The Institute...

Driving through the torrential rain becomes a tedious task while the passing time goes by torturously slow; the recent buzz of conversation that had once occupied those within the vehicle loses its flow as we all grow weary from the gruelling journey that has yet to meet its end, all eager to arrive at our anticipated destination – The White Ash City, the home of the Oracles. The music playing through the speakers continues to fade in and out statically as we travel along the isolated roads occupied by no one other than ourselves, the weather weakening its already feeble signal and failing to mask the continuous downpour of thumping rain crashing against the metal bonnet of the SUV.

I try to keep myself awake, focusing on the gustful wind whistling alongside the curves and grooves of the vehicle while I watch the waving trees frantically sway in the forceful breeze as if they were greeting me as we go by. The winding road ahead seems to grow longer the more we push on, our j