Into the Dark [SLOW UPDATES]

I

Veronica stared at the snowy hills outside the windows of the camper van as they rolled past by. It was still snowing, but not as strong as last week. Safe enough to drive.

She, along with her closest friend's family, were going to have a trip somewhere. Kai's father told them it'd be a surprise. She wasn't much enthusiastic about it, though, but she'd willingly go with them as long as she's away from home.

"What's up?" Kai asked as he sat beside Veronica. Veronica shifted a bit to let some space between them, which Kai didn't seem to care about.

The girl shrugged, making Kai chuckle with sarcasm. "Come on, speak up."

The quietness of the girl made Kai's younger sister, Kathleen, irritated. She'd been watching Veronica since the start of the trip and found her quite strange. She has obviously never seen a quiet person before. "Hey Kai, does she even speak?"

Kai gave her a flat look, although the sharp and pointed look in his eyes warned the young girl to keep her mouth shut. "Of course she does. What makes you think of that?"

Kathleen returned a flat look at her brother. The answer was obvious - Veronica hasn't spoken since the start of the trip. It's not that she was shy - she isn't shy - she's just . . . really quiet. Veronica has been watching the two talk and became a bit irritated of the young girl too.

"Oh shut up." Veronica rolled her eyes at the young girl. Kathleen's eyes widened with surprise as her lips curled up into a wide grin.

"Three words!" she exclaimed, throwing her arms in the air.

"Mom! Dad! Veronica spoke! It was three words!" Kathleen ran off to the driver's seat, stumbling and tripping as she did, and told them the news, laughing and making wide arm gestures as she did. Kai's parents smiled at their daughter, although they were obviously faking it.

Kai's family didn't exactly have a positive impression on Veronica. Kai's parents thought that she was creepy, not knowing where she lives in and who she lives with. Of course, their imagination ran wild. They thought she was that quiet girl who hides many secrets. Kathleen, however, just thinks she's plain mute, so hearing a few words from Veronica definitely surprised her.

Then the van stopped, and Kai's mother stiffly turned around from her seat, her eyes settling at the two teenagers. "We're just having a short stop over. We'll be back on the road shortly."

After that she turned around without a word and continued talking with Kathleen. Kai's father, however, stepped out of the van a while ago. He told them that he was going to use the comfort room for a while then left.

"Your mother acts like a robot," Veronica mumbled next to Kai. She had looked at Kai's mother and did not like the way she looked at her. "You know those robots that we see at movies? The ones in cars that speaks to the driver and tells them what to do?"

Kai chuckled, "Yeah, those cool futuristic spy cars. She's not normally like that, though. Maybe she's just . . . uncomfortable having you around."

Veronica shrugged, looking back at the window with an uninterested look in her eyes as she watched a car zoom past by. The highway seems deserted, but it was probably because other people might be getting warm and cozy inside their houses.

* * * * *

"Mom, I'll go find him," Kai offered to his mother as she was starting to panic.

Hours had already passed and Kai's father still has not returned. Kathleen was ordered by Kai to sleep in the small bunk bed at the rear part of the van as he comforted his mother. Unfortunately, it's almost sunset and he was left no choice but to find his father himself.