Chapter 5

The glowing yellow super moon shines bright over the mountains of the Mojave Desert. I feel like I’m on autopilot. Ava is fast asleep, her head rests on the window. I can’t stop thinking about her even though she’s right next to me. It pains me to think that beast wants to hurt her. I will always protect her.

I’m trying to keep myself awake with music. My eyes keep drifting off the road. I may not be able to stay awake. She depleted my energy with her fingers. I pull into the Joshua Tree National Park. There’s a few dirt roads off to the side before the main park entrance. I roll my car quietly behind a cluster of rocks and trees.

My head is swimming with thoughts. I turn off my engine, and carefully pull my tarot cards out of the glove box. Ava doesn’t even move. She’s out cold. I step out, and shuffle my deck. The Eight of Cups flips onto the hood of my car. The illustration is perfect. There’s eight cups stacked carefully on the ground. A man is walking away from them towards the mountain. In the upper left hand corner there’s a double moon. A crescent wrapped around an almost full golden moon.

That man in the picture is me. I’m withdrawn from reality, disappointed in my actions. I’m abandoning my old life. This is me escaping into the mountains, taking the moonlit path. Maybe I need to confront this werewolf thing head on, but I’m not ready yet. I’m walking away from who I used to be. I put my cards back into the leather satchel. My grandmother comes to me in a message. It’s not something I can hear, or see. I feel her. She’s displeased with my choices.

I crawl back into my car, lean my seat back, and close my eyes. There she is again. Grams doesn’t want me to travel down this path. My patience has run thin. I appreciate my grandmother finding ways to connect with me from the spirit world. But not tonight. My third eye also needs rest. Finally, my mind goes blank. I allow myself to drift off to sleep.

“Aster, are you sleeping?” Ava whispers to wake me with her head on my chest. “Not anymore.” I take a look outside. The hot desert sun is blaring. “What time is it?” I go to reach for my phone, but my arm is wrapped around Ava. then remember that I tossed it back in Arizona. “It’s 11:27,” Ava’s voice is so sweet this morning. “I could watch you sleep all day.” She kisses me so gently. This feels like a dream. “Maybe it is.” Ava runs her fingers through my hair.

“We should get moving.” I wonder how far we are from the coast now. “Just under four hours.” Ava smiles. “I gotta stop somewhere and get a new phone.” It would also be nice to take a real shower. “We could do that.” She looks down at her phone. “There’s hotels in Indio not too far from here.” Ava glances at me. “Yeah that works.” We should also get some food. I’m starving.

The road to Indio is about a half hour from where we are. We pass by a forest of giant wind turbines, or windmills. I see a sign for the Salton Sea. “We can’t go there.” Ava warns me. “Why’s that?” I wonder. “There’s another rival pack down there. We are not to cross that line.” She seems a bit worried. I bet that’s where that ogre’s from. Ava chooses to ignore that thought even though I know she felt it. Maybe I’m right but I’m just gonna leave that one alone for now.

I drive off the highway, pull into a super center with a gas station. Ava gets out to stand with me while I pump the gas. “I’m gonna grab a few things in the store.” I put the nozzle back on the pump. “Do you want to come in with me?” She smiles, “That’s a loaded question.” Flashes from last night flood my mind.

We walk into the store, and Ava takes my hand into hers which surprises me. She looks to me for approval. I stop, and pull her into me. My forehead reaches hers. I look into her eyes, and kiss her. “I dig you Ava. You don’t have to question that.” She looks relieved. We keep walking.

The store is busy. It’s madness. “It’s California,” Ava says. There’s employees wearing blue vests just about everywhere. For a moment it seems like everyone is staring at us, and maybe they are. I don’t care. Ava laughs out loud. “What’s so funny?” She looks up at me, “Of course they’re looking at us. They can sense that we’re different.” Do we appear different? Or is it more of a mind fuck? She just laughs. I’m starting to enjoy this telepathy thing.

I grab the basics, shampoo, conditioner, soap, a razor, snacks and a case of water. Ava puts some nail polish and a pair of sunglasses in the cart. “Priorities,” I say to her. “Absolutely,” She says passionately.

“Do these look okay?” I step out of the dressing room with a pair of jeans on, and a black crop top. Ava steps out of her room with a long burgundy bohemian skirt, and an off white cropped tank. She looks like a goddess. How am I supposed to keep my hands off of her? “You’re not.” She quips.

I take her hand and spin her around. Her choice of clothing hugs every curve just right. A fitting room employee spots us, and stares for a moment. We change back into our clothes. I pick out some cute thongs, a black bra, and a black bikini. “You pick out clothes like you’re heading to a funeral.” Ava giggles. “Maybe I am.” Metaphorically my own, that is.

We walk towards the registers. Ava tries to hand me money at checkout. I put my hand on hers to stop her. “I got it.” She helps me put the bags into the cart. We walk outside, and the security alarm goes off. I stop, look down at my cart.

Ava grabs me by the wrist. “Run!”