Sacrificed Soul

Chapter Fourteen

"More gas. More gas!" Junior hollers, but it's too late.

The jeep shudders as the engine fails with my poor attempt at shifting, but we've been going at this for long enough that I'm well versed in maneuvering it onto the shoulder. Junior stares blankly at the road ahead of us. I look in his direction, taking in the cliff face to our right.

"How," he starts, finally dragging his unseeing eyes to my face, "Did you learn to read, but not learn how to drive?"

"Uhm."

"You can tell me that, at least. Right?"

I sigh, "Fine. They didn't think it was a necessary skill."

"Not a— Never mind."

I think he's regretting offering to teach me how to drive this piece of shit jeep. I'd failed to ask Larry, who I know from what few memories I have of her had taught Honey-girl not only how to fix the damn thing, but how to drive it as well. Only three days past my not so great departure of the clan house, I was not ready to ask him. Besides, as a forest firefighter, he'd left for the firehouse and hadn't yet been home. Coming into the peak of fire season for California, I doubted he would be available very often.

Junior had stared at me while I stared at the jeep Victoria had so graciously brought back to the Orions. I guess she hadn't been made aware of my new residence when she'd tried to smile despite the shock. Yet another irritatingly awkward conversation I'd rather forget. When she'd gone, he'd bumbled through the front door and waited behind me for a rather long amount of time. Finally, he'd managed to throw his arm over my shoulder and bothered to ask what I was staring at.

I'd told him the paint job was ugly and it was burning my eyes.

He only laughed. For a while. Then, he'd said, "You'll have to take that up with David and Sweet-girl."

"Do you want to drive the rest of the way?" I ask when he doesn't continue.

That shakes him out of it, "No. It's fine."

Two cars pass, the wind buffeting at my face with the windows open and top taken down. I wait for them to move on, watching my mirror to be sure that no one else will put themselves into harms way. I put the jeep into neutral and start it back to life. It rumbles awake for the thirtieth time that day, shaking a bit in protest. I lift my foot off the brake and press the shift pedal down while putting it into gear. It shudders as I carefully try and put it into forward motion.

"More gas."

I wonder if I really need to learn how to drive.

___________________________________

I get us back in one piece and only having stalled it twice more. Junior is pale, and he makes quick work of removing himself from the vehicle. I follow at a more sedate pace, always struggling with what to say or do when in the face of emotions I can't understand. I think I'm proud, certainly happy to spend time with my little brother, and a little miffed that driving is so much harder than the other shifter's I have known have made it look.

I recognize Lenora's car by sight, a sleek white sedan she'd gushed about when I'd asked her about it. She'd just bought it, raving about that new car smell that's just unused leather and carpet. David is here too.

They peer out the front door of the cabin I was pretty sure I'd locked on my way down to the clan house this morning. Looking on with abject humor, they whisper between each other.

"I think he needs some juice," I mumble to them as Junior and I make our way inside.

He glares, "I'm fine. You need some juice."