Chapter Eleven

Six

All the while as I drive away, I look at John's reflection on my rear view mirror. Tears don't stop streaming down my cheeks. I know that if I should drive, I should hold back the tears until we rest for the day.

"Keep going west, Six," Crayton whispers through the ear piece in my right ear. I don't reply. I just stare at the rear view mirror, occasionally watching the road, as John's figure shrinks from afar. When he disappears, I blink the last of my tears away and focus on the road.

Crayton is taking us to Indiana first, about thirteen hours away at the most. Thirteen hours of missing John. On the road I swerve in and out of lines, my other, boyish self taking over the wheel. Where are John and the others headed? Is he okay? Will he be safe? Oh, many questions are making my head spin, but I have to keep it together. I have to focus.

Crayton takes the lead, and I follow. "Where are they?" I ask using the matching mouthpiece concealed under my helmet.

"They're going southwest from Manhattan. Don't worry, Six. John will be fine," Crayton says. Yeah, right. With John being a total idiot at times, he'll get killed or easily hurt within a day. And that is what worries me. I put on a burst of speed and bypass Crayton's SUV and a few other cars, ignoring their car horns as I whiz past. Oh, John, I think to myself, be careful.

Hours later, Crayton pulls over in a nearby gas station to fill the truck up and also, according to him, Malcolm needs to use the bathroom. We also need to buy food for the Chimæras we brought along with us, which includes Elizabeth, Bernie Kosar's girlfriend.

So, here I am, parked near the convenience store beside the gas station, waiting for the two of them. I had my helmet off, so to conceal my identity, I use the sunglasses Crayton found at the old house. It suits me well, as I see my reflection in the rear view mirror. John would be drooling over me if he saw me like this; badass, dangerous and downright fierce. I like that.

But, sadly, it attracted too much attention.

Three boys from the convenience store strut from the entrance to where I was parked. They have the same build, same height, and same brutal faces, with tight muscle shirts and army pants. They must be the owners of the monster truck behind me. Show-offs, I think. One of them, the one in the middle, had tattoos on his arms that are too many to count. He had military-style hair, and so do the other two. "Hey, you with the bike!" the first one yells, even though he's like three feet from me. He puts his hands in his pockets and attempts to look cute, but honestly, he looks like a pig on steroids, with a squashed up nose to be precise.

"What's your problem with my bike?" I say, feeling my insides boil up inside me. Ever since the battle in Virginia, I tend to get angry easily.

"Nothing, it's just that, may I have your name," he says in mock formal gesture. Fuck this guy. I clench my fists and stand up violently, surprising the three men. "Don't piss me off, asshole," I say, as venomous as I can allow myself. The sky above gets dark, rapidly, unlike usual. I can easily beat up these bastards with my eyes closed, but would it be better to vaporize them on the spot?

"Maren!" I hear Crayton yell behind me, but I ignore him. I take a step closer to the group of assholes, and without warning, my fist collides with their leader's left cheek forcefully. That's going to leave a bruise, or even an open wound. "Never mess with a bitch like me, jerk," I say, spinning around with my hair flipping. I take my shades off and slip my helmet on, driving away before Malcolm can even shut the door of the SUV.

"You nearly blew your cover!" Crayton exclaims in the motel room three of us are going to share for the night. We've made at least nine hours of journey, from eight in the morning to five in the afternoon.

"I never had one! And besides, those assholes pissed me off!" I yell in defense. Crayton is still angry at me for beating the "poor guy" up from the convenience store. John would have been so jealous and even angrier than me if he saw that.

"You should keep yourself in check!" Crayton says.

"He shouldn't have angered me in the first place!"

"What's done is done. We just have to get some rest," Malcolm concludes, but the tension between Crayton and me has reached its peak that thunder cackles outside. "Fine, but I get the phone, for a while," I say, holding my hand out to Crayton. When John said the words, "I will always be in your dreams," I understood it immediately. Crayton seems reluctant to give it to me, but in the end, he hands me the iPhone.

Only two entries are in the contact book of this phone; John's phone and the one Marina and her group has. I dial John's number and wait. Three rings…what if he's in trouble? What if he's captured? Oh…

"Hello, Six?" John says immediately.

"How are you?" we say in unison, making me smile a little. "Why did you call? Are you about to sleep?" John asks excitedly.

"Yep. I'll be waiting, John."

"I love you," he whispers.

"I love you too," I say before hanging up. "I'll go to sleep now, wake me up after about five hours." I grab a blanket and a pillow, slump on the couch and let my thoughts wander to John, with that smile on his lips and the tenderness in his eyes…

The dream came as soon as I close my eyes.

I remember the darkness that swallowed me at first when I was in Virginia, but when I closed my eyes, I am instantly swept away without going there. I feel the pressure of the wind squeeze me, like I'm forcefully thrust through a tight hole. When I can finally breathe again, I'm back in that grassy field under that bright blue sky. Flowers of periwinkle blue are everywhere. The wind ripples past the tall grass, and this time, John is here, a huge stupid grin on his face. "Six…" John says as he nearly beats the air out of my lungs with a bone-crushing hug. "How are you? Where are you now?" I ask, not daring to pull away. "Somewhere in Virginia. Animal attacks are reported there, and Nine says that it's a Chimæra," John replies, "How much time do you have?"

I say, "About five hours. I think Crayton's taking first watch."

"That's all the time we need," John says, and he presses his lips against mine. If only this were real…

John breaks the kiss, and clutches his head like something is hurting him. "John!" I yell in panic. Could this day get any worse?

I guess I spoke too soon.

John lies still, flat on his back with a blank look in his eyes. "John?" I say, fear building up in my chest. What's happening?

I clutch John's shoulders in attempt to wake him up, but instead I feel electricity surge through my veins, and all of a sudden, the fields are gone, replaced by a blood red sky and a barren land. Wait a second, I know this place. This is Mogadore. But, how?

John stands beside me, his eyes just as wide. I still have my hands on his shoulders. Then, that means…

I'm in John's premonition.