For the Weak

Chapter 1, pt. 2: The Road

I exhale deeply as I walk back to my room, pulling on my high-top sneakers. I just want to get everything over with. When I walk out to the car, I see Abagail is already out there, her hair pulled neatly into a ponytail. She acknowledges my appearance with a smile and a wave before she goes back to carrying a box, labeled "antiques". Once she puts it in the trunk, she gestures for me to come help her. I happily oblige, steadily moving each box. The mass of each one lingers on my limbs as I lug them into the trunk, and to pass the time, I think of mom.

She wasn't really present in me and Abby's lives, always going on lengthy vacations at her lab in Ecuador for her studies. I'd always be left in charge of Abagail, cooking and cleaning the house. Whenever mom WAS home, I recall most of our time spent together was at her home lab or at the local hospital. She wanted to know exactly what me and Abagail are and how we work. It never made sense to me. She knew who she married. Our father was never in the picture after we turned 3 years old, so we never knew who he was. I miss mom, but I really hope this time isn't like when we were growing up...

I must have stopped working or something, because I suddenly felt a gentle hand on my shoulder. I almost jump out of my skin before realizing it's my sister. She looks concerned for a moment before noticing the box in my hand, a small wooden box with "Mother's Trinkets" written on it. I give Abby a quick (yet weak) smile before placing it softly with the others.
__________________________________________________

"You know she loved us, Abreia."
Abagail's hands move slowly as she signs, almost as if she doesn't believe her own words.
I give her a shrug before responding:
"If she did, I wouldn't still get nightmares about that...horrific place. Need I remind you, moving back in with her  was YOUR idea."

"...So you aren't excited to see her?"
Her words shake me. Obviously I was excited to see mom. Even though she wasn't the best person, I'd love to see her again, and Abagail knows that. What she's really asking is if I actually wanted to go and live with mom. I shrug and give her a "Of course I am" before tossing the last 2 boxes in back.

Finally being able to slam the trunk of the car shut felt... Bittersweet to say the least. We were saying goodbye to the last 100 years of our lives. Every adventure we had, all of our ups and downs felt all for naught,  but we knew this would be beneficial for both of us. I took a look at Abagail and hugged her tightly. I can feel her tears soaking my shoulder as her head rests near mine, and as we take one last look at the front porch, we silently say our goodbyes.

Abagail wipes her eyes and sits in the passenger seat, as she's not legally allowed to drive with only one working eye. I feel the bass of the stereo system rumble the ground, the song Purple Horse Club by Church Rowan being instantly recognizable. I let out a heh before sitting in the driver's seat and pulling out of our driveway.
__________________________________________________

As we roll down the street, the wheels of my '69 bug cruising over the pavement, I try to remain as focused as possible. Abagail is singing loudly to the radio, and she's so loud it almost feels like I can hear her. I quietly observe the road ahead, taking in the beautiful sunset.

It looks fresh out of a painting, beautiful pinks fading into yellow in a magnificent gradient. Sunsets are my second favorite thing, the woods being the first. I begin to mellow out, concentrating on the clouds and cars surrounding mine. As Abagail begins to fall asleep, I add some more weight to the gas pedal.
__________________________________________________

A few hours later we arrive to a Motel 7. I'm pulling into a parking spot when Abagail wakes up. As soon as my car is parked, engine coming to a halt, I sign to let her know where we are.

"Virginia? There's no way we're almost to mom's..." She seems shocked as she interprets her thoughts.
    "Well, we left at 5:30 and it's currently..." I quickly check my phone, my CSH lock screen illuminating my face as I sign "Almost 3:00 a.m."
The shock doesn't leave her face as I unlock the doors and step out onto the freshly-paved concrete. It feels amazing to finally stretch my legs, and as I look up at the motel, I feel calm.

It's an incredibly tall building with Gothic architecture, painted a gorgeous sand color. The logo is bright with plenty of LED bulbs, and a revolving door invites us in. We decide to leave our bags in the car until after we check in, which turns out to be an amazing idea as soon as we step inside
__________________________________________________

When we get in, the first thing I noticed are the walls. Each one is covered in the same nauseating color, a pale puke green poorly hiding black mold and rotting wood. The floors are coated in a thick layer of dirt and grime, and so is every other surface. I shudder as we slowly approach the man behind the check-in counter.

He looked about as rotted as the rest of the place. He appeared to be about 60, with warts running from his varicose-littered arms up to his disfigured face. He was mostly bald except for a few strands of greasy hairs sticking to his cheeks, and his eyes were almost transparent as they followed us around the room. His teeth seemed one ripe apple away from falling out of his blackened gums as he smiled immorally at me and my sister.

I can't lip read, so when he started talking to my sister I took the back seat. She tried interpreting for me, but about halfway through their conversation, she stopped. She began only talking to him, then to me directly.

Again, I can't lip read and she knows this. I'm eyeballing her, trying to get ANYTHING that she's saying, until I notice her signing by her hip to me:

"S-O-S-W-E-N-E-E-D-T-O-G-O. H-E-W-A-N-T-S-U-S-T-O-G-O-W-I-T-H-H-I-M. R-U-N."

I've never seen Abagail just finger spell to me, so I knew this was serious. I grabbed her hand and began sprinting for the revolving doors. The man behind the counter stared at us as we ran, and I swear I saw his teeth grow sharper.
__________________________________________________

As soon as we're free from the hotel, we hop in the bug. I'm fumbling with the keys, trying to get the car to start when I feel a large boom over me.  I peek at Abagail, and she's looking up in horror at something outside of our vehicle.