The four girls were in their hotel room at the Hilton that night, and Sora was retelling the meeting to Kari and Mimi. "So Nikki Sixx just lets you go with?" asked Kari. "That's so unfair." Kat was lying quietly on her bed. "It's hardly a reward. I don't even want to go." "Well, we should all stick together," Kari said. "You need someone who's smart along with you." "Which is exactly why you should stay," Mimi said to Kari. "Or me," said Kat. The door opened, and Joe's Brother and Joe came in. "Nothing's decided yet," said Joe. "Well, what the hell took you so long at that meeting?" asked Mimi. "Were you all having a big orgy, or what?" "We were talking," said Kat. "'Twas really boring." "I enjoyed it," said Sora. "Well, no one's going anywhere until we find out where the Reapers went," said Joe. "I thought they died," said Mimi. "No, they can't die." Joe sat on the couch and turned on the TV. Joe's Brother laid on the bed next to Kat. "How 'bout helping me finish my book? Think of an ending yet?" "Yeah, plenty, and they all end in lots of gunfire and blood." They stayed at the Hilton for practically 2 months, and were running up quite a nice bill. No one had found any of the Grim Reapers. "There is a problem, though," said Tai. "One Grim Reaper stopped before the bridge. I think I saw him get out and run on foot." "That would've been a sight to see," said Sora. "Did he take his Sickle?" Nikki Sixx came to their room, where Tai, Joe, and Joe's Brother already were. "Still want to be a Tongue Ringbearer, Kat?" Nikki Sixx asked her. "No." "Good. Sora will go with you, of course. I think we should have a Company of 9, because it's such a fun number to say, and there are 9 Reapers. They shall represent everyone across the Country. Joe's going to go of course, because he is a Nerd. For the Celebrities, we need a lesser-known one, or it will raise too much publicity. Matt will go. Taichi will go for the Men, because the Tongue Ring concerns him closely." "Weren't you going with Izzy?" Kat asked. "Yeah, so he's going with us," Tai replied. "That broken knife will be glued together." Nikki Sixx continued. "For the Midgets, I choose TK. So we only need 2 more." "Well, that's us," said Kari. "You don't know the dangers." "Neither does Kat," said Joe. "Or any of us, really. But these girls are friends, so that may prove more than strength." "Not Kari," said Nikki Sixx. "She's too young." "Then you'll have to lock me in prison!" she screamed. Nikki Sixx shrugged. Then he sighed. "Fine, go along. Get outta here in a week. You're running up quite a bill for me." The Broken Knife was superglued together and new graffit was sprayed on it. Joe and Taichi walked around Central Park and talked a lot, but Kat mostly sat with Joe's Brother. Sora was with them sometimes, and Joe's Brother would read from his book. The day before they left, Kat was alone with Joe's Brother, who had brought along a shopping bag. "What's in the bag?" she asked him. "Uh, presents." He took out a smaller bag. "There's a .38 Special in here." He looked around. "Have you ever shot a gun before?" "No, but it can't be that hard." She reached in to take it out of the bag. Joe's Brother quickly put it back in the shopping bag. "Are you mad?! You don't pull out a handgun in broad daylight in New York City!" He fumbled around for the other present. He pulled out a black trenchcoat. "Eh... cool beans," said Kat. Joe's Brother sure knew how to pick out gifts. "No, no. It's bulletproof. I think. But I got you some sunglasses to go with it." She put on the shades. "Thanks. Are these real Gucci glasses?" "Of course. Just take care of yourself. And you have to come back to tell me about it all. That's why I also got you a journal. It will fit nice in the inside pockets of that trenchcoat." They were to leave at 5:32 at night the next day. They were supposed to travel at night, until they were far from New York. They traveled in Izzy's Avalanche, but Tai also drove his Corvette. Joe, Kat, and Sora rode with him. "Hey, Izzy," said Mimi. "Let's make your Avanlanche an SUV!" "No, let's make it a pickup," said Kari. "A pickup wouldn't fit 5 of us." "Sure it would," sid Izzy. "And it looks cooler." Nikki Sixx gave them all warm Motley Crue sweatshirts, and thick Colombia coats, because it had been snowing (because it's winter). They had snacks and drinks in the vehicles, and their cell phones were fully charged. Under Joe's orders, Kat had replaced her Dice Tongue Ring, while the One Tongue Ring was safely in a pocket on her Colombia coat. They took I-78, going west into Pennsylvania, driving at night and sleeping in motels during the day. After 2 days of this (they had a lot of potty breaks), they entered into Maryland on I-81. It took them a whole five minutes, and then they were in the land of West Virginia, the mountains before them. The two vehicles stopped in Martinsburg to contemplate where they should go next. "I say we eat breakfast," said Mimi. So they went to the local restaurant. Kat overheard Joe and Tai whispering loudly. "So what do you think of your road now?" Joe asked Tai. "Well," said Tai thoughtfully. "We cannot go too far north; that will bring us too close to Ken in Chicago. I don't want to drive through the mountains because the roads get icy and I'm not good at winter-weather driving." "There is... another way," Joe said. "Let's not talk about that one. Kat's listening to us." "No, I'm not." Kat hurredly dug into her eggs and bacon. They talked for a while after breakfast, and then they decided to find a hotel, if there was one in this small town. "Ew, a ghetto motel," said Kat, when they walked inside the Motel. "I mean, they can't even think of a better name." So they slept. Kat woke up mid-afternoon to hear Joe and Tai talking in the other room. Thank goodness for cheap motels, she thought, pressing her ear against the wall. "Would you like me to drive?" Joe