Irregular

Chapter 20

The rest of the drive to Kansas didn't seem too long. Everyone was still pretty tired so no one really talked. Maybe once or twice Jaley and Marah picked on each other, but that was about it. Jaley made Mae sit between her and Damien, which I could tell upset him a lot. He hasn't said anything about what happened yesterday. Actually, he hasn't said much at all. I want to talk to him about it, but I feel like he would just get angry. I will. I'll talk to him.

Nalsa pulls off on the side of the road in the middle of nowhere. "You ready?" She turns to me.

         "Where's the portal?" I ask.

         "Out there." She points into the woods. "Come on."

We all hop out of the truck and follow Nalsa. This would be the time Nalsa would murder us if she was planning on doing so. Somewhere in the middle of the woods, no one around, no one to hear or see. It's perfect. She could probably take on all of us at once. She's pretty awesome.

         "Ughh!!!" Jaley growls. "What the hell are these things?" She complains, picking hitchhikers off of her tracksuit.

         "Grass?" Marah answers.

Jaley glares at her. "How far is this stupid thing?"

         "Not much further." Nalsa says, but I'm pretty sure she is just saying that to make Jaley shut up.

         "I swear if this thing doesn't exist, I'm going to kill you."

         "Oh, I'm scared now." Nalsa rolls her eyes. I laugh. I didn't think someone that nice could be so sarcastic. I really like Nalsa now.

She suddenly stops, Jaley running into her.

         "Jaley, are you blind or something?" Marah asks.

         "I swear, Marah."

         "Well, I mean the chair and now Nalsa..."

         "Why are we stopped, Nalsa?" I ask, changing the subject before the two of them get too angry.

         "We are here." Everyone looks around. No portal, nothing remotely magical in sight. Just grass and trees. And bugs; there are a lot of bugs. And a flower next to my foot. It's a really pretty flower. It's blue!

         "Um. Where?" Jaley puts her hands on her hips.

         "Right here." Nalsa sticks her hand out in front of her and it disappears.

         "How can you see that?" Damien asks.

         "Once you've entered it, you can see it and you always know where the portal is at."

Marah steps up and sticks her hand through. "It's warm over there."

         "That's gross." Damien whispers to himself.

         "You ready to go?" Nalsa asks me.

         "Can I go first!" Marah jumps up and down.

         "Nalsa, why don't you take Marah and we will all come in after you."

         "Alright. Come on, sweetie." Nalsa grabs Marah's hand. They both step into the portal and disappear.

         "You guys ready to enter a Disney movie?" I turn to the rest of them.

         "Awe, isn't this cute?" Mae says.

         "What is?" I ask.

         "This! It really is like a Disney movie." She smiles. "Did you guys really think you would just jump through that portal and all of your problems would disappear?"