Wonder • Five Hargreeves

46

I heard a Rumor

The UA's impromptu road trip with the remaining 5 members was actually kind of...pleasant.

Which was a surprise, sure, but they did actually have a solid formula for success.

Diego insisted on picking the music (which worked the best because he liked all of the basic classic rock songs and it made it fun to sing along with.) Klaus had a million and one dirty stories to tell which smashed quitely humorously with Luther, who was relatively innocent and unafraid to ask questions. Winnie and Five were still cuddled up and sweet, and Winnies overwhelming optimism and flirty comments balanced out Fives blunt and pessimistic lectures quite nicely.

In other words; they were having fun. They were nervous and still worried about Allison and Vanya- but it was nice for the time being.

"I'm on a highway to hell." Diego sang softly and continued looking through the CDs in the stolen car. His feet were kicked up besides Luther's head- but the Large man didn't mind.

"You know what this song reminds me of?" Klaus asked rhetorically, not waiting to see if anyone was interested before launching into it (His favorite type of audience was a captive one). "I was on peyote in the middle of a mole-peoples village... or as you normal people call it Manhattan-"

"Whats a mole person?" Luther asked over Diego hitting a high note.

"Keep it down!" Five snapped. "Distracted driving kills 9 americans every day-"

Klaus and Diego rolled their eyes and Klaus slapped back with, "Then why do you let Winnie give you smooches every other mile?"

"She doesnt count as a distraction."

"9 Americans is a lot." Luther said at the same time as Klaus started cackling. Also at the same time, Diego kicked Winnie's seat and said, "Do you think you are a distraction Winnie?"

But Winnie didn't respond.

This quieted the car ride almost instantly as they expected her to jump right into the dynamic. Instead, they were met with silence.

Slowly all of their eyes turned inward, but Winnie was looking at something else. The blonde with half-lidded eyes was locked into something outside the window.

"Winnie. Love." Five rubbed her knee, but she didnt so much as blink.

"Winnie the pooh, whats the matter?" Klaus asked and looked outside too. "Is there something outside?"

But all they saw was the dark woods of the back road they were speeding through. Large pines and old oaks that swayed in the wind. There was nothing else out there- no one else for that matter, in miles.

"The wind..." She said and her tone was thoughtful. "It's making the trees dance."

Luther squinted at the small girl and leaned backwards towards Diego. He whispered in an unfortunately loud voice. "Is she crazy?"

Klaus and Diego both looked back at Luther in a shrug- but Fives eyes turned sharply toward the trees. He watched the way they moved critically. And then something clicked. He turned off the music so all they heard was the rustling of trees as they drove.

"They are dancing." Five said aloud, confusion evident. "To... Phantom of the Opera?"

"What?"

Winnie started humming the song and the men of the group all watched with wide eyes as the trees... moved in sync. It was unnerving and uncomfortable the way in which the air swelled and breathed to the exactness of her hum- like there was some power over them. An overwhelming force that changed the movement of nature itself.