The Sadian Chronicles: Book 2: From Mercury To Venus

Chapter Ten: New Town, Old Doubt

The highway was all but deserted as Marianna walked swiftly down the edge of the pavement where the cold road met the dead grass. On this endless road, she walked. If she had to walk all the way to South Dakota, she would bare it.

Since it was still daylight, she made sure her contacts were in place. She had experienced the damage the sun could do to her eyes. In her ability to heal herself and others, why had her eyes laid down for the count? She figured that there were limitations to all things, even among the extraordinary.

She had walked another mile before she spotted anyone. She stuck her thumb out indicating that she needed a ride. A trucker stopped and opened the passenger door for her.

"Where ya headed, little lady?"

"South Dakota," she said.

"Well, come on aboard. Just so happens I'm goin' right through there. So where you from?"

After she had entered the passenger's side of the truck, she answered, "Everywhere."

"Nice place. So happens that I'm from there, too. So why South Dakota?"

"Visiting an old friend. He doesn't know I'm coming."

"Oh, it's like that. Old boyfriend, huh."

"Sort of."

Marianna didn't feel like talking, instead the trucker babbled on and on. She learned that his name was Salvador Tipton and that he had a wife and two teenage girls, one of which just entered college. That last piece of information brought on a slew of bad memories. She remembered Carla ranting after she had her accident at the cliffs. How she never shouldn't have let Marianna do as she pleased. That was possibly how she ended up hitchhiking on the highway to places unknown.

At some point, Marianna fell asleep. Dreams of the life she left behind haunted her sleep. She awoke only to find herself being attacked by the trucker Sal. Stunned by what was happening Marianna pushed the trucker off of her.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" she screamed, struggling to free herself from his grasp.

"Getting' my pay," he said, leaning himself against her. "Now, shut up and give me what I want."

"Here's your pay," she shouted and put her hands on either side of his head. "How about a surprise?" The black mist radiating from her hands burned her attacker's skin.

Sal screamed out in pain. He was more frightened of what she was then what she was doing to him. In his petrified state, he fell into unconsciousness. Marianna fled the truck parked at a rest stop. She continued to walk down the abandoned highway, away from the truck, away from the screams of the past. She left it all behind.

After walking for several hours, Marianna looked up to see a road sign: Welcome to South Dakota, Pierre two miles. She turned off the highway and flagged a taxi. She asked the driver to take her to Pierre.

"Sure, lady. But where about?"

"The first restaurant we pass."

The driver sped up going in the direction of the city. Marianna took in the picturesque scenery. It reminded her of her quiet life in Maine, not the actual scenery, but the feeling she had gotten. She could almost hear the laughter of the little girl she used to be.

"Here ya go, lady. That'll be ten bucks."

She handed the driver the money and flew from the taxi before he could ask for a tip. There she spotted a small diner called Penny's. She walked in and to her surprise received a few stares. She sat down at one of the bar stools and asked for a menu.