There Was One More Thing...

The Trip

I quickly realize there is still a demon trying to get into their room. I almost fall asleep when John was asking me the questions. We got 0 hours of sleep last night between the hospital and the fire, one reason these have been the longest few days of my life.

I quickly remember that before I passed out, a demon was trying to come into our room. "Where is the demon?" I ask, frantically searching.

Jared laughs, and says, "She's  gone, for now."

"Okay. Good. Hey, so can I go for a drive?" I ask thinking about what Michael said. "Alone?"

"No, but why? You have been stuck to us like glue for the last two days." Jared says.

"No reason," I lie.

I guess they can sense the lie tone in my voice. "There is a reason. What is it?" Jared demands.

"Not making a deal with a demon!" I joke.

"Not funny, Skylar," John says. "But really, where are you going?"

Hesitantly, I reply. "There is a place in Orlando where I will be safe from demons. I was going to go there." This time, it is only partly a lie.

"We are going too. We can't let you go alone." John says sweetly.

"Okay, you can drive me too the place, but you can't go in." I agree.

We all get in our cars and pull out of the motel parking lot.

I start blaring my favorite song, "Hemorrhage" by Fuel. I sing along loud and proud, and very off-key. "Memories are just where they lay them. Drag the waters till the depths give up their dead," I think those are the words. I laugh. "And leave the bleeding in my hands, in my hands again! And leave the bleeding in my hands, in my hands again, and leave the bleeding!" I think of who first showed me this song. Mistake. It was Aria. Dead Aria. I turn down my radio and cry.

It is an hour later now, past 10:00. I call John.

Jared answers the phone. "Who is this," he says sternly.

"It's Skylar," I reply.

"Oh hey Skylar. What do you need?" This time, I hear John's voice. His voice sounds smooth, sweet and cute, the opposite of Jared's, which sounds deep and raspy.

"I haven't gotten any sleep last night, and I slept really bad the night before with some kind of weird nightmare. I was wondering if we could stop at a motel off this exit. Would that be okay?"

"Yeah, sure. We can pay for your room." John says.

"You guys are hunters, right?" I ask.

"Yeah?" He sounded confused.

"I was wondering where you got the money to pay for two hotel rooms, since hunters don't get payed."

I hear rustling. Jared answers my question. "You don't want to known kid." We all laugh.

I pull off the exit, not realizing that we are in Virginia. We had been on the road for longer than I had thought! I pick a hotel. I try to make sure it won't cost too much, no matter how they get their money. I pull in to the parking lot and park. Jared and John pull up next to me.

"Is this one okay?" I ask.

"Yep!" Jared says. He sounded kind of sarcastic, but that is how he normally sounds. I brush it off.

We grab out stuff from our cars and walk into the front door. We are greeted by a man. He looks about 35, but he has really bad teeth and no hair. He is very short and slender. "Welcome!" He shouts. In reach up and tug at my ear. "My name is Lester. Let me just say, we accept guests of any race, religion, color, or, um, sexual orientation."

"We are brothers..." John says. They must get that a lot.

"Oh, I'm sorry," the Lester says with a laugh.

"Yeah, so can we get a room?" Jared asks.

"Yepperdoodles!"  He says.

Is that even a word? I think.

"Go over to the front desk and Leslie will set you guys all up!" Lester shouts.

"Ok let's go." I say.

"Hi! I'm Leslie! 2 kings?" She says. She looks about the same age as Lester, and she also has the same problems as him too. Not much hair, bad teeth, and terribly skinny.

"Two separate rooms..." John sighs.

"One for us, and one for the girl." Jared says.

"So, both rooms with one king?" Leslie asks. "Let me just say, we accept guests of any race, religion, color or, sexual orientation."

"They are just brothers! Geesh!" I yell. "One with one king for me, and the other with two kings." This is kind of ridiculous. I mean, in this day and age, it is pretty common, but still!

"Yeah, okay," she says. "Sorry."

"Yeah. Can we get our keys now?" I ask.

"Sure," she says as she hands us our keys.

"Thanks," John says.

"No problem," she answers.