Real talkative, David Taldeo. He only nodded once before turning towards the RV. Haze gestured for us to get inside, so we did. The familiar scent of my childhood instantly assailed our nostrils. Giant cherry Slurpees, corn nuts, Halloween candy that I’m sure Marcel stashed and forgot about somewhere. I could still detect the faint scent of sweat lingering on the fake leather chairs. It was altogether fantastic, nostalgic and nauseating.

Where was this guy going to sleep? There was barely enough space for five people. And if I recalled, only two of the chairs pulled out into a full-sized bed. The last sleeping area was a single and a tight fit for a man as big as David.

“You’ll be happy to know that I fixed the plumping on the toilet,” Haze said, which was a cause for happiness, and walked us through the well-known kitchenette. Next to that was a small bathroom, and beyond that was the driver’s compartment. “Just don’t flush any more cherry bombs in there and we’ll all be a-ok.”

“Twas only once,” I said. “You think it’ll be warm enough once we set out?”

Haze tapped on a kitchen counter. “Yep, under the sink, you’ll find some extra tanks. Your dad took the liberty of installing proper insulation.”

I didn’t ask him when Dad had time to do that. Sometimes he took on carpentry and handy-man jobs even though he technically didn’t need to. The jobs suited him, considering how easy hauling everything above the average weight limit for a man his size was. I could do it too, but Marcel would say I was being a tryhard.

“Boys. I want y’all to be on your best behavior.” Haze turned to all three of us. “I’m not going to sit here and give you a speech but know that certain circles think this might be the start of something incredible.”

I didn’t doubt it.

Haze took the silence thereafter as an agreement. With a nod behind us, he gestured towards the eerily quiet David and then the two of them went to explore all the RV had to offer. Marcel and I were left to our own devices.

“Baton Rouge might be a good place to eat out. I’m going to get so fat. Man, I’m pumped,” my friend said.

“Still gotta feed on those cups though.”

He sucked in his cheeks. “You have to ruin the mood, don’t ya? Maybe I’ll take one in front of Katherine to shut you up, bro.”

I bared my teeth at him. He simply laughed and gave me a ‘whatcha gonna do about it’ stare.

To be entirely forthcoming, the thought did worry me. Not that I believed Marcel would do it on purpose, but what if Katherine saw anyway? What if anyone saw for that matter? As a kid, hypotheticals ran wild inside my head regarding the possibility of a reveal.

Haze’s words start rewinding in my head. Did I want Full-humans to know what being hidden away has done to us? Was their knowing a safe thing?

I didn’t know. I was the worst kind of fence-sitter when it came to the issue of Supernatural revealment. Part of me thought the cause was just. Part of me wanted not to think at all.

Marcel put his hand on my forehead. “Hey. Have you changed at all? You’re lookin’ drained.”

“I’ll take care of it on the road. Everything's gonna be fine.”

Everything had to be fine.

“Oh yeah!" Marcel's wide grin came back "Can you call Lily and break the news to her that you basically invited two-ticking timebombs onto our trip? I want to be there when she screams your ears off.”

Oh crap, Lily.

I scratched my eyebrow and winced. “Let’s just keep that under wraps until tomorrow. By then, it’ll be too late for her to kill me.”

The two of us got off the RV and headed for my car in order to unpack some of our essentials. Marcel passed me the keys, humming happily. Worrying wasn’t something he was good at, and I was grateful because I worried enough for the both of us.

“Cross your fingers," he said. "Change is coming.”