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The truck’s been on the road for two hours. It hits another crack in the highway, and Aiko is swept up, only held back by her seatbelt. She grabs the cow plushie that had flown out of her lap, before looking around to the rest of the car. Darcy is quietly driving, Celestyn next to her occasionally pointing out directions. Aiko sits behind the driver in one of the two middle seats, offered to her by Izanami and Silas, who both volunteered themselves for the back. Silas looks queasy.
Aiko glances at Akai next to her, who stares out the window. Aiko turns and does the same, watching the rush of green nature blend together as they pass. It makes her sneeze—which then makes her realize she needs to use the bathroom.
The girl mulls over her options. She could always hold it in… at least until someone else brings it up? She peeks at the rest of the truck again, but no one looks especially needy. Her eyes land on Darcy’s shoulder, partially obscured by the woman’s long black hair—untied from its usual ponytail so she can lean against the headrest. Aiko takes her right hand off the stuffed cow in her lap, lifting it up and holding a finger out. It lingers in the air for a moment, before she pokes Darcy. It’s only after the prod that Aiko realizes she pressed on the shoulder that lost an arm.
At the touch, Darcy suddenly jumps forward, the car jerking to the side as the wheel slides left. Celestyn’s head snaps to Aiko, who leaps backward into her own seat, clutching its sides behind her. Darcy rolls the wheel back into place, gripping its leather as she awkwardly leans forward into the windshield. The truck quiets for a few seconds.
“So,” Izanami calls from the back, “What the hell?”
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The truck rolls to a standstill, sat across three different parking spots. The rest stop had been overgrown, moss and vines wrapping around every visible surface. It was far from the city, but the effects of the plague’s fallout were still present—nearly all which humans once called theirs had returned to nature. That included their droppings.
“Was there a… point to stopping here?” Celestyn muses, before pointing at the woods lining the road. “Anywhere here would have served the same purpose.”
“It doesn’t work on toilet paper.” Darcy responds, unfazed.
Celestyn stares back at her, tilting her head. “...What?”
“The plague. It doesn’t work on toilet paper.”
Celestyn proceeds to ask a few more questions as Aiko slips away towards the restrooms. Silas is already at the door to the men’s, pushing against it as Akai observes. It doesn’t budge.
“You aren’t pushing hard enough.” The pilot comments.
He continues trying as Aiko now watches too.
There’s suddenly a presence behind the two spectators. “You guys could help him, you know?” Izanami says.
Akai and Aiko quickly move towards the door, as Izanami laughs. “I was joking. That thing is sealed shut. Just use the women’s.”
The other three turn, Silas looking surprised. “Are you—”
“Yes, I’m sure.” Izanami responds.
“Right.” He awkwardly walks over, as Akai follows.
Three enter the bathroom, while Aiko pauses just short of the entrance. She glances at the nearby trees. A bird chirps.
Before she knows it, Aiko is crouched behind a bush, watching a nest of birds she can’t name feed each other. The biggest one is a little fat, with bluish-gray feathers on its back and a burnt orange underbelly. The same orange colors a line above its eye. It reminds Aiko of an emperor penguin.
“It’s a varied thrush.” Darcy whispers, holding her arm.
Aiko jumps, falling halfway into the bush and scaring a few of the birds away. “A w-what?”
“The bird. The one with the orange. It’s a varied thrush.”
“And how do you…?”
“Volatus—well, Corbin told me, when I drove him to the compound. We saw a few.”
Aiko quietly responds, “O-oh. Nice.”
There’s a long silence.
Aiko suddenly blurts, “Sorry. For touching your arm. I didn’t realize it was…”
“It is… fine.” Darcy lets go of her shoulder, standing up. “Are you ready to go?”
Aiko looks up at her, cheeks flushed. “I, uh, haven’t used the bathroom yet.”
Darcy stares at her, confused.
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As Aiko walks towards the restroom, she thinks about this—all of this. Am I… doing this right? While she begins to ponder what this even is, she enters the doorway—and bumps into Silas on his way out.
Aiko quickly tries to apologize, “Oh, uh, sorr–”
He strikes first. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to intrude, Izanami said I could–”
“It’s fine. I was there.”
“Oh, uh. Right.”
Silas quickly tries to exit, but Aiko calls back at him. “Silas?”
“...Yeah?”
“Did I ever thank you for the cow?”
“...Yes? Earlier, when I gave it to you.”
The girl breaks eye contact. “O-oh. Uh. Thanks again, then.”
“You’re welcome, Aiko.” Silas waves before leaving.
Aiko uses the bathroom, embarrassed. The toilet doesn’t flush.
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When she walks back over to the parking lot, Aiko finds Izanami and Celestyn sitting at a concrete picnic table.
“Where are the…” Aiko starts.
“Akai’s already in the car. Silas and Darcy are…” Izanami looks around, before landing on the two standing by an abandoned car, trying to get its gas tank open.
Celestyn speaks for them. “Over there.”
There’s a bit of silence before Aiko responds. “...Thanks.”
She starts walking toward Silas and Darcy, before deciding to turn towards the truck instead. There’s a mumble from Celestyn, before she’s out of earshot.
Aiko hops into the car with Akai, taking the same seat as before.
“Hi.” The pilot greets.
Aiko replies back. “Hi.”
There isn’t much more exchanged. Aiko leans her head against the window. It isn’t much longer before she dozes off.
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When the girl wakes up, it’s because the car has started.
“It worked,” Silas breathes, hopping into the backseat.
Darcy closes the door behind her. “We’ll see for how long.”
Once the truck gets moving, Aiko falls asleep again. It’s only about 30 minutes after that she’s woken up by Akai asking a question to the front seats.
“Are we there yet?”
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