RIPTIDE ▹ THE ORIGINALS

five; closer

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Three hours into the fourteen-hour drive is when River started to become antsy. Her utter excitement mixed with the deafening silence did not bode well for her. It was strange; she had always loved silence; the peaceful unknown that carried no expectations for it's existence. Despite this, sometimes the silence doesn't quite stay silent.

Thoughts - so many thoughts running rapid, wild, throughout her mental jungle. But do you know what stops those thoughts, even if only for a second? Noise.

"So, mystery saint, what's your name?" the girl asked, averting her eyes from the window she had been staring out of.

"I thought we agreed on no talking," the blond man deadpanned, a single hand on the steering wheel and the other resting on the jutting arm rest made of glossed wood and leather.

"Come on," River groaned. "If we're gonna be in the same moving vehicle for eleven more hours we might as well know eachother's names."

With no response from the still unnamed driver, River took the initiative to introduce herself first. "Fine, Mister No-Name. I'm River, but most people call me Riv or Rivvie. Whatever floats your boat."

The silence drawled on, the man's unamused blue irises still staring at the road.

"Even my grandma talks more than you do - and she's dead," River droned on, sinking into her seat just as Mister No-Name had.

Sensing that the teenager would not be shutting her mouth any time soon, he decided to answer her question in hope that she would be content. "Klaus," he said, rolling his eyes.

A grin crept onto the girl's face. "Nice to meet you, Klaus."

"Yes, well, I would say the same, though considering that our first interaction was you jumping in front of my car, I don't think I can."

River bit her cheek, knowing that he was right. "Yeah . . . sorry about that," she breathed. "Not many people pass through the Appalachians, especially the road you were on. I saw a chance and I took it. You just happened to be the one person unlucky enough to be the recipient of what most would call a suicide attempt." 

Klaus quirked an eyebrow at that statement. "And what exactly would you call it?"

River pondered it for a moment. It hadn't exactly dawned on her why she felt the unnatural urge to just jump into the road on nothing more than a prayer. Perhaps it was the adrenaline mixed with the crave for family clouding her sense of judgement, or maybe she just didn't care whether she lived or died. Deciding that it was unimportant, River shook her head. "I would call it not having any other option," she spoke, turning her head back out the window. 

Though he was would certainly deny it if asked, the man's usually intimidating blue eyes softened at the girl, before he turned his gaze back to the road now being overtaken with a fast-approaching nightfall.

"What are you headed to New Orleans for?" Klaus initiated, which surprised River.

"I'm looking for someone - my sister," she hesitantly replied. The girl barely knew this 'Klaus' fellow, but felt as though she owned him some sort of explanation. "I haven't seen her in years, and apparently she was last headed for New Orleans. What about you?"

"It's a long story, love."

"I think we're okay on time," River replied sarcastically.

Klaus paused for a moment, appearing to be picking his words carefully. "I'm looking for someone as well, but not for the reasons you are. I believe her to be . . . dangerous, of sorts; someone that cannot be trusted, and I intend to figure out what she has planned."

The girl stared at him for a moment, eyebrows raised. "No offense, but you sound a little paranoid."

"Perhaps I am - but it's better to be paranoid than ignorant."

"Can't argue with you there. I was blissfully ignorant for a long time, but I guess everyone shows their true colors eventually, huh?" She replied, though it sounded more like a statement than a question - no doubt, about her parents. River didn't hate them, but she sure as hell didn't respect them. Anyone who turns their back on family - blood or not - doesn't deserve anyone's respect.

"Yes. Yes, they do," Klaus agreed, shooting the teen a quick nod. "Not to be intrusive, but what were you doing out so far into the woods? I assumed that this road would a no-mans-land, especially since there's nothing in sight out here for miles."

"I walked. A lot. Then, I met this woman who was gracious enough to bring me back to her . . . sanctuary, where I met other people like her. I stayed there for a night and left this morning, and then walked some more, which brought me to this main road," she replied quickly, not really feeling up to sharing her whole life's story. "Oh, and if you see any 'missing kid' posters, just ignore them, por favor y gracias," she added and gave him a quick thumbs-up.

Klaus raised his eyebrows and opened his mouth to reply, but quickly closed it. "I won't even ask."

"Good idea," the teen nodded, her mouth a tight line.

From that point on, a new wave of silence entered the car, except this time she welcomed it with open arms. It was peaceful, which River was thankful for. Soon enough, her dark blue, almond-shaped eyes grew heavier and heavier with every blink, puling her into a dark abyss of calm.

"Hayley!" a young brunette - no older than eight - shouted, a bright smile on her peach-colored face as she waved her arms around.

A teenaged green-eyed brunette spun around and walked over to the girl, wearing a curious grin. "What's up, Rivvie?"

"Here," River replied, holding up a fuzzy dandelion puff. "Make a wish!" she giggled.

The girl put an arm around her younger sister and closed her eyes, letting the chirp of the cicadas echo throughout the forest. "I wish that, maybe, one day, we'll travel the world together and visit awesome places with awesome food and we'll be happy forever," Hayley spoke, taking a seat on a fallen tree and motioning for River to follow.

"Can Yellow come too?"  the small child asked with bright, hopeful eyes, hugging her ironically grey stuffed wolf, to her chest.

"Of course! You can bring anything you want, even Yellow."

"Good," young River sighed in relief, earning a giggle from the teen. "Hey, Hayley?" she meekly spoke.

"Yeah?"

"I love you."

"I love you too, River - so much," Hayley replied, pulling her baby sister into her arms, once again letting the cicadas fill their welcoming ears.

Still caught up in her dream world, the girl's frame shivered against the seat, her hands crossed over her abdomen and her head drooped slightly forward. Klaus glanced over at her, letting a breath escape his lips. He lifted his hands off of the steering wheel for a moment while he took off his jacket, haphazardly laying it over her lap. Truth be told, it wouldn't really faze him if the girl lived or died, but he was rooting for her. A kid just trying to look for her family was someone that he would attempt to hold back from murdering. She deserved a fighting chance in a world catered towards evil. That, he truly believed.

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next stop: NOLA! buckle your seatbelts, ya'll. I'll try to keep this short and sweet, so, as always, thank you for reading <3 it means the world to me.