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After their first day of driving, Teagan and Joss and Kenzie kept moving.
Joss drove, because Teagan didn't know how. Kenzie did, but, as Teagan said "If the police pull us over they aren't going to accept 'but it's not me driving it's my cousin in my head and she absolutely has a full drivers license' as an excuse."
"She's right," Joss said. "The last thing we want is trouble with the police."
"The last thing we want is the mediums catching us," Kenzie said. Her voice, out of Teagan's mouth, was different than Teagan's. Sometimes she slurred her words, as if forgetting the subtleties of using a tongue. Sometimes she forgot to push air out of her lungs to make her words heard. Sometimes she sounded almost perfect, and the only clue Joss had that it was Kenzie and not Teagan was the directness of the speech. Directness, or tenderness.
Teagan hesitated before she spoke, or launched into a tumble of awkward words that ended in a nervous laugh. Teagan often sounded apologetic when she spoke, or ended sentences with a question mark. Not all the time, but enough. Enough that Joss never mistook her for Kenzie when she spoke like that.
Joss said, "I'm not sure the mediums are even following us. How would they find us anyway?" They were paying with cash, when they could. They kept their mobiles off, most of the time.
"We have to keep moving," Kenzie told him.
"I didn't say we were going to stop moving," Joss said. "I said I don't think they're going to find us."
"Not if we keep moving," said Kenzie.
~
Kenzie did give driving a try once, on a quiet back country road somewhere in the north of Cornwall. She was feeling particularly strong that day, and wouldn't be talked out of it. Police seemed like a distant threat, as did any oncoming traffic, so none of them were particularly worried.
Teagan was a little nervous but she tried to stay still and quiet and in the back of her own head so she didn't distract Kenzie and get them all killed.
This was not easy.
Especially because Kenzie kept concentrating on her hands and her eyes and the wheel and the acceleration and kept forgetting important things like breathing. Every few minutes it would slip her mind and Teagan's insticts would take over and she'd suck in a great alarming gasp of breath and Kenzie would snap at her to calm down I was getting to that stop being so dramatic. And for a few more minutes Kenzie would balance out driving and breathing until something (Joss) distracted her and Teagan would have to remind her with a large gulp of breath again.
It was almost okay until the road started to twist a little more. Joss was talking about music but Teagan wasn't listening because she was sure Kenzie was going too fast and there were trees close to the side of the road and there was a T junction coming up and one really large tree directly in front of them and was Kenzie going to turn was she going to turn?
Teagan's nervous adrenaline took over and she slammed her foot down on the brake and screamed.
It was only a little scream but it came out of nowhere, interrupting Kenzie in the middle of a sentence about how they should start busking because they were both so good -
And then suddenly she was screaming.
And suddenly the van was screeching to a halt and skidding sideways as it fishtailed off the dirt road until it came to a rest, right angles to the road, at least a hundred meters from the junction and the tree.
And Teagan scrambled for her seat belt and launched herself out of the drivers door and ran until the cloud of dust was behind her. What the hell are you doing? Kenzie yelled in her head.
"I'm sorry! I panicked!" Teagan gasped, leaned against a wooden fencepost, so old it lichen had grown over the fencing wire.
I knew exactly what I was doing! Kenzie snapped. I have been driving for years. I could see the turn. Did you think I couldn't see the turn? For fucks sake Teagan have a little faith!
Joss caught up with them a moment later, having turned off the van's engine before following Teagan. "What's wrong? Are you okay?"
"I'm sorry," said Teagan again. "I panicked."
"It's okay," Joss told her. His heart was hammering in his chest from the sudden and jarring stop. "It's okay I did heaps of stuff like that while I was learning to drive," he grinned at her, this lopsided, charming smile, and Teagan leaned forward into his chest and burst into tears.
~
Joss was sole driver, after that.
Joss drove, because Teagan didn't know how. Kenzie did, but, as Teagan said "If the police pull us over they aren't going to accept 'but it's not me driving it's my cousin in my head and she absolutely has a full drivers license' as an excuse."
"She's right," Joss said. "The last thing we want is trouble with the police."
"The last thing we want is the mediums catching us," Kenzie said. Her voice, out of Teagan's mouth, was different than Teagan's. Sometimes she slurred her words, as if forgetting the subtleties of using a tongue. Sometimes she forgot to push air out of her lungs to make her words heard. Sometimes she sounded almost perfect, and the only clue Joss had that it was Kenzie and not Teagan was the directness of the speech. Directness, or tenderness.
Teagan hesitated before she spoke, or launched into a tumble of awkward words that ended in a nervous laugh. Teagan often sounded apologetic when she spoke, or ended sentences with a question mark. Not all the time, but enough. Enough that Joss never mistook her for Kenzie when she spoke like that.
Joss said, "I'm not sure the mediums are even following us. How would they find us anyway?" They were paying with cash, when they could. They kept their mobiles off, most of the time.
"We have to keep moving," Kenzie told him.
"I didn't say we were going to stop moving," Joss said. "I said I don't think they're going to find us."
"Not if we keep moving," said Kenzie.
~
Kenzie did give driving a try once, on a quiet back country road somewhere in the north of Cornwall. She was feeling particularly strong that day, and wouldn't be talked out of it. Police seemed like a distant threat, as did any oncoming traffic, so none of them were particularly worried.
Teagan was a little nervous but she tried to stay still and quiet and in the back of her own head so she didn't distract Kenzie and get them all killed.
This was not easy.
Especially because Kenzie kept concentrating on her hands and her eyes and the wheel and the acceleration and kept forgetting important things like breathing. Every few minutes it would slip her mind and Teagan's insticts would take over and she'd suck in a great alarming gasp of breath and Kenzie would snap at her to calm down I was getting to that stop being so dramatic. And for a few more minutes Kenzie would balance out driving and breathing until something (Joss) distracted her and Teagan would have to remind her with a large gulp of breath again.
It was almost okay until the road started to twist a little more. Joss was talking about music but Teagan wasn't listening because she was sure Kenzie was going too fast and there were trees close to the side of the road and there was a T junction coming up and one really large tree directly in front of them and was Kenzie going to turn was she going to turn?
Teagan's nervous adrenaline took over and she slammed her foot down on the brake and screamed.
It was only a little scream but it came out of nowhere, interrupting Kenzie in the middle of a sentence about how they should start busking because they were both so good -
And then suddenly she was screaming.
And suddenly the van was screeching to a halt and skidding sideways as it fishtailed off the dirt road until it came to a rest, right angles to the road, at least a hundred meters from the junction and the tree.
And Teagan scrambled for her seat belt and launched herself out of the drivers door and ran until the cloud of dust was behind her. What the hell are you doing? Kenzie yelled in her head.
"I'm sorry! I panicked!" Teagan gasped, leaned against a wooden fencepost, so old it lichen had grown over the fencing wire.
I knew exactly what I was doing! Kenzie snapped. I have been driving for years. I could see the turn. Did you think I couldn't see the turn? For fucks sake Teagan have a little faith!
Joss caught up with them a moment later, having turned off the van's engine before following Teagan. "What's wrong? Are you okay?"
"I'm sorry," said Teagan again. "I panicked."
"It's okay," Joss told her. His heart was hammering in his chest from the sudden and jarring stop. "It's okay I did heaps of stuff like that while I was learning to drive," he grinned at her, this lopsided, charming smile, and Teagan leaned forward into his chest and burst into tears.
~
Joss was sole driver, after that.
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