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Chapter 9.

Chapter 9.

After another couple of hours we reach Los Angelus. We thank the guys and wave them off after much “Oh it was no problem‘s” and even a few “Maybe we will see you all ‘round’s”.

We part with them at a cheap hostel. When we get our whole room Devin used her feelings to persuade the man at the check out to let us have room for free, for charity. I hate getting charity, I love giving it out and making people’s days in that way, but whenever I get it I always felt like a cheat or like someone who was to lazy to work for them selves. It always sucks.

Now I know how it feels to be on the other side of that. To have someone look at you with pity, granted it was false pity shown on this man’s face, pity created by a gift or curse of nature, I haven’t yet settled my feeling on whether or not this mutation of the human race that is us is good or bad.

I wish I could settle them though, it seems a pitiful thing to have to wrestle with your self over. We pick up the small bag of sustenance we have left over. Two bananas is all it is. We find our room and enter in. Exactly ten beds, one for each of us. The bunk beds are small and the metal frames increase the subtle chill that emanates from the air conditioning unit.

“I wish Nina was here, her fire hands are like warmers. Why is it so dammed cold in here? It’s at least 100 outside on the sidewalk.” complains June.

“Well she’s not here and she won’t ever be.” says Vaughn gruffly, dumping him self onto a bunk near the large window. “Now, we have to think about ourselves.” He bites his thumb in thought and locks his jaw.

“Yeah, I was thinking about that.” says Brian, from the door way. I look away from him and sit on an open bottom bunk. Figgie climbs the cold ladder to the top of my bed and Devin picks one opposite the room from ours.

“I think you should be in charge” says Brian, locking the door behind him, “You are the oldest, I mean, not by much, but the rest of us are about a year younger than you, right?” he looks around to the rest of us in the room, raising is eyebrows to affirm that what he said was correct. We all nod.

Vaughn looks uncertain for a moment before straightening his back out and clearing his throat. “I don’t know about that. You seem pretty sure of what to do Mr. Have - A - Vision - And - Freak - Out.”

“Okay,” says Brian, “It wasn’t a vision, that’s just ridiculous. I read their minds, and I know what I heard. If any of you still don’t believe me you’re crazy.” He makes it a point to not look my way, keeping his line of vision pointed towards the right side of the room and straight back towards the window in the narrow, long room. “And I freaked out because it’s so wrong of them to be doing it. It’s morally, ethically, and logically wrong.”

He stops talking and we don’t look at him any longer. “Fine then,” says Vaughn, “If you really think I should take charge then I will take charge. Unless anyone else is willing to step up to the plate here and take this off of my shoulders where it was so graciously put,” He looks sarcastically at Brian and pointedly at the rest of us. We remain quite, none of us wanting to be the one who volunteered. “Don’t blame me if everything falls to shit.” he finishes with a grimace.

Gil makes a tck sound and a heavy sigh. “What?” asks Vaughn, looking at him with an annoyed expression.

“Nothing, it’s just not a very positive attitude.” he says, like he’s trying to make a joke. At a time like this I can understand why Vaughn looks hacked off.

“What is your name even? Who do you think you are? You didn’t volunteer.” says Vaughn, leaning forward and making himself appear bigger than he is to intimidate him. I must say, even I am intimidated a little and it’s not even directed to me.