asked, frustrated. "No, it's just ... not a fun road. I don't even think Izzy's Avalanche SUV or Pickup has 4-wheel drive." "So we'll drive carefully." "Fine, you're the oldest." They left early, because it would be getting dark earlier now. So up the mountain road they drove. But they had to drive south on I-81 into Virginia until they got to Woodstock, then they just headed west along varying conditions of backroads. High up in the mountains, they came across a snow drift. They stopped, and Izzy and Tai talked on their cell phones. The snow fell faster, and soon the connection went out because of the winds. Tai threw down his phone. "That's it! We're going back." He threw the 'Vette in reverse and nearly ran into Izzy, except for the fact that the car spun around on account of the ice. Izzy followed his lead and also turned around. "Going downhill will be more dangerous," said Joe. "Don't drive so fast." "Just as long as Kat isn't behind the wheel," said Sora," we'll be fine." As they got lower, the wind lessened, and the snow grew less. Soon, they were back on "normal" winter-weather roads. By now, it was about 11 at night, and everyone was growing weary again. So they found another ghetto motel in Petersburg. "Well," said Joe. "Shall we go back to New York?" "What?" asked Kat. "There are other ways to get past the mountains." "There is another road. It's a gravel road, and very narrow, but it will at least be free of snow." "Then why didn't we try that one first?" asked Mimi. "Because it freaks me out," said Joe. "Well, let's sleep on it and do this again in the morning. I'm sick of travelling at night." So they slept. Of course, in the morning, they didn't discuss the situation; apparantly, the decision had already been made. And no one knew what this road was, even. The drove south a little, until Tai turned west onto an extremely non-travelled road. Nothing was to be seen except snow. Soon, they came to a dead end. A hill rose up in front of them. Kat leaned into the front seat to see better. "Um, great road, Joe," was all she could say. "No, there's a hidden door," Joe replied. "Tai, put on your bright lights." He did, and they could see it. Tai honked. "Open, dammit," he said. "No, there's a password." "Oh, you gotta be kidding me." "Actually, I am." Joe enjoyed a good laugh. "You have to just back up and smash into it." Tai called Izzy, and it was agreed that Izzy should go first. So Tai moved his 'Vette, and the Avalanche Pickup backed up a ways. Kat opened the sunroof and stood up to look out. Izzy slammed on the gas, spraying snow everywhre. Some hit Kat in the face. She shrieked and fell back in the Corvette. Tai closed the sunroof. Izzy hit the hill and made a huge hole in it. "Not very thick, is it," said Matt. Tai drove the Corvette inside the man-made tunnel. Both vehicles stopped, and everyone got out. "Well," said Joe. "Like I said: gravel roads and bumpy ways. Say good-bye to the 'Vette, Tai." Tai looked horrified. "What?!" Sora patted the hood. "Buh-bye, Bill." "Izzy, transform that Avalanche." Joe went into the Corvette and started taking things out. "You can't be serious!" exclaimed Tai. "It's just a gravel road!" Joe shoved a backpack into Tai's arms. "Yes, but the cell phones won't work, and we need communication. It is very dangerous down here." "I think Joe's afraid of the dark, that's all," said Kari. "Ah!" She was hit with another backpack thrown by Joe. Everything was piled into the Avalanche SUV, and Joe took the wheel from Izzy. TK insisted on sitting up front, since he loved West Virginia (he wasn't going to see much of it, though). "These roads will take us at least a day," Joe said. "So prepared to be bored." "I have a question," said Izzy. "What if we need gas?" Joe froze. Already, the tank was sitting on 1/2. "Well, fuck that," he said. "We'll just drive slow and see how far it takes us." So they did, going no more than 20 mph. "It's too crowded in here," Kat complained. Sure enough, Matt, Izzy, Kari, and Mimi were crowded in the backseat, and Tai, Sora, and Kat were in the middle seat. Not to mention everyone's backpacks and the snacks. "What if we have to pee?" asked Kari. "Then you can go behind a rock while we drive," said Joe curtly. "Then I'll be rid of your stupid questions and I can figure out where I'm going." "Meanie." Kari leaned back. Mimi pushed her into the window. "Hey!" They drove for a couple more hours, then Joe stopped the Avalanche SUV. "Why don't I remember this part?" "Because you're stupid," muttered Kat. Tai hit her. "Get out," said Joe, so they all did. Kat climbed onto the Avalanche SUV and looked around. Her ankle was healed, although there was a scar. But at least she didn't have to use the crutches. "Is that a ... cabin?" asked Mimi, pointing to the left. Her and Kari hurried toward it. Tai grabbed them. "Follow the guide. It might not be safe." Joe went over to the cabin and knocked on it. No answer. He opened the door. "Hey, it's furnished!" He rushed in and everyone followed. Izzy turned off the Avalanche SUV and ran inside. Joe looked at his watch. "Well, I suppose it's close to supper; who's hungry?" So they ate some of their snacks, although it hardly satisfied. They they decided they should rest, so everyone fought over the couches, chairs, beds, and rugs. Kari went to the garbage can and dumped her empty soda can. PLUNK. The sound resounded throughout the room. Joe looked at her. "What the fuck did you do that for?" "What's wrong with not littering?" Oh ee oh, yo ho... A sound came from far away. "Go to bed," said Joe. He was keeping watch, partly because of the noises, and partly because he couldn't sleep, which was partly because of the noises. I know what's wrong with me, Joe thought. I need a smoke. He went to the Avalanche SUV, but it was locked. Fuck. Who needs to lock a vehicle in here, anyway? |
 |
| The Cult of the Tongue Ring part nine |