Chapter 7 - Very short, and, ironically, everyone who told me to blog as I wrote is too busy to read. Yeah, that one's for you, Grape :-P

I wake up in the back of a van. The first thought that runs through my head is a rather unpleasant one, followed by an increasingly more unpleasant one. It then occurs to me that there really are no good reasons or thoughts one can think when one wakes up in the back of a van. This is generally not a good situation.
I sit up slowly, immediately regretting the peanut butter, and look toward the front. The driver is a woman. Short – probably shorter than me. Dark hair, almost unnaturally dark – darker than black.
The stereo is turned up to some awful country station. The reception is terrible, the static nearly blocks out the sound entirely. I have a hard time deciding which is worse: the music or the static.
The driver glances back to me. Her dark, round face is familiar, “glad to see that you are awake again. We were not sure what to do after you fell asleep, but we needed to get going, so we just loaded you up. I’m sorry, I hope that you don’t mind too much. It must be a very disconcerting experience.”
“I’m sorry, do I know you?”
“Jaynie, remember? You passed out shortly after we met. You must be exhausted. Your life has been a bit rough the past few years, now has it not? But it will all be alright now, you will see. You were always meant to be here, with us. Not down there.”
“What are we talking about?” I rub my eyes and look out the window, trying to gain some perspective as to where we might be, “The last thing I remember was eating way too much peanut butter and sitting on a really ugly couch. How did I get here? And where is here, anyways?”
“Here is really wherever you would like it t be,” she shrugs and laughs, a sound that seems more than a little misplaced, “where would you like here to be, Anna?”
“I have no idea. Somewhere that makes sense?”
“No where really makes sense, you just think some places do. I’m sorry, a place that makes sense, though, may be the only place that I cannot take you.”
“Yeah, okay,” I squeeze my eyes shut, wondering if now I had fallen asleep, or had I just woken up? I do not even know anymore.
“The others are right behind us. We wanted to take both vans this time, it usually is just more convenient, but you will figure that all out as you get more used to this. We are so happy to have you with us this time, evens out our numbers. Two to each car. Perfect.”
“Yes, but where are we going?”
“On an adventure, Anna,” she laughs again, “you are very strange, you know. You will be fine, though, you will figure it out. They used to train you guys better, though. Oh well, we work with what they give us. Honestly, I was pretty confused when I first got here, too. Taylor will not ever tell you, but he was an absolute wreck – he had no idea what was going on. It took him nearly a year to get adjusted to everything.”
“What is everything that I am supposed to be getting adjusted to?”
“Wow, they really don’t tell you guys anything at all, do they? Well, I guess it will just be easier for you to learn by experience.”
“What are you talking about?”
“You will see, honey. You’ll see.”