Project X

The Way it Began: Silver

CHAPTER EIGHT

SILVER

    We stayed in the clearing for the next three days. Partially to rest, and partially because that's how long it took for the inside of the truck to become bearable, even so we still kept the windows as open as possible. At least that's what we told ourselves. I'm at least partially convinced that it was mostly a phantom scent, lingering only because we weren't ready to get back into the space where we'd held Kendra's body. But, ultimately, we still had a job to do. No amount of mourning, or trying to distract ourselves, was going to change that.

    The morning we left it was dreary, it drizzled on and off. We woke up fairly early, all of us feeling cramped and stiff from being packed into the minivan like sardines. We redistributed half of our stuff back into the truck, stretched our sore muscles, and then piled into the vehicles. Irwin climbed behind the wheel of the minivan, and Dom took first shift driving the truck, insisting that she'd rather focus on the road than on me and Sydney making out. I pointed out to her that we couldn't make out if one of us was driving; and, as far as I was aware, we didn't have any plans to engage in reckless, audacious PDA, anyway. She just rolled her eyes and took the keys. I didn't know what that was supposed to mean, so I didn't argue and just climbed in back with Syd. I mean, I wasn't going to complain about getting to hang out with him. I'm a lot of things, but I'm not ungrateful. I can clearly see when I'm being hand-served a fantastic deal on a silver platter.

    While Dom and I had been getting situated, Syd had been getting comfortable. By the time I closed the back and turned to him he was already curled up on the floor with a pillow and blanket, yawning,

    "I'm still sleepy, come take a nap with me." I chuckled as I made my way over and stretched out on the floor beside him,

    "I'm surprised you're choosing actual sleep over your energy drinks." He yawned again,

    "I wouldn't if I could, but I drank my last one yesterday." He nuzzled his face into my chest, "I don't mind, though. You can't cuddle a RockBull. Well, you can, but it doesn't cuddle back."

~~~~~

*BAP*

    I twitched in my sleep, it felt like something had landed on me,

*BAP..... BAP*

    What the Hell? There it was again...

*THWACK*

    That one hit me smack in the forehead and I jumped awake, looking around. There were Corn Nips on the floor all around us, and Sydney was still snoring lightly. I realized we weren't moving and turned towards the cab. Dom's face was in the window, a bag of the offending Corn Nips in one hand, the other over her mouth to stifle her laughter.

    "... Why?" She swallowed her laughter and cleared her throat,

    "I saw a laundromat literally right next to a truck stop. I mean, there may as well just be a neon sign saying 'All of y'all really fucking smell, do y'alls laundry and take a real shower'." I sniffed at my sweater, she definitely had a point. I shook Syd awake, and we grabbed our bags and blankets and headed into the laundromat.

    Kai, Blake (currently an average height, slightly overweight, Latino teenage boy), and Irwin were already inside, exchanging dollars for quarters and throwing clothes and blankets into the biggest washers they could find. The three of us followed suit, managing to fit everyone's clothes in the one giant washer, and tossing all of our blankets into the one next to it. Kai and Dom offered to take the first shift watching the items while the rest of us went next door to the truck stop to shop and shower.