"It starts with one thing, I don't know why. It doesn't even matter how hard you try to keep that in mind. I designed this rhyme to explain in due time. All I know time is a valuable thing. Watch it fly by as the pendulum swings. Watch it count down to the end of the day. The clock ticks life away."

-----Linkin Park

Eighteen-year-old Nancy Drew could've sworn she had heard someone call her name, though in the crowd surrounding them it was probably just her imagination. Tucking a strand of strawberry-blonde hair behind her ear, she glanced around her, trying to see through the thick crowd of people. But no seemed to even be looking in her direction.

"That's strange," she muttered to Bess Marvin, her best friend who was standing only a few feet away. She frowned. "I could have sworn I heard someone calling my name."

" Nancy, here?" I doubt---" She suddenly stopped as she glanced behind Nancy, her eyes growing wide. "I take that back. Someone is calling your name."

Nancy turned to see what Bess was talking about, and her jaw dropped. "I don't believe this," she squealed in delight. "It's Frank and Joe!" She threw her hand up to return Frank's wave, then hurried forward to meet the Hardys.

"What are you doing here?" Frank asked as he wrapped Nancy in a bear hug.

"I was about to ask you the same thing," she replied with a huge grin. Keeping a grip on Frank's arm, she took a step back to look at him. "You're looking good, Frank."

"So are you," he replied softly.

Nancy blushed, looking down so that Frank wouldn't notice. Though she had a boyfriend--Ned Nickerson--and Frank had a girlfriend--Callie Shaw--the two had always shared special feelings for each other, had even shared a kiss once or twice. He was the only person, besides Ned, that could make her blush.

Nancy heard a small cough to her left, causing her to look up and at the source of the sound. Joe was standing there, staring at the ground while he drew patterns in the dirt with his shoe. He was obviously trying no to look at the two.

Nancy grinned. If there were one person she could care about more than Frank, it would be Joe. He was always there when she needed someone during the cases they had worked on together.

She let go of Frank and walked over to the younger Hardy. "Hey, Joe," she said, giving him a peck on the cheek. "It's great to see you again."

He smiled as he gave her a warm hug. "It's great to see you, too."

About that time, Bess ran up to the group, followed by the man they had been standing with. "I feel like a duck trying to walk in this thing," Bess complained, brushing imaginary dust off of her bulky lifejacket. "Hey, Frank. Hi, Joe." She gave each of the boys a kiss on the cheek while Nancy looked on, grinning.

The man walked up to the boys' father and stuck out his hand. "It's a pleasure to see you here, Fenton."

Mr. Hardy smiled as he gave the man a firm handshake. "Pleasure's all mine, Carson."

Carson Drew, Nancy's father, was a famous criminal lawyer, and both men had worked together almost as frequently as their children with equal success.

While the two men chatted to each other about cases they had worked on, Frank turned to Nancy. "You never did answer my question. What are you guys doing here? Some undercover work?"

Nancy laughed. "Far from it, thank God. We're on vacation. Right now, we're trying to go rafting, but can't anyone to share a boat with."

"Then you can go with us," he said quickly, looping his arm through hers. "We've got room for three more people."

"This is great," Bess said in a very relieved tone of voice. "I'm glad I'm going to be in a boat with a bunch of strong guys. I'm nervous. Those rapids looked rough on the way here."

"You kids don't know the half of it."

Startled, the group turned, almost in unison, to see who had spoken.

The girl was tall and lean, reminding Joe of a female version of Frank. She wore jean cutoffs and a black spaghetti-strap shirt. She had a red New York baseball hat on, and her silver eyes sparkled at the group. But what Joe couldn't stop staring at, what captivated his attention, was her hair. Hanging from the back of her cap in a long ponytail, it was pure white.

"Are you kids the Hardys?" she asked, looking at each one with a questioning look on her face.

"We are," Frank said, stepping forward and indicating himself and his father and brother. "I'm Frank, my Dad, and this idiot who won't stop staring is my brother, Joe." He gestured to Nancy. "These are friends of ours. Nancy Drew, her father, and her best friend, Bess Marvin."

The girl nodded. "It's nice to meet you all. I'm Kinzer Phillips, Kinzy for short. I'll be your river guide today."

Joe's jaw dropped down another few feet, and Frank couldn't help but grin. "You? But...but you're a girl!"

