TW:

Swearing like usual, but not as much.

EnJoY

*Imagine a horrible terrible nightmare that I'll write as a short story later–*

.....

My eyes shoot open! I jolt up as my mind begins reeling. I stare down the closet across from me, fists tightly clenching my beds blanket. I wipe my forehead, taking notice that sweat is drenching it. My breathing feels like a strain, as if I forgot how to breathe. I unclench my fists and bring my knees to my chest. Wrapping my arms around them instead and laying my head on top of my knees. Then I close my eyes and take slow, deep breaths in, telling myself that I need to calm down. It is just a nightmare after all.

In one..

Two..

Three..

Four..

And..

Out...

I do this a few more times, till I'm certain that I have my breathing under control again.

I lift my head up from my knees to take in my surroundings, reminding myself that I'm with Oliver, I'm perfectly safe (Well. As safe as I can be), and that I'm not back in the bookstore... not fighting that person any more. They are presumably dead after all.

I shake my head to stop thinking those thoughts, as if they were actually holding on tight to my head.

I refocus on the room around me, seeing the sun shining through the cracks in between the boards covering it up, and notice that Olive is actually no longer in bed with me. He must have gotten up already, I think to myself.

I pull the covers off and feel a sharp pain in my left arm as I do so, reminding me that I injured it last night.

Hopefully Olive didn't notice it. I'm really just giving him more reason to end me now.

I slip out of bed and grab my bloody shirt from last night off the floor. Then put it on. Note to self: snag a new shirt while on the road.

I then head down stairs.

Downstairs I see that everyone is congregated around the kitchen table, leaning over it to look at a large map of the US laid across it. Looks like they are double checking our route again.

"Morning guys," I say happily to them as I enter the kitchen.

Oliver looks up from the map and gives me an incredulous look. As if he can not believe that I would dare walk into the kitchen so happily. Oh he definitely means he knows about my injury.

Thalia's eye's light up as she notices me and she immediately shouts, "Hiiiiiii," and runs right over to me, Bonk in hand, and hugs me around my legs.

"Hey kiddo," I ruffle her hair up, happy to see her so lively.

"Hey!", she lightly swats my hand away, "Anyway... we're all ready to go! Oh– And Oli seems mad at you!" she giggles. I hear Shayne and Reese giggling along with her. Scott and Oliver being the only ones to not find it funny.

Greattttttttt.

"Ahem," coughs Oliver, getting everyone's attention, stopping the giggling. "Since we have everything in order for the trip now. Why don't you all head out to the car, except you stay right here, Arthur, for a moment."

They all oblige and walk to the garage past me.

"Bye byeeeeeee," Thalia tells me with a toothy grin, unlatching herself from me, and runs off.

Shayne as she walks to the garage stops right next to me and puts a hand on my shoulder then whispers, with fake sympathy, "Good luck comrade...."

I flip her off as she leaves.

As Reese passes by me he just gives me a look that says, your own fault stupid.

"Sorry Arthur, hope your arm's doing better," says Scott quietly as he walks past.

Once they're all gone Oliver walks over to me looking down at the ground with the map in hand now. Without a word he grabs my hand and marches us up to our now old room. He leaves the door slightly ajar and just stares at me with an unreadable expression. I take that as my cue to speak up first. "I can see that you're uh... mad. Which is fair! I just didn't want to wake and worry you when I went to bed. You were sleeping so peacefully, so I didn't think it mattered if I waited to tell you in the morning," I take his hands and gently rub my thumb on them, "I'm sorry that I'm making you worry."

He doesn't respond, he only gently squeezes my hand. *sigh* Oliver removes his hands from mine. "I'm not mad... I just want to know that you're ok. Scott made it sound like you were almost mortally injured. So ya... worried." His face now adorns a soft smile.

"Ah, shoot," I say, as I have such a way with words, "It's not really that bad. I can show you what it looks like, I patched it up pretty well. I think." I pull up my teared up sleeve to show him, revealing my bandaged wound with a small bit of blood trickling through.

Oliver's face scrunches up at the sight of it, but then relaxes again. *sigh* "As long as you're one hundred percent sure that you fixed it up right... but you need to be more careful while that heals. And I will be monitoring that injury. Ok?"

"Ok, and don't worry Olive Tree," I say gently.

I go grab my crossbow from its spot and grab Oliver's hand, he rolls his eyes at that. I drag him along down the stairs and into the garage.

The second we enter, Shayne notices us instantly and yells, "Took you lover boys long enough. Thought we'd have to leave without ya!"

"Oh, ha, ha,ha," I say sarcastically, "Weren't gone that long. And as if you'd dare."

"Ooooo, sounds like a challenge!"

"Ya. Whatever," chimes in Reese.

Oliver rolls his eyes.

Oliver and I hop into the car. Oliver goes and sits in the front passenger seat next to Reese, our lovely designated driver. While I go and sit in the back on the right side of the car. In the back Scott is seated on the left with Shayne and Thalia sandwiched between him and me.

The car's a big Jeep Wrangler that's been fortified to keep Mara's from trying to get in while on the road. Stuff like old police stingers and boards are attached over it.

Thalia tugs on my shirt sleeve, "Do you think the trip will really take a week? Cause that WAY too long."

"You know... I don't really know, but it will be worth it in the end," I say to her.

Scott pipes up, "Remind me why were going to Lake Huron again?"

I open my mouth to answer, but Oliver beats me to it, "Because Reese used to have a place up there."

"No!" Reese butts in, "It's because this place is a shit hole!" He puts the keys into the ignition and starts the car up.

*vroom, vroom*

The engine roars to life.

"Alright! Who's ready to hit the road!" shouts Reese.

"We are!!!", the rest of us cheer in unison.

"Then to the new home we go!"

Reese slams his foot on the gas and off we go out into the world, to our new home for us!

And I am completely, one hundred and ten percent sure that everything will be just fine from here on out!

Words: 1,221

Hope you all enjoyed this new chapter! The next one should be out May 10, but that

 depends on school since I get out of it in May. Wow that is weird to think about. Welp, have

 a good morning/night/dawn/dusk/evening/afternoon/noon/or what not!! :D