California did not welcome them the way it once had. The air felt older. Heavier.
Each step away from the roadside dragged memories behind it like chains, clinking with laughter from a picnic that now seemed to belong to another lifetime. Cole could almost hear it — Lenora arguing about colour, Kevin trying to start a fire he swore he understood, Joyce smiling at something none of them remembered saying.
Yet the distance between then and now felt like years carved into their bones. No one spoke of it. They just walked.
Joyce moved a little ahead of the others, her shoulders tight, her eyes fixed forward as if the road itself whispered directions meant only for her. Cole noticed it but said nothing. Kevin did too — but Kevin had learned that questions sometimes made things worse.
Lenora watched everyone.
The sun dipped lower, staining the streets gold and rust, and the world seemed undecided about whether it wanted to remember them or forget they had ever come.
"So, what do we do from here?. I mean the journey to the quest has started so..." Cole was the one to break the silence.
"Yh.... Yh. You're right" Lenora replied.
"We are trying to get the items, right?. Am pretty sure we can't get them today" Joyce said.
"We need to get a place to sleep for the night time. California isn't friendly" Kevin concluded
They all continued the walk, out of the Big Sur. And Night was coming close. Very soon, the moon showed it's face to the earth and the teens were desperate to look for shelter.
They barely found a tired building leaning between two others, its sign long fallen, windows dusty but unbroken. Lenora checked the locks, the corners, the shadows. Kevin helped without being asked. Cole remained near the entrance, scanning the road the way Mr. Bruce had taught him. Joyce lingered by the curb for half a second longer than necessary. Then she joined them.
Inside, the place smelled like old wood and quiet abandonment. Their footsteps stirred echoes that seemed reluctant to wake.
"How many more abandoned houses are here in this Forest?" Kevin chuckled
"We're lucky" Joyce replied, as Kevin gave her a smirk look.
Lenora spread the map Mrs. Mason had given them across the wooden floor, its surface scratched by histories that had nothing to do with theirs.
Yet — Red lines. Symbols. Notes written in a hand that carried urgency even in ink.
"How are we suppose to understand this?" Kevin sarcastically asked
"It's confusing" Joyce added
"Well, I am too but since Mom was the one who gave it to us, it will be of great use!" Lenora said.
"I will get to it!" She added, as she bought out some large books and materials from her backpack.
"Miss intelligent" Kevin hissed
"Suddenly, Everyone forgot about food?" He added and walked out. Joyce just glanced at Cole and Lenora before she also left the room.
"Nice one in'nt!?" Cole murmured
Lenora chuckled.
"Normally, I was quite nervous when my name was announced for the quest.... But as soon as I remembered that you were also among, I felt good" Cole said
"Is that suppose to make me feel good too?" Lenora smiled
"If you allow it!"
"Silly head!" They both laughed.
"How are we gonna find this Artifact thing?... You have materials. What are you up to?" Cole asked
"Well, it's gonna be tough but let's stab through it."
"The stuff we are looking for is this goddess Lupercalia's Artifact and her blood... We both know. These things are said to be ancient and have been quite missing for a long long time now." She added
"Ok. Cool.... So, How are we suppose to get information about it?. I mean we weren't told anything"
"Well, am on it. These Latin materials hold stout information about ancient materials throughout their history." She said, flipping thought that pages.
"Your Latin isn't that strong, is it?" Cole was doubting. Lenora just smiled and started going through the pages.
"I will be right back" Cole told her. He walked outside and saw Kevin and Joyce eating what he thought was meat. They had set a campfire with wood and stone.
Getting close to them, he didn't seem to see anything on the campfire
"Got food?" He asked.
"Nah!. Meat is quite difficult to get these days!" Kevin said
"Want em'?" Kevin offered him what he was eating.
"What's that??"
"I got them from some trees down there. They are California Wild Fruits!" He munched more of it.
"Wonder how you know that" Joyce interrupted them. She had blood stains on her right palm and on her left palm, was a jackrabbit.
"I've got dinner!" She said. And walked up to the campfire to josh it.
"Doesn't she..... Smile?" Kevin whispered to Cole.
"Why do you care?" Cole asked, teasing Kevin.
"Ohhh.... What are you thinking now uh?" Kevin face has changed. Cole was laughing.
And soon, the joshed flesh was ready and as the moon showed it's full form, they all, except Lenora, gathered round the campfire, to eat it.
"Where is Lenora?" Cole suddenly asked.
"She must be inside... Trying to force some piece of junk into her head" Kevin said, garbled.
"She needs food. Why didn't Joy go give her her portion?" Cole asked, as if Joyce wasn't there.
"Excuse me!.... It's Joyce!" They couldn't figure out what made Joyce mad all of a sudden.
"There is no difference whatsoever!" Kevin said
Cole went inside, with his remaining portion of his chaffed jackrabbit.
"Still finding info?" He asked, as he found Lenora still sitting, cross-legged, flapping pages of huge Latin books.
"Can't seem to find any yet!" She answered
"Here. You have to eat first" Cole offered her the food.
"This is yours, right?" Lenora asked
"Yh. They didn't keep yours" He answered
"Just eat!"
"Thanks!" She began to digest the food.
Birds seemed to have gone to rest. There was no noice. Silence has rested all over the place, all over the woodland but then, only four teens were the awake vocals, watching and hoping they'd find what they were assigned to look for.