Chapter 2: Surprise

Dear Shannon,

We're back in civilization, so I get to email you again, instead of spending all that time waiting for the post. This time, I think we'll be staying for awhile. Mum and Dad have both found jobs, and they got some money from the sale of the house in Stoneybridge, so they put that towards our new house. It's a leaky old ranch house, but it came with about a hundred acres of land. We're digging a new den, but until then, we spend the full moons splashing in the creek that runs through our property. No one has tried to shoot us yet. For the first time since Rhydian joined us and told us about all that terrible business at Segolia, I've actually seen Mum relax. It doesn't feel like home yet, especially without you and Tom and our other friends, but it's a fresh start, and I think we needed that. And there's a town nearby with a university that Rhydian and I will be attending this fall.

I'm so excited you'll be going to school in America. We'll be on the same continent again!

Oh, that reminds me. Mum said it'd be alright to invite you to join us for a holiday before school starts. I know you'll be spending so much time in Yellowstone studying the animals there that you'll probably be sick of it, but mum and dad wanted to go camping there for a week. They chose it because then you can come with us and it won't be too much trouble to drop you off at school on the way home. If you haven't bought your tickets yet, get them for a week before orientation, then we'll pick you up at the airport in Billings. From there, it'll be a week of geisers and grizzy bears before we drop you off at MSU and you get all swotty and boring for the rest of the year.

I hope you can come,

Maddy

/

A voice came over the intercom, "We are beginning our final descent to the Billings Logan International Airport. Please fasten your seatbelts and lock your tray tables in the upright position. Local time is 2:50 pm, with mostly sunny skies and a temperature of seventy-nine degrees. Thank you for flying Delta Airlines flight 9981. Have a nice day!"

Seventy-nine degrees? thought Shannon, in a panic. Then she reminded herself that this was America, and they hadn't converted to the metric system yet. Add that to the list of things I'll have to get used to. She sighed and closed her laptop. At least I'll get to see Maddy again, before I start university, by myself, in a town I've never been to, halfway across the world from home.

She placed her laptop in her bag and closed the zipper. Then she put up the tray table and took off her watch so she could set it to 2:50. The clock on her laptop still said 9:50 pm, which was the time back home.

/

Maddy met Shannon at the baggage claim area and they greeted each other with an enthusiastic hug. "I'm so glad you're finally here!" Maddy exclaimed. "Let's get your bags, then we'll head out to the truck."

"Where is everyone?" Shannon asked.

"Oh they stayed at h- er they stayed behind to get ready for the trip. Mam's collecting the food, and Dad and Rhydian are working on the caravan."

"So you drove here? By yourself?"

"Yeah. It was only about two hours."

"Wow. I don't even have my license."

"Well you'll be alright in town. They've got a bus system. Will you be living in the dormitories?"

"No. Segolia owns a small house near campus that the use for when company reps visit the university. They said they'd let me stay there, free of charge. Becca recommended doing that instead of the dorms so I could focus on my studies better."

By now, the two friends had found Shannon's bags and were carrying them to the parking lot. They chatted pleasantly as they loaded the suitcases into the back of the faded blue truck. Shannon walked around to the left side of the truck.

"You drivin' then?" Maddy asked.

"No," said Shannon, confused. Then she saw the steering wheel and sheepishly ran around to the other side.

The two friend shared a laugh. Maddy remarked, "Took me some getting used to as well. And sadly, driving on the wrong side of the road isn't the worst problem here. We still can't find a channel that shows Doctor Who."

It wasn't until they had been on the road for about ten minutes when something dawned on Shannon, "Maddy, how did you know about the bus system in Bozeman?"

"Oh, er, I was bored one day so I looked up your school. They mentioned the buses on their website. Shannon, you must be exhausted. We've still got a fairly long drive ahead. Why don't you take a nap?"

"You sure you don't want someone to talk to while you drive?"

"Shan, I think you'll fall asleep whether we're talking or not. At least this way, it won't be in the middle of a sentence."

Shannon nodded and balled up her jacket so she could use it to prop up her head on the passenger side window.

/

Shannon woke from her nap as she felt the truck decelerating. She rubbed her eyes and looked out the window. She saw a bright green road sign which read: Bozeman - 10 miles, Butte - 95 miles, Spokanne - 415 miles. Maddy was turning off the freeway and onto a two-lane road. Groggilly, Shannon asked, "Where are we going?"

"Oh we'll be staying the night here before we leave for Yellowstone in the morning."

"Mkay," said Shannon, closing her eyes again.

They turned onto a bumpy road, and Shannon gave up on her nap entirely. She sat up and looked around, simultaneously taking in the scenery and stretching her neck. They drove under a wooden archway, painted with the words, Hudson Creek Ranch. Maddy pulled into the driveway of a farmhouse and stopped the truck.

"What's going on, Mads? This isn't a campsite."

"No," Maddy replied, "This is my parent's place."

"But its - "

"Thirteen miles from Bozeman. Yeah."

"So then, where are you going to school?"

"Same as you! Montana State University. Surprise!"