Chapter Nine

I woke up from my nap in the evening. I looked at the time and realised that I had slept for two hours. I looked outside to see Ryder and Momoko and my friends seated on the sand casually conversing.

I was about to get out of the car when I felt something hit the back of the seat I was lying on. I looked over my seat and saw Austin lying on the back seats moving restlessly. It was only when I looked at his face closely that I noticed that he was asleep. I also noticed he was sweating and had a deep frown on his face. It seemed he was having a nightmare. I forgot the negative feelings I had for him for that moment as I watched him in worry. I was reluctant to wake him up because I didn't know how he would react but it seemed unkind to leave him in his present condition. I tapped his shoulder softly. Suprisingly, he became completely still but he didn't wake up. I tried again, using more force this time. His eyes immediately opened and his eyes darted around in fear. He sat up and wiped the sweat off his face and looked at me questioningly.

"Sorry, you seemed like you were having a nightmare and you were so restless that I thought I should wake you up."

He had a grateful look on his face and then the next moment, it was quickly replaced by anger. "You could have just looked away and minded your business. You didn't have to pretend to be nice and act like you're actually worried about me"

I frowned, unable to believe his thought process "You have a problem, you know that right? With the way you were moving, I was almost sure someone was chasing you and intented to kill you in your sleep"

"It's not as if your life would be affected in any way if I actually died. You're so nosy sometimes"

I felt myself getting angry, an emotion I was beginning to feel all too familliar with when I had consversations with Austin. And I was sick of it.

I breathed in deeply "Look, I'm going to overlook what you just said now because I'm not in the mood and..."

Suddenly, Austin groaned in pain and held his head. "Just stop talking to me, okay? You've given me a headache now"

"I'm pretty sure I did nothing of the sort. It's probably your brain punishing you for being such a jerk" I turned around and jumped down from the van and walked towards my friends, leaving Austin to handle his headache. It was a bit harsh, but I was just respecting his wishes.

Naya was the first one to notice me as she was the only one directly facing me.

"How's your leg?" She asked me as I approached them.

"Painless, more or less. But I think Austin has a headache, would you go to him and find out what's up?" I turned and asked Momoko

"Sure" she said and immediately stood up and left for the van.

"What's going on?" I asked them because they all looked uneasy.

"We have to go now. Momoko was just telling us that she sensed a creature close by, but she says it's unlikely that he's noticed us yet." Dylan responded.

"Oh no" I exclaimed but not for the right reasons "What about our day off?"

"We'll have to postpone that. We've been waiting for you to wake up because Momoko said waking you up can disrupt the healing process you were going through" Delilah replied as she stood up "There's nothing particularly amusing about a desert anyway"

I sighed sadly "You're right. But what about lunch? I'm starving"

"We already ate. Everyone including Austin. But don't worry, we left some food for you"

"You mean leftovers?" I asked, almost bursting into tears because I didn't think whatever was left was going to be enough for me.

"If you prefer to call it that." Delilah said "But I can assure you that it'll be more than enough for you. It's inside the van, you can go check it out now"

I was on my way there when I saw Momoko and Austin coming out of the van and towards the group. Austin just passed right by me, ignoring my existence but Momoko stopped and told me that Austin was no longer having a headache by the time she got there.

And that almost made me believe that he was teling the truth and I was actually the source of his headache.

Almost.

For all I knew, he could've been faking it just to get me far away from him.

About twenty minutes later, when we had travelled some distance in the van and I was almost done eating what I could of the surplus meal that they had left for me, Ryder turned back briefly to face us after having a hushed conversation with Momoko for a while and said

"We're going to have to split up"

"What do you mean 'split up'?" Dylan, who was sitting next to me, asked.

"We're not totally sure, but we think that Austin and Cressida being together is attracting monsters to us"

"That makes no sense. How'd you come up with something like that?" I heard Austin say from behind me.

This was a possibility that I had recently thought about myself when the Erps had attacked Noelle's village just after my fight with Austin.

"Anytime you get into an argument, a monster appears a few mintues later. It's not a coincidence" Momoko reasoned.

Austin didn't look convinced "It's happened only twice, that's not enough proof"

I was covinced, I just needed an explanation.

