Artemis Child Ch5

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  We walked down the road, barely talking. Andrew said joke here and there trying to get a laugh, but I wouldn't laugh. Not to his jokes at least. It was the thought of Gena shouting "Shotgun" even though we didn't have a car. That made me laugh.

After two or more miles of walking, we came across a small diner packed with cars."Anyone know how to hot wire a car?" Andrew asked trying to be funny. "I do." I answered. "Are we going to take one? I'm not walking to Georgia." I asked seriously. "If you can hot wire that Jeep over there then we'll take it ok?" Andrew said pointing, and challenging me. "Ok then." I accepted his challenge and started walking. I got low to avoid being seen as I got into the Jeep.

The Jeep was a powder blue, and black. It had surfing stuff in it, along with a map that said Florida. I paid it no attention as I wormed my way under the steering wheel. I felt around under the small plastic flap that hid the wires for a six wire connector. Once I found it I pulled it into my area of vision and pulled three from the small connector. Green, red, and white. The green was the positive, the red was the negative, and the white was the engine wire. I took the small copper pieces of the red wire, white wire and twisted them together. I then struck the green across the red and white in a diagonal pattern. "Come on. Come on." I pleaded with the Jeep. Soon a spark and a pop made the engine roar to life. "Its alive!" I said like an evil scientists, I was amused by this.

"Woah you got it to work. How did you do it?" Andrew asked in amazement. "My dad was an electrician before he died." I said remembering my dad's smile.

"Yay! Now I get Shotgun." Gena said excited that she no longer has to walk. Andrew climbed into the driver's seat, but then leaned over and pulled the seat belt over Gena. "Don't want to have such a cute girl damaged by a car accident." Andrew said with a smug look on his face. Gena smiled bright as he put the seat belt in place. "Oh. Uh um ok thanks." she said nervously then clicked the button on his to undo it when he let his guard down. I sat in the back, with my back pressed up against the seat I watched the road.

We drove for hours, endless car lights and signs passed by, but never the feeling of the camp. It felt like I belonged there even after those few days I was there.

Although a feeling that didn't belong was the one in my heart is when Gena talked to Andrew. 'Was this jealousy?' I asked myself in my head trying to workout my thoughts and feelings. "Hey guys, We just entered Maryland." Andrew said trying to get us pumped or something like that. "Wait we drove straight through Pennsylvania?" Gena asked, not even noticing the signs. "Yeah, but get comfy the ride is gonna be very long.

After another hour of driving, the Jeep started to sputter and slow down. "What's wrong?" Gena asked him while looking around the car. "We are out of transmission oil." I answered without moving. "How did you know that?" Andrew asked me. "I can smell the tube burning." I answered bluntly. Sure enough after a few more seconds the engine whined then shut off. We got out to check the car.

"Well that's just great, we are in the middle of nowhere. There are no gas stations or.." I cut him off.

"Sshh." Close to the edge of the highway I heard a branch snap. "Why? Are you trying to smell oil in the ground?" Andrew asked mocking me. "Sshh. Quiet" I said without taking my eyes off the trees.

  Something landed on my chest, knocking the air out of me. "Master said only eat you. Your flesh will taste good." The creature said in my ear as it started to claw me. Andrew sprang into action with his sword chopping at and slicing the creatures. His weapon deflected of the creatures skin with little or no progress being made. Gena wrapped her weapons chain around its neck and pulled at it. She pulled it up enough that I could see it. It was skinny, tall, but strong. Its skin was a transparent purple color, its eyes were a bright yellow that.

"It's a Wendigo." I managed to say through forced breaths. I willed my ring to change shape, and the wendigo was on my hand. So the moment my spear grew, it launched up its chest hitting the creature in the chin. 'How do I know what the creature is? And who is its master it spoke of?" I asked myself. "How do we kill it?" Andrew asked me while he battered it with his sword.

"Um. Fire, you need fire." I said trying to be helpful. "We don't have any fire though." Gena said a little worried from the situation. "I'll check the Jeep." I said running over to it. "Please let the owner be a smoker, please." I said to my self as I checked the glove box and ashtray. I accidentally pushed the radio button, turning on a loud country song.

"Rain makes corn. Corn makes whiskey. Whiskey makes my baby feel a little.." I turned it off. "Not now Luke Bryan. Wait the car is still on. That means electricity, we could use the Wendigo as a ground." I raced out the car.

"Gena, toss me your axe." she backed away and tossed it to me. I threw the spear at the creature. It landed into its shoulder, but then it turned and caught Andrew's arm. It then tripped him and ran at me. I broke the rear light with the axe and pulled my spear down into it the moment the Wendigo got close. The skeleton of the creature lite up then, flames erupted from its feet.
They swallowed the creature, burning it to ashes. After getting my weapon back, I helped Andrew off the ground. I handed the axe back to Gena. "So how did you know what it was?" Gena asked me. "I don't know it popped into my head after seeing its face." I answered just as puzzled as when I asked my self. I rubbed my shoulder were I got scratched, and it started to sting. "You ok?" Gena asked worried. "Yeah I'm ok, nothing to worry about." I answered while I put my ring back on my thumb.

"Not you Cory. I know you're fine. Drew got scratched?" Gena's words made hurt worst on the inside than I felt on the outside. "Yeah I'm great." He said rubbing his nose. "But you're hurt." she said pointing to his nose and arm. He waved it away.

"No, it's ok. Don't worry." He said smiling at her. "Ok then." She smiled back. "Now we need a new way to get to Georgia." I said pointing at our oil-less vehicle. "What do you think, Gen?" I asked trying to say something to keep her talking to me. "I don't know. I guess we have to walk." Gena answered "Unless you want to carry me." Gena added. "No Gen, what if we have another problem." I answered in return. "I was asking Drew." she said directing her attention to him.

"Fine. I'm walking." I said with annoyance in my tone. So I turned and walked in the direction the Jeep is facing. They decided to follow me as I trailed onward in search of a motel or some place to sleep.

An exit direction sign was seen on my right:

Gas station next exit 1/5 mile

Highway next transaction 1 mile

I kept walking and hearing Gena giggle behind me. After I saw the next exit I took it without worrying if they were going to follow me.

They followed me no problem or complaints of where we were headed. Even as I entered a hotel parking lot, they talked and laughed behind me. I was about to walk in to order a room, but was greeted by a kid running out the door with keys. He dropped a few behind him as he ran to one of the rooms at the far end. 'Stole a car, why not a room' I thought to myself as I picked up a key off the flood.

"Room B14" I read off the key. I waited till the others arrived to explain what happened.

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