Group Writing Project #4
Introduction
"Don't put that there! Look at everything else we need to fit in this station wagon!"
"Not to mention seven people."
"Sorry! I'd like to see you give it a try."
Trixie Belden grinned at the sight of her six best friends trying to pack the Bob-White station wagon. As a surprise for her high school graduation, Mr. and Mrs. Wheeler had presented their daughter, Honey, and her best friends with the opportunity to take a summer long road trip. Trixie couldn't think of a better adventure. There's bound to be something mysterious out there, she thought, feeling the goose bumps rise on her arms in anticipation.
"Beatrix! Your immobile state of being declines to either aid or abet our impending departure!"
Trixie rolled her eyes. Although she couldn't see him behind the large pile of camping equipment waiting to be packed, those words could only have escaped the mouth of one person. She walked over to where Mart was sorting through the bags, looking for the perfectly shaped piece to fit into a small opening between two large tents already in the trunk.
"What is that?" Trixie asked, eyeing the brown paper wrapped package that Mart finally selected.
Mart shrugged. "I think it belongs to Brian."
At that moment, the two were joined by their older, dark-haired brother. "Actually, it belongs to a friend at college who asked me to bring it to California when he found out that we were driving there this summer." Scratching his head, he continued, "Honestly, I'm not sure what it is."
"Well, I hope it's not breakable," Trixie remarked wryly as Mart roughly shoved it into place.
"At least I'm doing something to further the chance of us actually departing today," he retorted.
Giving her brother a glare, Trixie joined the rest of the Bob-Whites in their efforts to fit everything into the station wagon.
Finally, with all seven pushing, they were able to get everything in and still manage to latch the back door.
"Whew!" Jim Frayne stood back to look at their handiwork. "Now if we can just get through this trip without ever needing to use anything. . ."
"And if we can manage not to bottom out the car when all seven of us get in," added Dan Mangan as he warily eyed the back bumper which already hung abnormally close to the ground.
"Well, we will never be able to cognize that information if we remain in our present fixed position," Mart broke in. "Who's driving first?"
Six pairs of eyes turned to the slim, black-haired girl leaning against the station wagon. "Oh, fine," replied Diana Lynch, who had proven to possess the uncommon ability to talk her way out of speeding tickets.
"Well, we are running a little late," Honey broke in apologetically.
"Great! Girls get front seat," Trixie said as she climbed in the front door before anyone could protest. And control of the radio, she added in her mind.
Once out on the road, Trixie finally found a station that received no complaints from the back seat. Leaning back, she tried to find a comfortable position. In her attempts, she caught a glimpse in the rearview mirror of a dark blue car which seemed to be driving a little too close to the station wagon. As they made their way through the town of Sleepyside in order to reach the freeway, Trixie kept glancing in the mirror. She felt a growing uneasiness, as each time the car was still there. That's odd, she thought as she opened her mouth to say something, and then closed it as she realized her friends would only say she had a bad case of "mystery-itis".
However, as Di started down the ramp to enter the freeway, Trixie could not stand it any longer. Twisting her petite frame around, she stared out the small space of window above the luggage. The blue car was still there.
"So you noticed it, too?" Di asked, as she skillfully moved into the fast moving traffic.
"Noticed what?" Mart asked, looking up from the Game Boy he had managed to con out of Bobby.
"There's a dark blue car that has been following us since Glen Road," Trixie explained, her eyes straining to get a glimpse of the driver through the dark tinted windshield.
Mart groaned. "This has to be a record. It took you all of fifteen minutes to find a mystery."
Trixie merely glared at him and turned around to face the front again. I don't care what you think, Mart Belden, she fumed inwardly. There's something mysterious going on . . .