Stranger Danger

Part 3

Two hours later, José pulled up in front of a big road sign stuck in the grass. The sign said in nice, bold letters, "LANCASTER." José turned towards the backseat of the car where Tyler and Cassidy were peacefully asleep. He smiled and opened the trunk, getting out of the car to get their luggage. He set them on the pavement and opened the backseat door on Cassidy's side. He shook her and Tyler. She woke up first and blinked, confused. Slowly, Tyler opened his eyes next. He yawned and stretched before noticing that José was staring at them.

"Trip is finished!" José exclaimed, flashing a friendly smile. He stepped back and the sunlight went into Cassidy's face.

"How long were we asleep?" Tyler asked.

Jose scratched his head. "Er... two hours?"

Tyler rubbed his forehead, feeling dazed and lightheaded. The two teens got out of the car and picked up their luggage. They thanked José and, just as Tyler was about to pay him fifty dollars, he noticed a sign next to José's car that said, LANCASTER. Cassidy noticed at the same time. José reached out for the money. Tyler firmly held the bill between his fingers and drew his hand back. He turned to José. "We're in Lancaster?" José looked confused.

"We're supposed to be in Pittsburgh," Cassidy said.

José's eyes brightened. "Ah, yes. Pittsburgh." He spread his arms out around him.

Tyler shook his head. "No. This is Lancaster." He pointed at the sign stuck in the grass.

José seemed even more confused. "Me come here to see friend. He say Pittsburgh." He took a crumpled piece of paper out of his pants side pocket and showed the teens the address scrawled on it.

Tyler and Cassidy looked at each other. "Oh no," Cassidy said. "He thinks Lancaster is Pittsburgh." Something popped into her head: Derreck and her friends! "Why didn't you follow Derreck?!" she asked José, her voice sounding more accusing then she intended.

José seemed confused. "Derreck? He not go to Pittsburgh."

"Yes he was!" Cassidy exclaimed.

"Cassidy, don't," Tyler said, touching her shoulder. "We can't freak out."

"Listen, have to go," José apologized. "Keep money." He climbed into his car and shut the door.

"Wait," Tyler said. He went over to the side of the car and tapped the driver's window. José rolled it down. Tyler took fifteen dollars out of his wallet and handed it to the man. "Here. You drove us this far, so you should at least get some gas money."

The man seemed to understand bits of what Tyler was saying, and his eyes sparkled. He gently pushed Tyler's hand away. "Thank you. But you need money." He turned to look at Cassidy, who was standing in the same spot, her arms folded across her chest. "I'm sorry." He rolled up his window and started his car engine. Tyler stepped back, letting José drive away.

Once the orange car was far down the gravel road, Cassidy began running crazily after it, crying, "Wait!" hysterically.

Tyler quickly chased after her and grabbed her by both arms, holding on firmly. "What are you doing?!" he exclaimed. He sighed. "Listen, we need to keep our heads together to figure out a solution. If one of us starts acting crazy, it won't help us get out of this any sooner."

Cassidy blinked. "How can you be so calm?"

"I'm being calm to help us Cassidy. You've gotta do the same." He gently let go of her arms.

Cassidy slumped her shoulders. "I can't believe this. I really can't. We're not even through the first day of our trip and already everything is ruined." She kicked the small rocks on the gravel road.