"Actually three times, the Beast we faced just outside your school, The Sabis and the Erps"

"I don't understand, we didn't even know each other before you came so how did The Beast come about?" I asked her.

"I'm sure you had some negative feelings towards each other the first time you met, didn't you?"

I had thought I was the only one who had negative feelings when we first met. But I guess the feeling was mutual after all.

"I agree, but what's the explanation for why it's happening? We'd need to have some sort of connection or something. But we don't"

"Now, how sure are you about that?"

"What's that supposed to mean?" Austin and I said at the same time and I looked back to see him already looking at me.

"That doesn't mean anything!" Austin said quickly "People speak simultaneously all the time, right?"

"Not as often as you two" Delilah said, like she too believed we had some sort of connection.

"Well maybe, Cressida has mind reading abilities that we don't know about and she's reading my thoughts and saying exactly what I say"

"No, I think that's you" I countered "Or else why would you come up with something so ridiculous?"

Austin turned to Momoko "See? Even she knows what she's doing is ridiculous"

Momoko cut me off just as I was about to reply Austin "I don't have an explanation as to why this is happening, but with or without it, the fact remins that it is happening. So, we think seperating you is the way to ensure you don't fight"

"Not necessarily," Austin remarked. "If we don't talk to each other, or even look at each other we won't get into an argument. And I'm a responsible person, so no matter how annoying she might be from now on, I won't respond to her. You should encourage her to be responsible too though because every word that comes out of her mouth is annoying"

"He's intentionally trying to make me mad!" I complained to Momoko angrily

"Now why would I do that when I'm trying to argue the exact opposite?"

I shrugged "How am I supposed to know? You're not exactly the smartest person in this group"

"Honestly Cressida," he said with a sigh "words can't describe how frustrating you are"

"Words can't describe how annoying and irritating you are" I retorted

"Guys that's enough" Momoko said in a warning tone.

"He started it" I defended "All he has to do is open that big mouth of his to ruin my whole day"

"You don't even have to open your mouth, your face alone puts me off."

Suddenly the car stopped.

Ryder said in a stone cold voice "Everyone get down now"

I was shocked that we had finally managed to make his snap. We all quietly and hurriedly left the car, including Momoko and Ryder.

Momoko gasped all of a sudden "There's a monster on its way but I don't know what it is because it's still far away"

"Is that enough proof for you, Austin? Proof that this isn't a coincidence because for the fourth time in the space of a few days, you've managed to alert monsters to our location just by you and Cressida's nonesense arguments!"

We all stayed silent. It was the first time Ryder had raised his voice while talking to us and I felt guilty and embarrassed that I was the one who caused it. I was better than this, constantly bickering with Austin like a five year old. Usually, whenever I got into a disagreement with someone I always stayed silent and let it pass. But with Austin, I just couldn't help myself. It was like I was compelled to argue until all the negtive feelings had left me, but it never did.

"I'm sorry, Ryder" Austin said to Ryder with a serious face but I knew he was anything but serious.

"But, I thought you said it was Krimenstone that was sending the monters to attack us. So which is it actually? AUSSIDA or Krimenstone?" Noelle said, brilliantly diverting the attention from Austin and I.

"Khrets don't attack anyone unless they're given a specific order to. So they are constantly looking for us. AUSSIDA are basically giving them our address"

"Okay, enough of this AUSSIDA business" Austin said "We're Austin and Cressida, if that's too long to say you can skip talking about us completely"

"So what now? Are a group of people going to travel by car and the other half of the group by foot?" Delilah inquired.

"No, Austin has to create another car for us to travel seperately"

"Uh, I'm not sure I'm at that stage yet. I'm only good at creating small objects"

"I'm aware that Wyatt gave you a sketch book"

"Actually, he gave it to Ms.Perfect- I mean Cressida" he smiled slyly at me.

"That's true. But I don't know how to draw. Or sketch." I said to Ryder, completely ignoring Austin. He just didn't know when to stop. And what was the reason Wyatt gave me two objects that involved two abilities I didn't have, aiming and drawing? Was it some sort of mean joke?

"Who here knows how to draw?" Momoko asked us. Dylan was pretty good at drawing so he volunteered to. But something strange happened. He began drawing with the pencil that came with it, but the image wasn't visible on the paper.