She put her hands on her hips and stared strait at him. "Yeah? You're a guy. So what?"

"But, Dad said--they said--that, that--"

She smiled at his apparent surprise. "That what? I was the best they had?" She shrugged. "I hate though sound conceited, but it's true. I've grown up on this river, been here all my life. I've been rafting it since I was little. I know everything there is to know about this river, and somethings you don't need to know. I know how to get through all the rapids without a problem. I've never lost anyone."

Fenton walked up and put a hand on his younger son's shoulder, trying not to laugh. Joe's face was already turning red. "Then we couldn't be in better hands." He grinned. "I just think Joe was surprised that a girl would be the one to take him down a stretch of rapids."

Frank smiled to himself as his brother's face turned two shades redder.

"It's all right," Kinzy assured him as she walked over to a dark red raft. "I get that reaction all the time. You think I'd be used to it by now." She pushed the raft into the small lake that was already dotted with multi-colored rafts. Frank knew, from the talk they had gotten at the place where they had rented their gear, that they would practice on this lake before actually getting on the river. "Most of the male guides don't like me too much. They think I'm trying to steal their thunder. Not like we get much." She gestured for the group to get into the raft. "As I'm sure you heard at the rental place, we're going to practice a bit before we hit the rapids. You were right earlier when you said they were rough. This is one of the most dangerous stretches of rapids in the U.S. We've had the most accidents that ended in fatalities."

Bess gulped and clutched the T-grip of her paddle tighter. "You didn't have to tell me that."

"Relax," Nancy said soothingly. "It'll be okay. Remember, Kizky just said she's never lost anyone."

"And I don't plan on starting with you," the white-haired girl assured. "You guys did get the lecture, right? At the rental place?"

They all nodded.

She gave her own nod of satisfaction. "Good. Follow those exact instructions and all you'll have to worry about is enjoying yourself. The rest is up to me." She grinned. "And trust me, you will. This ride is a thrill a minute."

"This is going to be great," Joe said, rubbing his hands together eagerly as his eyes shown with excitement.

Frank smiled to himself. It looked like Joe was back to his old self again.

They practiced in the calm waters of the man-made lake for about ten minutes. Kinzy had them practice going forwards, backwards, and around in circles. She showed them how to surf, and what to do in case one of them were to fall overboard. Then, deciding they had it all down, she directed them to shore.

"We're going to have to carry the raft down the ramp down there," she said, pointing. A concrete ramp flanked on either side by metal rails led down from the lake to the actual river. A line of different colored rafts was already snaking down it. In the distance, the group could hear the angry roar and could just make out the white foam of the river's first rapid.

Kinzy showed them how to lift the raft and how to carry it between the seven of them. They quickly joined the line of rafts and people on the ramp and began to head towards the river.

Joe, who was sharing the back spot with Frank, tried to draw Kinzy into a conversation. "So, how old are you?"

"Seventeen," she replied.

"Wow," Joe said in surprise. "You're the same age as me. I thought you were older."

She smiled at that. "A lot of people do."

"How long have you been a river guide?"

She shrugged. "I've been taking people down this river my entire life, but I've been doing it as an actual job since I was thirteen."

"Is this the only job you have?"

"No." And she didn't explain further.

Nancy leaned back slightly to whisper to Frank. "So, what about you guys? Are you here on a case?"

Frank laughed and shook his head. "No way. Our excuse is the same as yours. We're here on vacation. Male bonding and all that good stuff." He shrugged. "It's nice to be on an actual vacation for once."

"I know what you mean," Nancy said with a grin. It seemed like every time either she or the Hardys went on a vacation, a case came up and they didn't get to enjoy the time off.

By this time, they were almost to the water. Kinzy told them to put the raft down and showed them how to scoot it into the water. "Watch that first step," she warned. "It's a pretty steep drop off."

Soon, everyone except Kinzy was in the raft, floating gently in the water. Carson and Fenton were in the front, Nancy and Bess in the middle, and the brothers in the back. Kinzy, when she was finished checking the raft and anything else that needed to be checked, would sit in a small spot behind Frank and Joe.

Frank glanced at his brother, who was sitting to his left. "Ready to go, bro?" he asked quietly.

Joe flashed him his most wicked grin. "Let's rock-n-roll."

As they paddled on towards the first rapid, Kinzy began to tell them the story behind it. "We call this one Twister, because it has a small but very fast whirlpool in it. Kyakers hate it because they get caught in it and aren't strong enough to get away. Rafters, however, love it. We get to surf." Her eyes twinkled.

