Seraphina's Awakening

Chapter Ten: Longest Night Ever

They stumble out of the club arm in arm. Amanda leans over starting to tell her something before bursting into hysterical giggles.

"I guess I'm driving." That only starts another set of giggles. "That's a yes." Sera guides her over to where she could have sworn the car was. The street is completely vacant except for a few yellow taxis waiting out front. Her eyes scan the street again just in case.

Amanda laughs. "Where's my car?"

"I don't know," Sera mutters. "Stay here." She points to the sidewalk before unwrapping her arm from Amanda's and walking up to the bouncer gabbing into his cell phone.

"Do you know what happened to our car?"

"They must have towed it." He shrugs, making his muscles gyrate with the motion.

"Towed it?"

"There's no parking on this side."

"What? There's no sign here!"

"It's down there." He points to a rusted sign halfway down the block.

"Why didn't you warn us?"

He shrugs, returning to the conversation on his phone. Jerk. Sera turns, Amanda stands there in her tiny little dress shivering and wobbling in her heels. She has to keep it together to get them home.

"Sera? You're still here!" Jacks voice calls from behind her.

With a sigh, she spins back around, "Our car got towed."

"We can give you a ride!" he announces a little too happily.

"I don't—"

"Just trying to find the friend that drove us here." He keeps glancing around, "Short guy, dark hair, have you seen him?"

"No," she states with a shake of her head. A shiver rakes through her. Sera wraps her arms around herself.

"Crap."

"I guess we are in the same boat," she sighs, "Where do towed cars go?"

"I'm pretty sure the city has an impound lot."

"Great, let's get a cab." Sera wanders up to one of the yellow cabs sitting out front. Leaning in the open window she tells the driver they need a cab to the impound lot.

His dark eyes squint. "How many?"

"Three."

His eyes hold her gaze as he waves the trio inside. She shivers again.

"Amanda, come on. We are going to get your car."

"Okay." Amanda prances toward the cab on her tiptoes and slips around to the other door. Jack motions Sera to slide in first. Sandwiched between her two friends, the cab driver takes off through the city. The cab reeks of food and garbage. Sera has to hold back bile as she turns to Jack.

"Can we open a window?" she mutters leaning toward him.

"It's cold out there." He turns to face her now, his breath hot on her cheek.

"The smell doesn't bother you?" Her face scrunches with her words.

"What smell? That's just the city." Jack waves her off, returning his attention to the window. Sera returns her focus to the cab driver. He's wearing a hat which casts a shadow over his eyes. His gloved hands twist on the steering wheel.

Sera's eyes glance out the front window, the sights around her no longer vast and impressive, just unfamiliar, and a reminder that they are far from home. The cabbie turns around to strum up some conversation.