Catalyst

Chapter 3

6:32am (local time)

Derek rolled a trolley with the luggage over to an awaiting black Mercedes, gleaming in the delicate premature sunlight. He held open the two back passenger seats for Ilene and Clara and then the front passenger seat for Howard.

Clara remained quiet, allowing the tears to gather in her bloodshot eyes. A solitary teardrop followed.

"S'alright kiddo" Ilene whispered, placing her hand on Clara's lap, giving it a gentle squeeze. Clara found this reassuring, so she leant back in her seat, listening to the sounds of Derek packing the boot with luggage, then slamming the door shut.

The car journey hung in suspense; Howard and Derek talked in hushed whispers, occasionally raising their hands and shrugging their shoulders when they came to a disagreement. The classical music on the radio drowned out their voices. This left Clara and Ilene in silence, so they contemplated their situation. Where were they going? What were they going to do? Why are people so concerned about this 'object'? They have already been declared hoaxes! Even Ilene was in confusion.

Derek started to drive though barren lands, sand and dilapidated trees dominated the emptiness. Clouds of sand wafted on the outside of the car, hazing everyone's view of outside.

Clara looked over at her mother with pursed lips and worried eyes, but in reply Ilene shrugged and returned her gaze to the window. When her face was out of view from her daughter, Ilene looked at her surroundings with anxiety. There were no roads, no cars- no one around them for hours. She didn't like the idea of a man who she had never met before driving her family through a wasteland in a foreign country.

Not at all.

Derek and Howard's conversation came to a halt and Howard began to observe where he is. Being the man that he is, Howard blurted out "Better make ourselves comfortable then!" He turned around for laughter support "eh?!" He said to Ilene and Clara.

The women replied with an embarrassed smile.

Derek smiled and turned down the radio a little.

"So Derek buddy, where is our hotel?" How much further?" Howard continued.

Derek ignored him and concentrated on the dirt road. The sand began to build up around the car, visibility was limited now- it was a wonder Derek could drive. The way he was driving was as though he didn't have to think about it, like he memorised it.

"Hmm?" Howard prompted, taken aback a little by Derek's rude manner.

A few minutes of further strained silence followed.

"Don't worry" Derek finally mumbled, his faced scrunched up from the sunlight; he must've forgotten his sunglasses. Howard raised his eyebrows at Derek's irrelevant and indirect answer.

"Well I am worrying at the moment, it doesn't look like we're getting there anytime soon does it?!" Howard exclaimed, raising his hand to the window to display the empty scenery.

Derek frowned and quickly jerked to the right to avoid a large hole in the ground. Everything in the car shifted, Howard held onto the car handle on the door for support and Ilene held Clara back in her seat with her skeletal arm.

"I told you it doesn't matter" Derek said between clenched teeth, lowering his voice on 'matter'.

This took Howard to the edge.

"You stop this car now and tell me where we're going and how long it will be!" Howard leaned towards Derek and shook his finger furiously at him whilst he was talking.

Derek continued to drive, faster this time and with less control- the car bounced up and down chaotically.

"NOW!" Howard's face grew purple with rage.