Bess eyed the approaching rapidly worriedly, momentarily forgetting to paddle. "Are you absolutely positive this is safe?"

Kinzy gave the frightened girl her most reassuring smile. "Don't worry, you'll be just fine. Just listen to me, and remember what you were told earlier. Besides, you're surrounded by strong guys. And, on top of that, you're sitting in the middle, which is the safest place to be."

Bess let out an audible sigh of relief and visibly relaxed. Nancy just grinned.

"Okay, guys," Kinzy suddenly said, the excitement evident in her voice. "we're only seconds away from hitting your first rapid. When I say 'in', you get in. And fast. This is a wild ride , and it can be dangerous if you take unnecessary risks. It's better to be inside the raft and, if you ask me, a whole lot more fun."

Joe's face was set with a determined look, but Frank could see the excitement that lay underneath it. As usual, Joe was itching for action.

Kinzy tightened her grip on her paddle, watching the rolling water carefully. Now that they were closer to the rapid, Bess could see the furiously swirling waters that made up the whirlpool. Her face turned a deathly shade of white, and she clutched her paddle so hard her fingers soon turned the color of her face. "Here me go," Joe said in a low voice behind her.

Just as they were about to enter the rapid, Kizy leaned way back and stuck her paddle into the water. "In!" she shouted, fighting to be heard over the roaring water.

The four teens and the two older men quickly slid into the raft, holding their paddles across their laps. Almost as soon as he was in, Frank could feel the raft start to spin, fast and furious. Joe let out a war whoop, and Bess screamed in terror. Frank just help on tightly to his paddle, but he could feel his adrenaline pumping like never before.

Suddenly, the boat shot forward, free from the waters of the whirlpool. Kinzy started paddling like mad. Joe was amazed. He had never seen anyone move their arms so fast.

"Out!" she ordered. Immediately, they all scrambled back to their places on the edge of the raft. Kinzy quickly got them to paddle, and they were soon free of the rapid.

Joe's breath came out in a woosh. "Man," he said quietly, eyes wide. "What a rush!"

Kinzy grinned at his enthusiasm. "Gives you a high, doesn't it?'

"You bet!" Joe's face was stretched into the widest grin Frank had ever seen on his brother. He didn't think it would be fading anytime soon.

Nancy looked over at Bess. Her face was no longer white and seemed to have relaxed a little, though she still maintained her death grip on her paddle. Nancy leaned towards her. "Are you okay?" she asked softly.

Bess nodded." Yeah," she said in a small voice. She even gave a little smile. "In fact, it was kind of fun."

Nancy grinned and patted her friend on the shoulder. "See? I told you it wasn't so bad."

"What's the next rapid like?" Fenton asked from the front of the boat. He was getting into this almost as much as his sons were.

"It's the same as the last one," Kinzy replied. "A Class Three. It's called Chance. Kyakers take a big chance going through her. A lot of them don't make it out in one piece."

"Sounds like fun," Joe said. Bess just turned and stared at him, eyes wide. His grin stretched even further. "Do we get to hit any big ones? Like Hell's Hole on the Occoee?"

"You've been down that stretch?" Kinzy asked, sounding pleased. "Did you go down the regular one, or the Olympic?"

"Regular."

"Ahh. I like it, but the Olympic one--that's where they held the Atlanta Olympics--is much better."

Joe shook his head. "I haven't been down that one yet."

"You should go. It's a wild ride." Her silver eyes sparkled, and Frank could tell she was warming up to the subject. "But it's well worth it. You'll have to try it some time."

"Definitely." Joe kept paddling, along with the rest, as the roaring noise of Twister faded behind them.

"So what do you think, bro?" Frank asked, finally getting a word in. "Does this beat climbing that monster or what?"

"Or what!" Joe agreed whole-heartidly. "Talk about getting your thrills. This is great. I'm glad you suggested it, Dad."

Fenton tossed a smile over his shoulder at his son. "Me too, Joe. Me too."

Taking advantage to the relatively peaceful moment, Nancy again leaned back to talk to Frank. "So, how long are you guys going to be here, toughing the wilderness?"

"Two weeks," Frank answered. He sighed happily. "Two weeks of climbing, canoeing, and hiking. Two weeks without a case. Two weeks without a care in the world."

