched for some old movie she could watch while she tried to figure out how she felt about everything—or, at least how to express how she felt.
Music sounded fairly loud from Mari's speakers, subconsciously urging her to drive faster than she usually would. Casey was rocking out in his seat and she couldn't help but wonder if it was his way of dealing with what happened in the city, or if it was just a habit he had anytime he was in a car. If it was the latter, she feared for the day when he earned his license.
"I still can't believe what's happened," she mentioned after a while, finally spotting a road sign that gave her some direction.
"What?" Casey asked over the music, his jam session pausing as he sat up.
She turned down the volume and repeated her statement. "It's like something straight out of a sci-fi movie. I never really cared for those."
"Yeah, it is pretty crazy… But you know they've been planning this whole invasion thing for years right?"
"What? How do you know?" she asked, glancing at him a couple times out of curiosity. "Wait, wait don't tell me, it's got something to do with your friends right?" She sounded more unimpressed as she asked her second question, almost as though his answer would explain everything.
"Pretty much, but it's not their fault. We just figured it out a little while ago and… it's a pretty long story," he finished, shrugging his shoulders.
"Well, we've got a pretty long trip. Why don't you go ahead and share?" she urged, glancing at him out of the corner of her eyes.
Casey hesitated for a moment, unsure if the others would want her to know. He was supposed to be thinking about if they could trust her or not, but so far she seemed to be normal—well, as normal as anyone could be anymore. After a significant pause, he turned down the music so that it just became background to his story.
"If we clear out this space here then I can build a makeshift lab and make some kind of medicine for Leonardo," Don said as he and Mikey stood in front of a wall in the barn. He moved to start moving some wood and other equipment, urging Mikey to help him.
"How are you going to make the medicine?" Mikey asked as he complied.
"I'm sure I can use some of the mutagen that I brought with me, and there must be something in the woods or whatever store Casey and Marisol end up in that I could use… I'm just not sure yet. But as soon as I have a space to work it should come together pretty quickly."
While his brother didn't sound completely confident, Mikey was able to make up for the lack thereof with some of his own. "I know you can do it, D," he said as he flashed his brother a grin.
Though there was no new logic to prove Mikey's statement, Don still felt himself gain a bit more confidence as they continued to clear out the space. Sometimes Mikey's optimism really helped his mood and this just so happened to be one of those times. "Thanks, Mikey."