Whisper

Chapter 43

"We can stop here," Whisper was already in the middle of unbuckling her seatbelt, "Golem there is an ATM down the street that way, we need another 200." 

He nodded and opened the door for everyone else who piled out of the van. 

"Weaver can you go ask for the first floor rooms 103-106." Whisper looked over to her to see the eyebags under her eyes as she wearily nodded, "Actually Link would you mind doing that?" 

"Yes of course," Link nodded and quickly made use of herself. 

Frost and Loralie were still asleep, leaning against one another like a sturdy tent of playing cards, only to fall apart when Spring tapped Frost's shoulder, startling her awake causing her to sit up suddenly and Loralie falling onto where Frost was. 

Both of them mirrored each other as they both rubbed their tired eyes, though one was sitting up the other was lying down. 

"Ugh," Frost groaned, "Where are we?" 

"Some motel," Spring looked around, noticing Whisper a little off by herself probably talking to Phantom, "I think we're stopping here for tonight." 

"Where's Whisper?" Loralie was still lying on the bench her arm resting on her eyes. 

"Just over there," Spring watched as Link came back with a a few room keys. "Grab your pj's, looks like we can sleep in a bed tonight." 

"You got it," Frost started rummaging through one of the bags pulling out her own pj's and some toiletries. "Lora did you bring a brush?" 

"Hair or teeth?" 

"Both." 

"Yeah." 

Whisper finally came back, looking the most awake and the most aware out of all of them. She was now holding all the key cards giving them to each of them, "Frost, Lora, and I will be in room 103. Weaver and Link in 104. Phantom and Spring in 105, and finally Golem in 106."

All of them gathered what they needed for the night and scattered. Frost, Lora, and Weaver went to their respective rooms while Link and Golem reorganized some of the stuff that went everywhere when Whisper was driving like she was the star of a Fast and Furious movie. 

"Phantom do you want to stretch your legs?" Whisper whispered into her coat. If you didn't know better you'd think she's just insane. 

"Sure." 

It was night time so he had no problem going into his full physical form. The texture of his clothes to every single strand of his long greasy hair could be seen. Even his light stubble. He seemed a bit better, less visible anxiety, but looked 2 seconds away from passing out. What else was noticeable was his smell. Years of homelessness and years of literally living in the shadows.  

Whisper gestured for him to follow her and almost like Golem read her mind he handed her a change of clothes for Phantom. A clean shirt and pants with underwear tucked inside. Perfect sleeping wear. And right on top was a small bottle of shampoo and conditioner and a nice size bar of soap that he was definitely going to use the whole thing. 

"Your room is right there with Spring. He'll show you where the shower is and how to use it." 

He didn't make a single move, just looking at the small woman before him. 

Why is she so strong? 

Why isn't she like him? 

So tired, so broken. 

"We can talk after you clean up," She smiled, "I'll also give you a little trim around the edges." 

He obediently nodded and wandered off to the room, startling Spring who was just lying on one of the twin beds after quickly checking for bed bugs. 

"Oh, hey." Spring tried to be friendly, waving awkwardly at Phantom who stared blankly at him, "Uh the bathroom is over there, need help with the shower?" 

He nodded, not giving a verbal response, just carrying his stuff into the bathroom. He trusted Whisper who trusted these people. He was just a bit scared to open up to someone he knew nothing about. 

Though he didn't know much about Whisper, she knew everything about him, so a bit of his trust laid within fear of her power. 

Spring didn't bother pushing more conversation. It was clear to him that Phantom just wanted in and out so Spring just twisted the knobs of the shower, feeling the water with his fingertips. 

"It's not going to get any warmer but it's should be comfortable," Spring backed up and went back to his position on the bed. Flipping through the channels there wasn't much to note until he fell upon one of many new channels featuring a story on a massive willow tree that was in the middle of the road. 

"Officers say that a tree fell from the forest nearby but witnesses claim that the tree sprouted from inside a van." 

"Sources say that there was a woman driving the van and another woman in the passenger seat. Neither can be identified at this time." 

"No one knows where the tree came from, locals say these kinds of trees do not grow here." 

"If you have any information please contact the police right away." 

"Holy shit," Spring muttered to himself. 

There some knocking on his door caught his attention. 

"Spring? It's me." Whisper's voice cut through the news that was just replaying dashcam footage of the tree bursting out of the van. "Mind if you let me in?" 

"Yeah sure! Coming!" Spring nearly tripped over his feet as he scrambled to open the door. "H-hey!" 

She didn't even have to look at the TV to know why Spring was so on edge, "Don't worry, they don't have any means to identify any of us. You can thank BEYOND for that." 

"Right," Spring mumbles. He remembers the long speech one of the many researchers gave him about his old identity being gone and the whole shebang about his sole purpose was to be pruned and prodded until the day he died. 

That was until a stone man smashed through his cell door and let him loose. 

"Link and Golem may need some help sorting our stuff," Whisper nodded towards the door and Spring immediately got the message to get out of the room. "It'll just be for half an hour." 

"You got it."