Nancy shot a quick glance over at Joe, whose face held a look she had seen before only on mad men. She dropped her voice to a whisper. "I need to talk to you later," she said to Frank, keeping her eyes on Joe. "Away from your brother."

Frank looked surprised, but nodded. "Sure. Anything you want, Nancy."

Good." She nodded and went back to her rowing.

Joe and Kinzy, finding their common ground, had now struck up a lively conversation about white water rafting. The girl seemed surprised and pleased at how much he knew and at the passion with which he spoke. Frank wasn't surprised. His little brother had become passionate about many things lately, trying to get away from Iola and the pain she had caused.

"So, the Ocoee is the only river you've gone down?" Kinzy asked.

"Yup. Frank and I have been down it...what? Four times now? This is only the second river we've gone down." He made a face. "I wish it was more."

"Well, at least you've had a little experience," she assured him. "The Occoee's a pretty tough ride."

"You have no idea," he muttered quietly, thinking about the sniper that had been trying every possible way to kill him and Frank during that last trip down the river.

Kinzy grinned, and a faraway look came into her eyes. "I remember the first time I went down the river. Talk about being scared! I was hanging on to my brother as tight as I could and refusing to get down and into the boat. They finally got me in, though. I think they bribed me with a Barbie. Once I got in the water, though, I realized how much fun it was and how much I liked it." Suddenly she sat up, the light fading from her eyes, and grinned. "Sounds lik Chance is getting ready for us."

Joe strained his ears, and he could just make out the sound of rushing water. He tightened his grip on his paddle in anticipation. "Let's do it!"

Fifteen minutes and three rapids later, Joe's enthusiasm had still not diminished one bit. If nothing else, it had grown. Frank watched his brother in fascination, taking in Joe's eager face and powerful strokes. My arms are killing me, and I'm real tired, he thought, but Joe hasn't even slowed down! It's like he's Superman all the sudden. I wonder why?"

Kinzy dipped her paddle into the water and held it still, instructing the others to do the same. The raft came to a swift halt, gently bobbing in the water. "Okay, folks. This is where you get to get out and swim."

Bess's eyes went wide, and she stared at Kinzy in astonishment. "Swim?" she asked, looking at the water.

"Sure," the white-haired girl said with a grin. "You guys get to swim. I'll take the raft and come down the river beside you. It's old, but it's fun. Gives you a break from paddling."

Bess still eyed the water warily. "I don't know...."

There was a loud splash, and Frank turned just in time to see that water spray upward as Joe dove in. He resurfaced a minute later and shook his head like a dog, sending a little spray of water out from under his helmet. All the passengers in the boat yelled and threw their arms up for protection. Except for Kinzy. She just laughed at the spectacle.

"Woah!" Joe said, blinking in shock. "I's cold!" Then he grinned. "But it feels so good!"

"If it's that cold, then maybe you shouldn't be in there," Frank said, his big brother-ness kicking in.

"Oh, come on, Frank. Where's your sense of adventure?" When Frank still looked doubtful, Joe splashed him.

Frank was still for a minute; the shock of the cold water hitting him leaving him stunned. He just sat and blinked. Then he gave a sly grin. "Well, if that's the way you want to play it..."

He quickly laid his paddle aside and jumped in after his brother, who was laughing. As soon as he came up, he hit Joe with a wave of water. They quickly began to splash each other, much to the amusement of the others.

Kinzy chuckled and turned to her remaining four passengers. "Anyone else brave enough to join?"

Fenton quickly laid his paddle down. "I'm not letting my kids have all the fun." And he joined the fight.

Nancy looked at her friend and father and shrugged. "I'm game."

Bess shook her head vehemently. "No way. Not me. That water is way too cold."

"Too bad!" Nancy laid cheerily, linking her arm through her friend's. Then she jumped overboard, dragging Bess with her. Her father quickly followed.

By this time, an all-out war had erupted between the three drenched Hardys. Kinzy just watched them, and amused grin on her face.

Joe noticed her and returned the grin. "Hey, Kinzy! Why don't you come in and join us?"

"I can't," she called back. "I have to stay with the raft."

He looked disappointed. "Some other time then?"

"Some other time."

"Is that a promise?"

Kinzy laughed. "Yes, that's a promise."

Joe opened his mouth to say something else, but Frank grabbed him by the shoulders and pushed him under the water.