"Maybe only the owner can use it?" Naya suggested.

"Oh that makes sense. But I don't kow how to draw" I repeated in case she didn't hear me the first time.

"Let me try" Austin said all of a sudden. I reluctantly handed the book over to him.

"Why do you think it'll work for you?" Delilaha asked curiously.

"Isn't it obvious? I'm Austin. Everything works with me" And surprisingly, it actually worked. Of course he had to be good at drawing too. I had no idea what kind of car he was drawng though.

When he was done, he turned to me and asked "So what now?" I held my hand out and he hesitantly handed me he book. I tore out the page he had drawn on.

"If you didn't like it you should have just said so, you didn't have to-"

"Would you keep quiet and be patient?" I snapped. This boy was always had a way of getting on my nerves. I threw the paper down and it sunk into the ground. In its place appeared a sleek grey car.

"That's literally not possible" Dylan said, his eyes and mouth wide open.

"So who wants to go where?" Momoko asked "You'll divide yourselves into team Cressida and team Austin. We're eight so there shouldn't be any trouble. I'll drive the new car and Ryder will take the van. Team Cressida will be in the new car and Team Austin in the other."

"But I created it, why do I have to be in the old car?" Austin complained.

"Austin, enough" Ryder said sternly.

"I'll go with Cressida" Noelle and Delilah said at the same time. I could understand Delilah, but why did Noelle want to go with me?

"Dylan and I will go with Austin then" Naya said

"No problem" Dylan agreed easily.

"That settles it. Okay kids gather around" Momoko said and bent down in the middle of us. She used her hand to draw a dot.

"This is where we are now. Team Cressida will go west and Team Austin will go east. We move in those respective directions for about ten kilometers before turning north. After going North for a certain distance, Team Cressida will turn east and Team Austin will turn west until we reach our next destination. Do you all understand?"

She had literally drawn a square shape in the sand. There was really nothing confusing about it.

"Of course. It's like in the shape of a square, we part at the middle and we meet at the middle at the end." Austin said. Dylan put his hand on Austin's shoulder.

"Maybe you should leave the explaining to Momoko, Austin. You're awfully bad at it"

"Exactly" she said as she stood up "Everyone gather into your respective cars and let's start our journey"

"I have a question" Dylan said "What stops the monster coming after us when we split ways?"

"Hopefully, the monster isn't smart and gets confused by the scents splitting in two different directions so he doesn't know which way to go and gives up chasing us altogether"

"Oh that makes sense" I agreed

" I call shotgun" Austin and I said simultaneously standing at the passenger seat of our respective vehicles. We looked at each other over the roof of the van with slit eyes.

"Wow. And you guys aren't even twins" Delilah remarked, shaking her head at both of us as she entered the car.

"Whatever" I replied as I settled into my seat ."He was probably just copying me"

"I don't know, that seems highly unlikely"

Everybody else got into the purple van and Momoko and Ryder started their journeys in different directions.

I had just settled and was busy reading my Guide to Trevia book when Noelle asked not up to fifteeen minutes into the journey.

"Why don't you and Austin get along?"

"They had misconceptions about each other when they first met, that's why neither of them are willing to back down enough to understand the other"

"There's nothing to understand about him, except that's he's a jerk and he's annoying"

"I think he's a really cool person" Noelle said.

"Of course you do" I muttered. Somehow he had made her fall in love with him, which seemed almost impossible seeing as he did so little to hide his annoying traits. Or was I the only one that could see it?

"Look, I know I always say don't judge a book by its cover but Austin's case is somewhat special, I see the front cover and it gives me the chills. I only have to imagine what horrors lies inside the book. Besides, our personalitites don't mix well and we're not compatible"

"What do you mean compatible? We're not asking you to marry him, Cress, we're saying you should at least try to be polite to him for the sake of peace and sanity on this trip."

I felt offended "Aren't you guys my friends? You're supposed to be on my side"

Delilah gave me a look that told me she was tired of me "There is no side here. Only two immature teenagers who refuse to act their age"

"That's enough, kids. Momoko said looking back briefly. I didn't panic with the way she kept looking back because there was nothing but sand for miles and miles around. "She's right, by the way" she said and I thought she was talking about Delilah. I frowned, wondering why everyone was suddenly attacking me this evening.

