Saturday, January Nineteenth, 2:29 P.M….

Ricky had been unusually quiet. Yesterday, I had finished beating the other boys in checkers and Ghost, Chris, and Ricky had come out of the backroom. Ricky looked pale as a sheet, or at least paler than his makeup usually allowed.

But that was yesterday. He seemed better now.

I lay with my head in his lap on the couch. I was tired; there wasn’t much sleep I had acquired last night. Even though I had slept in Ricky’s bunk, there was this pit in my chest that never really went away. Ricky’s hands wove through my hair like they had a mind of their own. His nails scratched down my back, making me shiver and shake.

“Ricky?” I asked as I propped myself up. He had a faraway expression in his eyes. I touched his cheek and he came back to reality. His eyes held a sad gleam in them. I brushed a piece of hair from the side of his face, gently touching his skin.

“Yes, darling?” He asked quietly.

“Where was the band supposed to pick me up? And isn’t that today?” I asked softly. Ricky’s eyes snapped open again. He just sighed, touching his forehead to mine. I turned, kissing the corner of his lips. “I was just curious.”

“It is today. They were going to pick you up in a town called Goldfield. It’s a tiny little town, and they were going to pick you up someplace, but they never specified. They just said that they would call to give me more details. They haven’t. They would be there at four.” Ricky shrugged. I nodded and leaned back against the couch. Ricky put an arm around my shoulders.

My mind was alight in thoughts that raced like a jet. As much as I love being with Ricky and it actually looks like Chris wants to change, I have to leave this bus. I have to get with the band. I’ve been away from home, from my sister for far too long.

Oh, how my sister will be surprised when I get home and see her! I’ll probably find her in her green room surfing the internet or playing with her guinea pig. Maybe she’s at the ranch, volunteering with horses. I just couldn’t wait to get back to Virgo…

“Hey, are you okay?” Ricky snapped me out of my thoughts.

I looked him in the eyes and nearly lost it. I buried my head into his shoulder. He put his arm around me, stroking my hair very carefully, like I was thin glass.

“Ricky, I wanna go home.” I whimpered. His sigh tickled my neck. I looked back at him, eyes wide and pleading.

“I know, darling, it’s just….” He trailed off, words dancing at his lips. What was he holding back? Ricky didn’t want me here! He promised me he wouldn’t ever make me stay on this bus! What was holding him back?

“What?” I whispered. Balz walked into the room, eyeing us casually before turning to make a pot of coffee.

“We just need to wait and see what Chris is going to do. We just have to wait things out.” Ricky tried to reason. I squinted, trying to get a read on him. What was happening? This couldn’t possibly be the Ricky I knew…

“I thought you wanted to help me get home.” I whispered to him. He nodded, eyes glistening in a pleading look.

“Yes, of course! I just want to make sure you’re safe.” He blurted out. Chris stopped as he walked into the room. He froze dead in his tracks.

“What do you mean? I know I’m safe! I can take care of myself!” I spat out angrily. I stood up, taking a step away from Ricky. I felt trapped in this tin vehicle, like an animal in a cage. I needed an escape…

I needed to get to Goldfield, to my bus to freedom.

Chris and Ricky exchanged glances as I took a step backwards, towards the door. The three men froze. I stared down Ricky, glaring at him, challenging him to make a move.

“I just think maybe we should give this time. I’ll call the others. They’ll change their plans. Chris can drive you back to your home, I just think we might want to stay on the bus for a while longer.” Ricky reasoned. My jaw dropped.

Didn’t he remember his promise that he wouldn’t even beg me to stay on the bus? He promised! My hands shook at my sides. My brain was flooded with memories and emotions, making me dizzy and flighty.

“You said you wouldn’t even beg me to stay on the bus, Ricky. You said that you would help me.” I whimpered, tears flooding my eyes. I couldn’t stop my emotions. I was just breaking down. Ricky took a step forward and I inched back.

Ricky had that look, the one that told me he knew he had just broken my trust.

“I know, I know but…there are things and I want to tell you, but they might hurt you and now, I just can’t have you leave, Rory.” Ricky pleaded. Chris’ eyes softened.

“He’s not lying, Orion. There are things out there that would hurt you and we just want to protect you from that.” Chris asked. But why would I trust him?

But why would I trust Ricky either? I mean, he just said he would help me…It sure didn’t sound like that. He wasn’t telling me things. He was lying to me! He just wants me here with Chris!

I began to break down slowly, sliding back into my little shell of solitude. Ricky made one flinch forwards and I bolted out the door, basically throwing my weight against it until the handle clicked and I burst out of the bus. We were in a small town in Nevada. I had no clue where we were, but I just knew I had to get out of there.

“RORY!” Ricky yelled after me. I bolted. My ankle had all but completely healed. I was sore, but it wasn’t hard to just go as fast as I could. There wasn’t any footsteps following me, just the bus starting up.

I cut behind buildings, skidded around corners, and made roundabouts around the small town until I heard the bus disappear into the white noise of traffic. I slowed to a halt by a small convenience store. Air heaved in and out of my lungs. Everything subsided into a dizzy fog. I sat down on the bench, passing out in the shade.

I woke up, not sure how long it had been. The traffic slowed down. I was still on that bench by the corner store. I thought back to what Ricky had said. He wanted to keep me on the bus. Why? Why wouldn’t he tell me what was wrong?

My life was all just one big book with invisible ink. Sometimes, I could read a word or two, but the rest was a mystery I just couldn’t solve. My days weren’t relaxing in front of the TV or doing homework. No, they were spent running away from those that I feared and those that I loved. It was just one big pain in the ass to be completely honest. I had to run to stay alive. I had to switch buses and switch identities just to make it home.

I couldn’t be tethered down. I had to make it back home.

So I started walking.

Again.

I went into the store, looking through the maps casually. After I became frustrated, I just marched up to the cashier and demanded directions. The old man pointed in the way to Goldfield. It was a hefty two hour drive and a longer walk on the winding road. Luckily, there was a town not even fifteen miles from here on the way to Goldfield. I could stop there and get water.

Thanking the man, I pulled on the sleeves of my leather jacket and started up my walk. It was long, and by long, I mean that by the time I reached a little town called Gunsmoke, it was six at night. My feet hurt. My ankle was killing me. I was talking to myself and cursing at the dying sun.

“And screw you too, cactus!” I growled at a small cactus before kicking it with the toe of my shoe. I paused a moment to sigh.

“Sorry, cactus.” I mumbled at the broken plant. I was bored, exhausted, and just needed to bed down for the night before the boys find me again. The town’s lights were still on. There was a little Wendy’s restaurant, two hotels, a few houses on the outskirts, and a church. Everything seemed empty and desolate with the exception of a few smokers outside the hotel.

But surprisingly, there were about thirty motorcycles parked outside the church.

I went up to the bikes, taking a moment to aw in the curiosity. This would have to be my little place to bunk down for the night. I wonder if the church is open, and why there are so many bikes.

As I approached the rows of motorcycles, I couldn’t help but stop and awe at them for a moment. Then, I noticed one that looked strangely familiar. I paused at the memories, at the flashbacks.

And when I looked into the pocket of my newly acquired leather jacket, pulled out the card, and read the name of the club, it all made sense.

So this is where the Screaming Angels were meeting for their conference.

I think I owed someone a little visit.

Notes