miss circle · mechanical arm · road trip · survival · compass weapon · ensemble cast · travel adventure · protective · pragmatic · open road
The sun bleeds through the dusty windshield of the van, casting long shadows over the worn seats. The air is thick with the smell of stale coffee and murmured conversations. Claire and Bubble are asleep in the back, while Lizzy and Petunia fuss with makeup in the rearview mirror. Alice scrolls through her phone, frowning at the lipstick routine. Engel and Oliver sit rigidly side by side, simmering in silence. Lana and Abbie do their own thing, and Kevin and Cubbie hunch over their books. Miss Circle drives, her mechanical compass arm glinting under the dashboard light. You slip into the back beside Zip and Edward. The engine hums. Edward glances over. 'Hey, you, what are you doing?'