Kinzy just shook her head ad continued to paddle the boat forward.

Minutes later, all six passengers--drenched, but happy--had been hauled back into the boat and were soon paddling forward again.

"So, where are you staying?" Kinzy asked the younger Hardy.

Joe scrunched his nose and described their campsite as best as he could. Which wasn't easy. He had only been there two days.

Kinzy finally nodded. I Know where you're at now. Not far from the grove. Do you mind if I come by and pick you up in the morning? I'll take you climbing, rappelling, and swimming like you've never known."

Joe gave a wicked grin. "I've never backed down from a challenge before, and I'm not about to start. I'd love to!"

"Seven, then? I know that's early, but we want to beat the crowds."

"Seven it is."

"Good." Kinzy nodded.

Frank, who was laughing with Nancy, heard nothing of this. Joe shot his brother an annoyed look and turned silent, concentrating only on paddling. Kinzy noticed this and frowned slightly, but said nothing.

"Next rapid is getting pretty close," she finally said. "This one is a Class Four, like Hell's Hole. It's called S.S."

"Why?" asked Carson, always curious.

Kinzy flashed them her most wicked grin. "It stands for 'sunk ship.' This is the place where most rafts hit trouble."

Bess gulped. "Just when I was starting to enjoy this."

"Don't worry," Kinzy said reassuringly, the devilish grin still on her face. "This is my favorite rapid, and we are going to ride it out the right way and in style."

"And what way is that?" asked Frank, though he suspected he already knew the answer.

Her silver eyes sparkled. "We surf!"

Finally, to everyone's dismay, the rise was over. As they dragged the boat ashore, Joe felt his adrenaline start to fade, and he began to feel disappointed and sad again.

They all came by and thanked Kinzy, Joe being last. He stuck out a hand. "Thanks for everything, Kinzy. The ride was great. I wish it could have lasted longer." He grinned. "See you tomorrow?"

"You bet. And you're welcome." She grinned and dropped his hand.

As they turned their rental stuff back in, Nancy elbowed Frank. "Ride with me." she said. "We need to talk."

"Right." He quickly told his father his plans, promising to meet him and Joe back at the campsite, then walked with Nancy to her blue Mustang.

Joe watched them speed off with a pang in his heart that quickly turned to anger. This was their vacation: his, Frank's, and their father's. Why did Nancy have to show up? In fact, she seemed to show up every time they tried to get away. The sparks between her and Frank flew, and suddenly Joe was pushed to the back of his brother's mind.

I'm glad I'm going with Kinzy tomorrow, he thought. He looked at where they girl was standing with a group of other guides, probably discussing their trips down the river. Sensing she was being looked at, she turned, grinned, and gave a little wave. He smiled and waved back. I'm going to stay out as long as I can with her. Maybe all day. With Nancy around, Frank won't even notice I'm gone.

The trio in the Mustang sat silent for awhile as the road rushed by under the tires. Finally, Frank had to say something. He was anxious to know what Nancy wanted to talk to him about. Especially since she didn't want to say it in front of Joe.

"So, what's up?"

Nancy sighed. She had been using the silence to try and figure out how she was going to phrase this without insulting or alarming Frank. Finally, she just settled on bluntness.

"It's Joe," she said matter-of-factly. She instantly regretted it when she saw the statement on Frank's face and softened her voice. "How's he doing? It's been what? A month since his girlfriend died?"

"A month," Frank answered softly. He sighed and shook his head. "He's...holding up. He's been a little wild and crazy ever since, maybe too much. You saw how he was acting today. I heard him talking to Dad last night about how much she would have loved to have been here. It's the first time he's talked about her since...since the accident."

Bess, in the backseat, laid a sympathetic hand on his shoulder. "Don't worry, Joe's tough. He'll be fine."

Frank smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes. "I know he will." At least, I hope so.

In the van, Joe had told his father about his plans for the next day. Fenton had eagerly agreed with the trip, silently thinking how good it could be for his younger son. Now, Joe stared in silence out the window.

"So, you want to talk about it?" the detective asked after a lengthy silence.

Joe sighed. He knew he couldn't keep anything from their father. "It's--it's Frank. This is our vacation. We're supposed to be together. But Nancy shows up, as usual, and now we won't matter to him anymore. At least, I won't. I wasn't planning on being gone very long tomorrow. Now--now Frank won't even know I'm gone." He felt his eyes fill with tears and stubbornly tried to keep them back.

