Kenzie Gilbert: The Coercive Twin (5)

4: Route 29

Chapter Four

There's a route 29 sign behind Stefan. He's walking, taking staggered steps towards a bar. He enters to find it empty besides an employee. "Hey, man. Last call was 4 hours ago. If you want some coffee, I could put some on," the girl said as he approached the bar counter. The patch on her top says Jo. Her name.

Stefan suddenly rushes in grabbing her to him and bites in her neck. She cries and groans in pain. He lets her go, blood covering his mouth and chin. He doesn't wipe it off. "Run," he tells her.

She staggers back, holding her bleeding neck. "Run!" He yelled at her. She scurried around the bar and leaves. Stefan grunts and gets this look in his eyes before he flashes to the doors. He opens them and looks around. She's nowhere to be seen.

Then suddenly the sun rises, Stefan gasp. His skin turning red and sizzling slowly. He drops down to his knees, groaning pain. On his right hand, his daylight ring is missing. And now he's burning faster.

"Ahhh!" He screamed.

***

I jumped, woken by that vivid dream. I stumbled out of bed, running to Damon's room. I jumped on his bed, nearly landing on him. "What the--Kenzie?" Damon yawned and I nodded.

He sat up, wiping his eyes. The comforter fell to his waist, revealing his naked chest. I waited patiently for him to wake up so I could tell him about my dream. "Hey. We were up all night. You're exhausted. Go back to sleep," Damon told me.

"I had a dream about Stefan," I said excitedly.

"Oh," he uttered.

"It was real. It was like I was there with him, Damon."

"What does that even mean?"

"I don't know... It was just so vivid. It had a red awning and this broken neon sign, and he was screaming in pain," I said.

"Well, should I go check in the attic, see if there's a crystal ball? Maybe you can conjure up an address."

I rolled my eyes, punching his shoulder playfully. Someone cleared their throat and we both looked over to find someone who looked just like me, leaning in the doorway. Ugh. Why her? And why now? "Route 29. Joe's Bar. I think I had the exact same dream," Katherine said.

"What is she doing here?" I asked.

Katherine smirked, "oh, he didn't tell you? He called me. Said Stefan was missing. And of course I came right over."

"So wait you both had the same dream?" He asked me, raising a brow.

"Apparently so. Route 29, yes. Jo was the name of the girl that works there though. I don't think that's what's it's called. All I saw was the word "bar" in big caps... He's in the middle of nowhere Damon," I said and he groaned.

"You two are both dreaming about my brother?" He grumbled into his pillow.

"Get up. We have to find him," I demanded.

***

"So I've found 9 bars along Route 29," I informed Katherine and Damon who were overlooking the map the latter of the two had retrieved. "Oh, and none of them are called Joe's," I smirked at Katherine.

"That was fast," Damon said.

"I don't have time to waste," I told him. "I know it sounds crazy that I'm following some psychic dream, but it's the only lead that we have."

"It doesn't sound crazy. It is crazy, but I'm open-minded. I know how to get to route 29 now. So let's go," Damon said.

"Shotgun!" Katherine exclaimed, raising her hand and I scoffed.