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Evening was encroaching on Route 101, and as the adrenaline of escape wore away, time seemed to speed up.  They couldn’t see the ocean from the side of the road, as it turned out. Thick brambles and leafy foliage blocked whatever view might have existed of a harsh cliff-face on the easternmost road in Washington, and by the time there was even a gap in it, the skies were already far too dark.

Astrid investigated the magic-marked map closely as she followed the roadside signs with some difficulty. [color=6d98f3][b]“Okay, so it’s not the [i]campground[/i] itself,”[/b][/color] she said as they neared what would be their first pit-stop. [color=6d98f3][b]“It’s–well, have a look. It’s just down, and just across from it. I [i]think[/i] we turn left down a dirt path just up here.”[/b][/color]

Mal reached over the seat and plucked the map from Astrid’s hands to get a better look himself, except ended up muttering, [color=b3df1f][b]“Ouch. Damn bloodthirsty piece of crap,”[/b][/color] as he too fell victim to a papercut. [color=b3df1f][b]“This isn’t ominous at all. I vote we send King out of the van first. Test subject. Canary in a coal mine. You know.”[/b][/color] He swatted the boy on the knee for emphasis with the folded up road map.

[b]"[color=ab2020]Why me?[/color]”[/b] King whined, pressing Mal’s hand away as he eyed the map warily. The whole bloodthirsty thing was really putting him off his game, obviously. King wasn’t a fan of injuries, whether on himself or others. His eyes turned briefly to the outside, narrowed out at the darkness and the familiar wetness that only Washington could bring. Dreary was the only word he could think of for the view. [b]"[color=ab2020]We probably shouldn’t send just [i]one[/i] person out.[/color]”[/b] He said with a slight grin, elbowing Mal in the side, and then he tilted his head towards the others, [b]"[color=ab2020]Let’s just all head out together, deal?[/color]”[/b]

[color=9400D3][b]”What are you, scared?”[/b][/color] Aiden twisted around to face King with a devious grin. [color=9400D3][b]”The whole canary in a coal mine thing is to make sure not everyone dies in one go. Are you saying that you’d sacrifice all of us just because you’re too scared to go alone?”[/b][/color]

[color=coral][b]”What’s there to be scared of?”[/b][/color] Jess piped up, glancing out the window. [color=coral][b]”I mean… It’s Washington. Nothing interesting happens here.”[/b][/color]

[color=6d98f3][b]”Murders in Verona, spooky happenings behind closed doors, magical people like us, people who [i]hate[/i] magic, the Twilight books… I mean, it’s at least [i]sort[/i] of interesting,”[/b][/color] Astrid replied matter-of-factly and seemingly disinterested in the fact they were discussing shoving King out the van to possibly die at the hands of some unspeakable evil. That happened on a daily basis.

[color=coral][b]”That’s the wrong kind of interesting.”[/b][/color]

[b]"[color=ab2020]I’m-- I’m not [i]scared[/i] it’s just,[/color]”[/b] King glowered at Aiden, eyes flickering darkly, [b]"[color=ab2020]I see no reason why anyone should have to go alone. Sounds kinda dumb, honestly. And it’s not even that bad out there.[/color]”[/b] Though, as he said that, King cast a wary eye to the back of the van. Dreary, dreary, dreary. He gradually rose up from his seat and ducked his head, ambling backwards until he was able to push the door open and allow a sudden rush of chilling, rain-scented air to fill the car. The darkness seeped in soon after, starless and foggy, and King felt his fingers twitch with fear.

It was just dark outside, dark and woodsy, but still his heart thudded and his palms grew clammy. King glanced back at the crew in the car, forcing a wide smile, and silently brushed off his anxious worrying as nothing more than a wariness of the dark. [b]"[color=ab2020]There, door’s open. Let’s see where Mr. Map wants to take us.[/color]”[/b]

He hopped from the back of the van and squelched into rain-sodden gravel and dirt, wincing as he felt the chill and dampness soak the worn bottoms of his converse. Ahead, the dirt path was patched with puddles and pine nettles, looking just as soaked as the earth underfoot.[b]"[color=ab2020]God, it’s fuckin’ nasty.[/color]”[/b] King mumbled, [b]"[color=ab2020]Let’s get this over with.[/color]”[/b]

Astrid looked doubtfully out at the chilling drizzle and pulled her arms across her chest to hold her cardigan together. [color=6d98f3][b]“You know, I’m starting to think our escape was a bit rushed. I didn’t bring a jacket,”[/b][/color] she said as she stepped out of the van to follow her brother to either something anticlimactic or certain death.

[color=b3df1f][b]“Well, if we’re going to California soon, we won’t need any.”[/b][/color]