Our Destiny: Bearers of the Dagger

Arrival, Part 4

Two hours wasn't exactly a long time but as far as Nick was concerned, it could have been an eternity. He hated buses and coaches were in the same category, even if they did have a little more foot room and leather seats. The reason was he had to take a bus to school every day and he made the same journey, every year for four years, so it just made him resent it. He didn't know what was worse, seeing the same houses and roads every morning or being forced to listen to the same people moaning about the same things, every trip. At least this time he'll have better company.

Nick's ears pricked up as he heard giggling from behind his seat. Sophie and her friends were joking about something, was it her boyfriend Sam? Sam. Nick sighed. Sophie was one of the most popular girls in school, so he guessed it made sense that she was seeing the biggest dick at school. Sam, Jake, even Josh... Nick's listened out for Emma's voice amidst the others. Were those two going out, he wondered? They were close as hell but was it official? He didn't know. The only official relationship that Nick knew of was when Michelle was going out with Steve. There they were, only a seat apart now. Steve, next to Luke, pretending to be listening to his friend's gaming exploits, when really, he was quietly eavesdropping to the girl behind him. And similarly, Michelle was nodding along to Sophie's gossip but she couldn't help but keep glancing back to the seats in front. There was something there, Nick could tell, but he didn't know much more than that. He had never stopped to speak to Steve about Michelle or find out how it ended. Nothing was ever said or confirmed so they all dropped it. But it was pretty strange. Both of them were really in to each other, like childhood sweetheart kind of attachment, and then it just ended. Suddenly, without warning, but without a bang or fireworks. Just one day, they weren't together. Maybe Nick would find out the truth when they got to the lodge?

There was a burst of laughter that startled him. It was Tom, chortling with his infectious laugh. He was sitting in front of Nick and joking across the aisle to where Malik and Chris were. The three of them were chattering about some stupid gag, motioning indiscreetly and making wild gestures. Whatever it was, it made them all roar with happiness. Nick wasn't that shrewd but he guessed it was to do with alcohol. There was no doubt that Chris would have bought booze with him. Despite the athletic build and jockish mentality, he was more a rebel than a school mascot. He got into fights with older years, usually overly petty stuff like stealing his football or barging him in the hall. Chris wasn't afraid to fight back, even if it meant getting his ass handed to him. Which happened a lot, but say what you want, Chris was loyal. If you were getting stomped on, you could count on him to fly in to defend you. Same with Malik. Now he was training in jujitsu, he wasn't afraid of anyone, especially teachers. Nick could guess he had bought his own drinks for the lodge as well.

Damn, maybe he should have bought his own? But from where? Nick lived in a big house with lots of siblings, most of them older than him. Most bottles had already been claimed so there was really no way he could get hold of them, unless he starting robbing supermarkets. Well, he guessed it would likely be a sharing game tonight. Nick just hoped someone had bought mixers. Last time the group had gone to a beach with spirits, they hadn't bought anything to take with it. After a few minutes of retching from neat vodka and whiskey, they were so disappointed, they nearly binned all the bottles. Well, the lodge they were heading to did have a kitchen. Maybe they could find something there.

Outside the coach, the sight of buildings disappeared as they were leaving the city now and heading northwards, up the motorway. Rolling green hills came in to view which, who knows how long ago, would have been wooded and wild but now the landscape was just endless farmers' fields with hedgerows, patchworking the countryside in ugly pastures or crops. Nick really didn't like how half the country looked like this. And maybe it was romantic naivety but he would have much preferred to observe miles of wild woodlands than man-made farmlands, a notion that was also shared by his friend Charlie.