"Joe, that's not fair."

"Maybe not, but it's true and you know it. He gets this way everytime Nancy's around."

"Frank is your brother," Fenton said sternly, though he was, sadly, agreeing with him. "He cares for you very much. He and Nancy---"

"Stop," Joe commanded, raising a hand. "I don't want to hear anymore. Let Frank and Nancy have their fun. I'm going to have mine."

The younger Hardy fell silent, staring out the window, and said nothing more for the rest of the trip.

As he continued to drive, Fenton kept glancing at his son from the corner of his eye, feeling helpless. He didn't like this turn Joe had suddenly taken. Not one bit.

"So, are you guys doing anything tomorrow?" Nancy asked as they approached the Hardy's campsite. Frank had been directing Nancy to it as they talked, and she was pleased to discover that it wasn't very far from her own.

"Not yet," he replied with a shrug. "Tomorrow's my day to pick what we do." He grinned. "You guys want to come with us?"

"You know I'd love to," she blurted out without thinking, then blushed, turning a deep red. She had sounded way too eager.

"Good," Frank said, sounding just as happy as Nancy. "Now, I'll I have to do is actually think of something to do." He paused, then his eyes lit up. "Hey, I got it! How does hiking sound?"

"Perfect!" Nancy glanced in her rearview mirror to see a blond head lying against the window. "How about you, Bess? You up for some hiking tomorrow?"

"Sure," replied a sleepy voice from the backseat.

Nancy grinned. "She'll love it," she assured Frank. The Mustang came to a halt beside the black van. "What time do you want me to meet you here?"

"How does eight sound?" Frank asked as he climbed out of the car.

"Like music," Nancy replied, grinning. "See you then!"

"Bye." Frank stood back and watched as the car sped away. He waited until he could no longer see the car before walking over to the camp.

He immediately knew something was wrong as he surveyed the scene before him. Joe sat in front of the tent, leaning against a pole, headphones on, music blaring as he read a magazine. His father sat on a log on the opposite side of the fire, absently drawing in the dirt with a stick.

"Hi, Dad," he said, sitting down next to him.

Fenton grinned. "Hello, Frank. Have you decided what you want to do tomorrow? It's your day, remember?"

"Yeah, and I wanna go hiking," Frank answered. "I asked Nancy and the others to come along with us. So it'll be me, you, Joe, Nancy, Bess, and Mr. Drew."

"No, it won't," Fenton said somewhat sadly, shaking his head.

Frank eyed him. "What do you mean?"

Fenton sighed. "Joe's not going."

"What?" Frank cried, jumping up. "What do you mean, Joe's not going? Of course he is!"

"No, he's not. Kinzy asked him to go with her tomorrow, and he really wants to." He shrugged. "I told him he could. It might be good for him."

Frank's mouth was set in a grim line as he stalked over to his brother, who seemed unaware that Frank was even there. He reached down and angrily yanked off the headphones.

"Hey!" Joe shouted, putting his hands over his ears, which were burning. He looked up, saw Frank looming over him, and scowled. "What's your problem?"

"You," Frank said furiously. "We're on vacation, together, and you go off, making dates! This is time we're supposed to spend as a family."

"Look who's talking," Joe replied sarcastically, getting to his feet and returning his brother's angry gaze. "I'll bet you've already made plans with Nancy tomorrow. Didn't you?"

"Yes. I don't--"

"Is she family?"

"Well, no." Frank's eyes suddenly narrowed. "But tomorrow is my day to pick, and if I want Nancy and the others to go, then they'll go."

"And you wouldn't even notice I was there," Joe shot back, his eyes blazing. "You'd be too busy talking to Nancy. Doing everything with Nancy. Catching up with Nancy. I wouldn't exactly call that 'family time'.''

Frank opened his mouth to say something, a retort of some kind, but couldn't. Joe just stood there, arms crossed, eyebrows lifted, waiting for him to say something. But he didn't. Instead, he turned and angrily stalked away.

Joe sat back down and placed his headphones back on, cranking the music up even louder. He picked up his fallen car magazine, dusted it off, and began to look through it once more.

Fenton just shook his head sadly as he heard the van door slam. A minute later, it started up and tore away, leaving a cloud of dust behind. It looked as if their vacation was ruined already.

Promises Made