The others were already crowding around the windows as they began to roll past the first signs of life they had seen since leaving home.

“Have we taken a wrong turn?”

“I’ll check. Where did you put the maps?” Turner asked, automatically flipping open the glove compartment. “Dee? Maps?”

“Right…maps” Dee smiled sheepishly at her cousin “I knew I was forgetting something.”

“Are you serious?” Elise, overhearing the conversation was up beside them instantly “You forgot to bring maps and we’re already lost? How is that even possible! I looked at those directions and there’s only one road through the desert and it’s totally straight and we’re on that road! We can’t conceivably be lost!”

“Oh man, is this going to turn into a teen horror flick where we end up hopelessly lost being picked off one by one?” Journey grinned settling back into his seat as his sister needlessly paused at the stop sign on completely quiet road, “Hey Elise, start worrying, cheerleaders never make it far in situations like these.”

“Yeah and you definitely have horror movie survival skills Journey.”

“Well they’re better than yours.”

“Guys! We’re not lost and we’re not going to die. I promise. I’ll just pull in here and we’ll ask for some directions.”

“Well that’s almost as bad as saying ‘I’ll be right back’”

Satisfied sounds accompanied stretching as seven antsy teenagers piled out of the hot bus into the slightly less hot outside.“I am dying for a nice cold drink.” Cayenne sighed as she let a warm spring breeze roll across her bare skin. Journey muttered something under his breath which she decided to ignore “I saw some machines when we were pulling in. Who’s in?”

There was a general noise of assent which was followed by some stiff staggering steps around the bus to fulfill their quest for refreshments.

They’d taken approximately six steps when they found themselves stopping short.

They were being watched.

Or rather, stared at.

In complete silence.

And with obvious curiosity.

It was incredibly disconcerting and the only thing they could really do was stare back. Journey voiced what they were all thinking first “What is up with their clothes?” Elise jabbed him in the ribs with her elbow in response.

“Testing! Testing! 1 2 3! Ladies and Gentlemen this is your captain speaking. Guess who found thespeaker system!”

Cayenne’s enthusiastic voice echoed around the empty walls where they had set up camp. Nighthad fallen quickly after the Strangetown teens had left, and the sound of rain beating on thewindows made everyone grateful they had somewhere dry to spend the night.

“What’s more!” Cayenne continued into the microphone, “Thanks to this family’s questionable, priorities, while we don’t have any maps we do have about eight billion CDs, so…” Cayenne’s voice crackled out to silence for a moment before being replaced by the blare of loud music.

No I don’t know where I’m going, But I sure know where I’ve been Hanging on the promises, In songs of yesterday

And I've made up my mind, I ain't wasting no more time…

If you’re going my way...

I wanna drive it all night long....

Life is a highway....

...I wanna ride it....

...But now we lookit in the eye...