2. 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.”

3. “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.”

4. “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’”

5. 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.

6. They’d taken approximately six steps when they found themselves stopping short.
They were being watched.

7. 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.

8. “Testing! Testing! 1 2 3! Ladies and Gentlemen this is your captain speaking. Guess who found the
speaker system!”
Cayenne’s enthusiastic voice echoed around the empty walls where they had set up camp. Night
had fallen quickly after the Strangetown teens had left, and the sound of rain beating on the
windows made everyone grateful they had somewhere dry to spend the night.

9. “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…

20. If you’re going my way...
I wanna drive it all night long....

21. Life is a highway....
...I wanna ride it....

22. ...But now we look
it in the eye...