In the Beginning

Chapter 7

"Up and at 'em, sunshine."

Kell groaned, lifting his head groggily from a tangle of blankets as a foot kicked him in the side. Cade sniggered, clambering over him to hop out the side of the truck.

From the bright, cold sun shining overhead, Kell guessed it was late morning. Addie jumped from the front of the truck, yawning. Kell squinted at her, and she gave him a small smile before following Ro inside the gas station.

Kell's stomach rumbled crazily, and he groaned, stumbling up and out of the trunk. Scrubby grassland stretched for miles all around, a single interstate road traveling past the purple mountains in the distance.

Remy was filling up the car with gas, leaning on one hand with a what-the-fuck-am-I-doing-with-my-life look on his pale face. Kell flashed him a mock salute. He waved his hand tiredly back.

It smelled heavily like gasoline, the acrid scent of burnt cigarettes lingering in the air. Kell walked quick, the frigid air seeping into his skin. He rushed to the grimy glass doors, pulling them open. A warm current of air swept past him. Inside the station it was small and bright, junk food shining from every corner of the store.

"Look who's finally up," teased Ro, standing by the checkout counter with a cup of coffee and Cade next to her.

"How long was I asleep?" He asked, surprised. It seemed like just seconds ago they were at the motel. "Did anything happen?"

"No, just driving. We're in Oregon now; Addie fell asleep too. I think you guys were out for 7 hours? It's, like, 9 in the morning."

Cade grinned. "You probably would have slept all day."

"Yeah, I would have. Until you kicked me."

Cade shrugged as he opened a bag of hot Cheetos. "You said you wanted breakfast."

Kell just shook his head, and walked back to the freezer section. Minutes later, he bought a Gatorade, a Twinkie, and two bags of crisps from a bored blonde cashier. She eyed the group of ragged teenagers by the doors suspiciously, snapping her bubble gum.

Emma raised an eyebrow at her. Kell paid quickly before anything could start.

"Geez, Kell," Ro teased. "Got enough junk food there?"

"You try going a week on nothing but water and stale bread," he said ruefully, biting into his Twinkie. Ro quirked a grin.

The cashier twirled a lock of curly hair around her finger. Around her neck hung a delicate silver locket, embossed with what looked like a raven in flight, surrounded by curling cursive; cinis cinerem. The teenagers walked out of the shop, arguing with each other. She flipped the locket open carefully. Ribbons of silver light shone from inside.

"Contact: Headquarters."

-

"The gas prices here suck," said Remy, scowling. His hair was falling out of it's quiff, strands hanging over his forehead. Emma watched him struggle with the machine, sipping a juice box.

"I like it here...it's kind of got charm. Retro charm," Addie said, sitting on the edge of the trunk. Kellan shook his head.

"All I see are a bunch of rusty Coca-Cola machines and gas pumps that are about to fall apart."

"Charm," repeated Addie stubbornly.

"Do you think it's dangerous to get gas from these? What if they fall apart?" Remy asked, face paling.

"I'm sure it's fine," Ro reassured him. "What we need to focus on right now is getting out of Oregon - since it's too close to Seattle - and finding a hotel."