Misty opened her backpack and found an envelope on top. Inside was a bus ticket from Santa Fe, New Mexico, to Comfort, Texas, as well as a New Mexico state issued ID with her picture but a different name (Greta Farley), birthdate (the ID said she was eighteen instead of seventeen), and an unfamiliar address. Also inside was a bit of cash.
Misty tipped the envelope toward Melody. “I guess ‘Comfort’ was more literal than figurative then. We better hurry. I hope they gave you a better name.”
Melody, blue eyes wide, gulped, and nodded. She trembled and almost dropped her backpack. Misty grabbed it from her and slung both packs over her shoulder. She grasped Melody by the arms and steered her to the bus.
Onboard, Misty looked over the rows of seated passengers, feeling for any warning or misgivings. The vibration felt calm and steady. An aura hung over the passengers of blue to violet, with a few punctuations of orange and yellow.
No one looked at them or seemed to notice them at all. Misty thought it was strange that about half the passengers wore masks over the mouths and noses but dismissed it quickly. Oncesettled in the furthest empty seats back, she pulled the ID out of Melody’s envelope. “Well, Vivian, I hope we have a smooth, uneventful, trip.”
