Unplugged: The Hidden World (#2, Unplugged Trilogy)

Chapter Ten

"This is insane," my mother mumbles, shaking her head as she starts up the engine. It purrs smoothly since being filled with gasoline. "If we end up dead, don't blame me." I stare at my hands resentfully. Should we have interpreted my dream as a sign? Could I be leading us into further danger?

"I hope we're doing the right thing," I mutter to Matthew as the car pulls onto the exit ramp leading back to the highway.

"What else could we have done?" He replies. "Wait until they caught us? We have a mission out here." I nod a little, still unconvinced.

The road stretches on, empty and surrounded by jagged rocks. Soon we make a sharp right to enter the highway again, our salvaged supplies slamming into each other in the trunk. We travel straight again, towards a flat and barren horizon. My thoughts travel to Josh as I stare at the sky. What are they doing to him? Is his father with him? Has he met the mysterious creature with the yellow eyes, or is it yet another figment of my over-active imagination?

Suddenly, a mammoth bird swoops down out of the sky and takes off, a prairie dog squirming restlessly in its beak. My stomach drops down to my feet. I can't speak. I grab Matthew's face and turn it in the direction of the soaring bird. For a while his eyes flicker around randomly, then they widen. He watches in awe as the bird disappears through a cloud.

"What the-?" He mouths silently. A new energy bursts through my chest. I don't know how, I don't know why, but I've received a sign. A concrete sign that my dreams are real, are true, are prophecies. I've led us to our destination: me. The useless rebel girl with a bullet wound. Without thinking, I lean forward and press my lips to Matthew's. He freezes at first, then he kisses me back. I take his shoulders and he grabs my waist, gently squeezing it. We share breaths, and I kiss him again. It's agony to pull away. I stare at him with a new fire in my eyes.

In the passenger seat, Ariel starts to giggle uncontrollably. I forgot that we were traveling with two other people. Oops. Slightly embarrassed and disoriented with relief, I sit up straighter and clear my throat.

"So... What now?" Matthew mutters breathlessly.

"I remember seeing a road that branched off to the right," I recall.

"What?" My mother calls over the roar of the engine, oblivious. I raise my voice.

"Soon you'll see a road leading to the right. Take that road." I see her face in the front mirror, doubtful. I realize that she didn't see what had just occurred. With the bird, of course. With the bird.

"Don't worry. It'll come soon."

My predicted miracle never comes; instead it's followed by empty, mile-long stretches of road. I begin to grow doubtful of myself. In my dream, the road had appeared just moments after I saw the bird. Could I be leading us in the wrong direction? Bare clay surrounds the cracking asphalt. We might as well travel onwards if we have nowhere else to go. Forty-five minutes later, my mom speaks up tersely.

"So... Where is this road?"

"Are you sure you didn't pass it?"

"Positive." Beside me, Matthew sits up suddenly and points.

"There!" A quarter mile ahead, a thin, gray stripe of road breaks the monotonous field of rock.

"I see it! I see it!" Ariel exclaims, clapping gleefully.

"It's a-?" My mother gapes ahead, unbelieving, and I can't help but laugh out loud. Even though the time-spans in my dream hadn't been accurate, the actual signs were. What's going on? My mother pulls the car onto the road and everyone remains silent with wonder.