The Librarian

We had been driving for six hours...and we hadn't stopped. Needless to say, I was hungry and I needed a bathroom. NOW.

"Are we there yet?" I whined.

"Did'chu really ask me tha' question?" The truck driver drawled.

"I'm sorry, but I really need to go to the bathroom and I'm HUNGRY." I pouted.

"Fine." He said, pulling over and sliding a map out from under his seat. He whipped it open, papers flying wildly into my face.

"Oh, so now you don't know where you're going?" I pulled my lavender hair away from my mouth and spitting the slimy paper out.

"I knaw whare I'M going, but I'm notta girl."

"HEY!" I protested. "I drank coffee!"

"Not ma prob'm." He muttered.

"Besides, YOU need a shower." I smirked, crossing my arms. He slid his glasses down and glared at me over the rim. I did a double take - They were a pale, bright orange color.

"Yew wanna walk to the next rest stop?" He growled.

"No." I said.

"Then don' complain!"

I crossed my arms and stared out the window. "Whatever."

He grabbed an old cigarette from the dashboard and lit it up, the stench wafting around the cab. I wrinkled my nose and cracked my window for some fresh air.

"Here we go." He pointed to the map, tapping it twice and crumpling it up.

"Why?" I moaned into my hands.

He shifted into gear and floored the accelerator. He whispered something that I couldn't understand, and frankly, I didn't care.

"Finally." I looked up to see a black wall looming in front of us. I screamed, and the driver swerved out of the way, careening over a cliff and tumbling into a huge lake. I heard something snap, and searing pain shot up my arm.

"Not again..." I cried. Bubbles tricked up the bus windows. I banged on the windows, kicking and yelling, anything to make a hole that I could get out of. I dislodged a sheet of metal and dragged myself through, but something wrapped around my ankle and dragged me down into darkness.

I woke up coughing black water. I bent over, clearing my lungs, my pale purple hair hanging in wet strands in front of my face.

"You didn't have to drown her, Charon." A gravelly voice grated over my ears.

"I didn't sir."

"She's coughing up water after being passed out for an hour and her arm is broken. I thought I said to deliver her in one piece!"

"I did, sir!"

"No, you delivered her broken."

"She's a mortal."

"I'm not broken!" I choked, standing up, wobbly on my feet. A tall man in a dark suit, hair neatly slicked back stood in front of me with the smelly truck driver next to him.

"Look at your arm, sweetheart." He gestured. I looked down at the fracture, along with the remnants of the bite and burn.

"It looks nasty." I grimaced.

"Yeah."

"You gonna make fun of me or help me?"

He smirked. "You're my son's girlfriend, so, I guess I have to.

Needless to say, my jaw dropped.

Notes