I didn't want to leave her. But her words replayed in my head. Her croaking scream for me to go, as she laid on the ground, groaning. So I was running. And suddenly everything felt ten times worse. This wasn't like last time. I had no idea where to go. Last time, it had been chaos. And the Neverseen hadn't been ready. But this was better on their part.

   Suddenly, I wished that I was a kid again. Without a care. Without a duty. Not facing death every moment of my life.

   That was precisely when I heard a honking car. I knew it was a Neverseen member. I veered my course into the crowds. They would not be able to find me there.

   I almost turned when I heard Marella's voice yelling for someone named Ben. That was our code name! It had to be her. Then I remembered that Lady Gisela was with them. And Gethen. He could read Marella's mind, then have Gisela mimic her voice. I ignored it, until I felt a hand on my shoulder.

   I turned, ready to throw a punch, when I saw Marella, panting, her hair awry in the light breeze, and from her run.

   "Benjamin Smith," she said, smiling, "we have to go. Now."

   I followed her to the human automobile.

   "Um, Mar—Nemy, do you know how to drive this, uh, car?"

   "Kinda, but I'm learning fast." She shrugged, as she put the key into the keyhole. She pushed her foot on the pedal, and the engine roared, but we didn't move. Sweat trickled down my face. "Get ready to exit, if this thing doesn't work." Then she smacked her head with her hand. "I forgot to shift it out of park!"

   She grabbed a handle, and pulled it downwards. She pressed the pedal again, and we jerked forward. I clutched my seat. Marella took a deep breath. She eased her foot on the pedal, and we inched forward. I heard confusion behind us.

   "Hurry up," I muttered.

   "I'm trying. Just—" she shifted her foot to the edge of the pedal, and we rolled forward at a moderate speed. She swerved into the rush of cars. A few other vehicles honked their horns, but Marella kept driving. She gasped in deep breaths.

   "Where are we going?" I asked her, wondering where she was headed.

   "Following the bus we were supposed to be on." She pointed to the big bus driving in front of us. I nodded, looking at her impressed. If I had been in her position, I probably would have just zoomed away in any direction, as quickly as I could.

   For another half an hour, Marella drove the car, carefully following the bus. Eventually her skills improved, and fewer people honked at her. Then we went onto the faster driving place. I had heard from Sophie that they were called something along the lines of "Raised-ways." The cars rushed around us, and I felt sick to my stomach. If Marella made a mistake, we would probably die. I wondered how that would sound at the Wanderling Ceremony.

   Dex Dizznee and Marella Redek, died tragically, in a human car crash, in the human country, Wales.

   That would be highly embarrassing, even though I would be dead.

   Finally, the bus we were following came to a halt, and Marella expertly parked beside it. We got out, and walked to a nearby restaurant. It was only fifteen minutes before the bus left again, so we quickly ate our lunches, and got back in the car, just as the bus pulled away.

   This time, almost no one honked at us. Marella drove again, as she was improving at the sport.

   We had trouble figuring out why there was a little light on the dashboard blinking. But a helpful onlooker told us that the light meant we needed to refill the gas tank.

   Once we had figured out the gas pump and nozzel, we had to go quickly to catch up with the bus. But at the next stop, she announced that she was too tired to continue driving. For a moment, I felt terrified. Then I remembered that it was just another human gadget. Just a really big human gadget, that could crush my bones if I made a mistake.

   "Fine," I told her. "I'll drive."

   Her eyes drooped.

   "Thanks," she mumbled, opening the door again, and slumping down in the back seat. I got in too, and I turned on the car. It hummed to life, just as the bus began moving.

   Fear coursing through every bone in my body, I followed it. I relaxed a little, as I pulled into the stream of cars. Suddenly my foot slipped off of the pedal, and we jerked to a stop.

   "Careful," Marella exclaimed, now awaken from her momentary nap. "Keep your foot on evenly. Push lightly. Oh and, if you want to stop press that pedal there. The break."

   I was confused. I slowly eased my foot on the gas. "Wait, you mean this pedal?" I touched my foot to the pedal on the left, and we jerked to a rough stop, the wheels scraping. A driver behind us hit his horn, making my ears ache.

   "Yes. But don't touch it until you need it."

   I nodded, and we continued on in silence. After a few hours, it grew dark, Marella's soft breathing filled the quiet vehicle. A light rain had begun to patter against the window, counting me into a calming rhythm. I wanted to nod off as well, but I continued dutifully, following the bus, and taking breaks during the disembarking and boarding of the bus.

   I had just pulled the car out of a stop, when I heard a noise. It wasn't honking, but something else. Loud, and wailing, the like of which, I had only ever heard in a banshee's scream. I saw lights flash, and then the car ahead of us pulled over near the curb. Numerous other cars parked. I shook Marella awake, and told her about it.

   "What do we do?" I asked her, as she sat up, pondering what I had just told her. I swerved to avoid a car I hadn't noticed while I was waking up Marella.

   "Just keep driving—" she was cut off, by the wailing growing ever louder.

   I looked in the mirror above my head, and saw a bus-like car, zooming towards us. Scared out of my wits, I turned clumsily, the colossal metal creature almost upon us. With a sudden burst of strength, I slapped my foot onto the gas pedal, and we shot forward.

   Only our heavy breathing filled the car, as the noise grew distant. Cars began to move again, and it was almost like nothing had ever happened.

   "Well that was close," Marella said, grinning. Even though I knew we had almost died, I found myself grinning too.