Chapter 4: Trouble on the Road
Isabella’s Wrangler cruised through the heart of downtown Huntley, then turned onto a gravel road two minutes outside of town. The scenery changed almost instantly around the car. The ground was dry, hard and rocky due to the fact that Montana was in the middle of a long drought. There were no trees, only scraggly sagebrush dotted the land and tumbleweeds rolled by with an occasional breeze. The sun beat down mercilessly on the Wrangler and its passengers, but luckily the A/C (air conditioning) was on. Everything was going smoothly for the group when…

POP! Suddenly, the A/C shut off.

“What was that?” Rae asked from behind Isabella.

“Dunno.” Isabella replied. “But the A/C stopped and I can’t get it to come back on.” They continued driving for another few minutes, then the Jeep started shaking strangely.

“What the hell…?” Isabella said in confusion. Then, with a loud BANG! the car stopped, flinging everyone against their seatbelts.

“Oh, this ain’t good.” Isabella said. She tried to re-start the Jeep, but nothing happened. Everyone got out and went to the front of the Jeep. Criss wrenched the hood open and smoke poured out. Everyone backed away from the car, coughing as they went.

“Right. Anybody have any ideas as to what we’re dealin’ with here?” Cassandra asked as the smoke cleared.

“What the hell do we look like, Cass? Mechanics?” Rae snapped.

“Rae, don’t take people’s heads off.” Criss said. “It’s not helping.” Rae growled. She hated being told what to do by anyone who wasn’t a parent of hers.

“Rae. Drop the attitude. I’m serious.” Criss said in response to his girlfriend’s scowl. Rae rolled her eyes, but the scowl disappeared. She walked about ten yards from the Jeep and started making rocks levitate and fly through the air. It was a way she vented her anger so as not to hurt anyone.

Back at the Jeep, Cassandra, Isabella and Criss all pondered over the problem with the car.

“No one has any suggestions?” Isabella asked.

“Unless Criss can teleport us and the Jeep to the nearest repair shop, then I’ve got nothin’.” Cassandra replied.

“Haven’t gotten that down yet, sorry.” Criss said as a silence fell over the group.

“Well, how far are we from Ingomar?” Criss asked a few minutes later.

“Oh, I’d say we’re a good 40 miles from Ingomar and 20 from home.” Cassandra replied.

“Not the answer I wanted to hear.” Criss replied with a groan.

“So what are you saying, Criss?” Isabella asked, facing her sister’s boyfriend.

“I’m sayin’ unless we want to walk all the way to Ingomar or all the way home, we’re stranded.” Criss replied.