Alex

I sent another message.

Explain how there are now four numbers in this text group.

Then I waited for what seemed like forever nothing.

I did not return to my podcast for the next stretch of the drive.

I had reasoned with myself that perhaps the whole podcast I was listening to for almost eight hours was getting to me, and that I had somehow over-exaggerated the extent of the interactions.

I had, yes, it was improbable that this was all an organic course of events for the day, but not impossible.

I forced myself to listen to the soothing lo-fi music as I drove.

I kept

myself hydrated I practiced deep breathing techniques I needed to let it go I only needed to get through Missouri and then I'd be in Kansas and then I'd be safe with my grandparents before I knew it after what felt like forever I crossed the state line I did not want to stop the pleasure aspect of my trip was no longer about enjoying the scenery and the various states I was traveling through my pleasure would not come until I was finished driving and out of my car to my detriment Missouri was the longest stretch of the drive and I was forced to stop for gas

So I resigned to stick to the original plan.

I pulled into the Missouri Welcome Center.

At that point, even though it absolutely terrified me, I knew what was going to happen when I walked inside.

I was resigned to this fact.

So I took a deep breath, got out of the car and stretched my legs.

I surveyed the landscape around me, dragging my feet.

I even went and took a selfie with the Welcome to Missouri sign.

As I was about to walk into the building, I noticed that the trees, shrubs, flowers, grass, birds, butterflies, clouds, everything looked super familiar.

I opened up the photo's application on my phone and looked at the pictures from the first two stops identical now as I concluded it was not possible.

My tear rose once again.

It was time to go inside.