It was very unlikely, yes. But you never know. And Electa had witnessed most of it.

He didn't realize she had until he backed up a bit and then noticed her, his eyes slowly lost that odd angelic glow and he just about passed out.

She had parked the car. Electa got out of the car to go and retrieve her bag from near the window, not saying anything

He was glad she didn't say anything, but he also felt very guilty for some reason. He thought it was because of what he'd done, and so he stuck with that. He decided that he shouldn't have gotten up, he shouldn't have done anything but stayed put. He stuck with that as he silently got his pull-string back pack, again pulling at his metal bracelet over and over.

As soon as everything and everyone was in the car, she pulled away from the curb. Outside, Tennessee glided past, the dramatic hills becoming gentle and rolling. They skirted around Memphis, and by five o'clock they'd crossed the Mississippi River, curving wide and vast below them. Halfway over the bridge, they were into Arkansas, where all at once the land flattened, turning into broad fields dotted with trees.

In the drivers seat, Electa shifted, flexing her shoulders.

Vex had stayed silent, sorta just trying to hide but of course it did no good. He still had stayed decided that he had done something wrong and that what he'd done was what he'd done wrong. It was a miracle that the metal band on his wrist was able to hold up against his death tight grip.

Slowly, they crossed through Arkansas. As she drove, the sun gradually vanished below the horizon, so that by the time they got to Oklahoma, it was so dark that they couldn't make out the countryside at all.

He looked into the darkness with a soft releasing of a breath, his grip didn't loosen on his bracelet. The dark world outside only reminded him that nothing was the same, nothing was ever going to be the same again. Ever. He might never feel safe again, he might never be safe again. Those sad teal eyes stared onward with that soft angelic glow again.

"This part of it's just like Arkansas, pretty much," she said, mistaking his sorrow for something else. "Don't worry: you're not missing anything exciting."

This only made him sigh and put his forehead to the dashboard, now taking his bracelet off and into his hands, staring at it. He had the faintest flash of a memory of his brother, but then it got locked up again. But something else became unlocked, he started feeling pain in his chest. This wasn't something new for sure, but it was something he didn't like. He gripped the bracelet tightly and shut his eyes firmly, gritting his teeth. He had to keep silent, the pain could make him scream if he didn't stop himself. He hadn't taken his pills for a while now and it was ganna take a toll on him.