"Austin is a negative influence and a bad person to be around"

"What?!" we all exclaimed in shock, not expecting her to make such a sick turn.

"Why? What do you mean by that?" Delilah asked.

"That was a little harsh" Noelle said from behind me.

"Yeah, and I never said anything like that" I said, really confused. I wasn't sure I totally agreed with what she said.

"I refuse to expantiate on that. I strongly advise you to stay as far away from him as possible. Especially you, Cressida. Nothing good can ever come from a friendship between you two"

I was relieved she wasn't attacking me like the others were but her words made me curious. What had he done that made Momoko think of him that way? Why 'especially me'? And why did it make me want to know him better, to understand what Momoko as talking about? Was she using reverse psychology on me? What the heck was going on?

"How come?" Delilah asked without a second thought.

"I can't you tell you that right now, I'm sorry"

"You don't look sorry to me"

Momoko sighed and turned to look back at them "When I have more information I promise to tell you"

"So you made that earlier statement based on the little to no information you have?"

"It's just an intuition, a gut feeling if you will, and I take those very seriously"

"I have no idea what you're talking about, but I'll agree with you for the time being"

"Hey Momoko, how do you know Ryder? He's a Dark Emaett and you're a Light Emaett, right? So how did you two meet each other?" Noelle asked curiously.

I wasn't sure, but I thought I saw her blush. That was interesting.

"Story for another day. I don't have the time now" she said, although she wasn't doing anything but driving in an empty endless desert.

"Oh, okay" Noelle said quietly.

"Uh, Momoko? I think you should face the wheel like right now" I said as I realised that the desert was no longer empty. I noticed a car with headlights on coming straight in our direction with great speed. Momoko took too long to respond so I reached for the wheel and steered it sharply to the left, averting our car away from the other one by just a few inches.

The car instantly fell silent and I could hear my heart beating inside my chest.

It was so odd that another car was here at this time of the night in the desert. We all got out to find that it was the other half of our team.

"What's going on?" Momoko asked Ryder as he got down from his car along with Austin, Dylan and Naya.

"You tell me" Ryder replied "We agreed to go in different directions, so where exactly did you come from?"

"That's what I want to know" Momoko said, looking intently at Austin.

"Hey, I didn't do anything. You should ask Ms. Perfect over there. She's the one with the witchcraft"

"I didn't cause this" I defended myself "And I've told you to stop calling me that. You just never listen, do you?" I said

"I listen all right. Just not to you"

"Guys!" Delilah said, silencing us both "This is so not the time to have an argument"

"We were going west just like we planned and all of a sudden, we saw you appear of the blue, or should I say dark" It was nighttime now and only a few stars were out so we could barely see each other.

"Same goes for us too, except we were going east"

"So what exactly is going on?"

"We don't have enough time to figure that out, I'm afraid" Momoko said "The Khret is coming very soon. It knows our location "

"I know what happened" Ryder said out of nowhere and I got startled. I hadn't realised he was there because he blended right in with the darkness "It's Austin and Cressida"

I was officially tired of hearing our name in the same sentence as the cause of a problem.

"What did we do now?" Austin said exactly what I was thinking.

"You're meant to travel together. It's just like the law of magnetism. Opposites attract. In some sort of twisted Emae mystery you managed to pull the two cars together. Instead of going on in a square shape like we had originally planned, we took a circular path and almost clashed at the end."

"So basically what you're saying is, I'm stuck with her?!" Austin exclaimed, saying the word 'her' in disgust. I felt the same way.

"I'm afraid so" Momoko said, looking exactly as I felt. Disppointed and angry. I knew it was too good to be true when I heard I would be traveling seperate from Austin for the rest of the journey.

"It's here" Momoko said all of a sudden.

"You mean the Khret?"

"What do we do? Do we still have time to make a run for it?" Naya asked fearfully.

"I'm afraid not. Kids, get ready. Tonight, we stand and fight"

***

I love you all! Thank you so much for waiting patiently. I hope you enjoy it.

Have a great day!