It was a spur of the moment thing really. I mean seeing the pictures and

everything made me want to go back. And before I knew it my bags were packed and the

For Sale sign on my car window was pealed off. I couldn’t let go of it, not now, not when

I was going back to then.

I took a deep breath and let my journey begin. The sun was blaring through the

windshield so I pulled the sunglasses which had been resting on my head, in front of my

eyes. And then I gunned the engine. Going on eighty, through a road people seldom used

anymore, the roof of my car down, the wind blowing through my hair, and the sounds of

Bowling For Soup blaring through the peace of the terrain, I felt like the Queen of the

world. I felt infinite. I was going home, and nothing could bring me down.

But about two hours later something did bring me down. I was hungry and I had

to pee. Pulling off the highway I went to a rest stop. It amazes me how rest stops are

always placed about two exits away from when you actually need one. So that by the

time you reach one, you REALLY have to go. I rushed inside and almost ran into the

men’s room. But instead I ran into a seven year old who seemed to be having the same

emergency as me. Without pausing to say sorry, or allowing me to do so, he kept

running, in that strange way people do when doing the potty dance. We were both

blocked by some strange guy who seemed to be laughing at us, he pointed us in the right

direction.

After using the correct bathroom (which had been invented solely for the female

population) and buying another CD by a band called Amber Pacific I had never heard of,

but apparently they had let out a new one I was up for anything (I was tired of listening to

the same Bowling For Soup CD, and trying to get Radio signals in the middle of no

where) I decided I definitely needed a coffee break. I could either choose the Dunkin

Donuts or the other random Café I had never heard of, I played it safe, Dunkin Donuts it

was. I got into line, and lo and behold I met the same stranger and kid as when I was

rushing to the porcelain god. “So you made it?” the kid asked.

I stared at him, did he seriously expect that I would have wet my pants? Laughing

I replied, “Thank heavens I did. And not a minute too soon.”

“And that’s why you’re not having anything to drink. There’s no way I’m making

that mad dash again!” The guy who pointed us in the right directions replied. He and the

younger stranger looked a like, father and son I assumed. Though the older seemed closer

to my age.

“Oh, but that’s not fair! It’s not his fault all the rest stops are placed about two

exits away from when you actually need to use them.”

“Yea not like I PLANNED on having to go!” The younger child chipped in.

“Touché. But I cannot argue when it’s two against one.”

I laughed, “Malina Everheart. What’s your name? I could use someone like you in

future arguments,” I asked the little kid, holding my hand out.

“Dylan,” he replied, placing his own tiny hand in mine. We shook like old

business partners. “And that’s Austen, my brother who doesn’t seem to ever have to pee.”

“Well nice to meet you Dylan, and Austen who never has to pee.” I nodded.

They reached the counter and made their orders. Vanilla Spice coffee with extra

cream and sugar for Austen, and a honey bun for Dylan. “Can I please get a hot

chocolate?” Dylan tried his little kid charm on Austen.

“No way! Or at this rate we’ll hit every rest stop between here and Florida!”

Judging from there destination, they were far away travelers too. We weren’t too

far out of California yet, just on the state line of Nevada and California. “Hey how bout I

buy you that hot chocolate?”

“Thank you, that’d be nice. At least SOME people understand that Hot Chocolate

is not an opportunity anyone should pass up.”

“Well just so the both of you know, if you have to pee again we are NOT

stopping, you can pee on the side of the road……..while the car is still moving.” Austen

replied, in a joking manner.

“So that’ll be a large coffee coolata, medium hot chocolate, and a plain bagel with

garden veggie cream cheese. Thanks.” I love coffee coolata’s they’ve been my addiction

for the longest time, not one day since my first one have I ever gone a day without them.

“Here you go Dylan. Enjoy.”

“And you,” I said looking directly at Austen in a menacing glance, “Will let him

pee whenever and wherever he wants.”

“I promise nothing. But we’ll see.”

I laughed and left, walking back to my car. People like that make my day. No

really, I’m a people person, and the people I meet who are new and exciting always

interest me. I drove slowly back onto the highway, and gunned the engine back to eighty.

I drove all night, the caffeine gave me a drive which wouldn’t let me get tired at all. But

eventually late into the next morning, it did, and I had to stop. I rented a room at a hotel

in Tennessee. The instant my head hit the pillow I was out. The last thought I had was

about how I managed to make a three day journey in one night. Using back roads and

breaking the speed limit, somehow managing not to get caught, I had made it to

Tennessee from California in one night. And tomorrow afternoon I would be back in my

hometown, ready or not, here I come Griffin’s Hallow. Fight me if you dare.

So the picture links are working, there's a picture of Malina and a picture of her convertable, they're in my profile. I'll be adding other character pics and the picture of her home in Griffin's Hallow soon. I don't really have the plot line to the story yet, so if you have some ideas just leave them in the reviews and I'll try to incorporate them into the story (no guarentees). Please review.