Chapter One: Magic in the Air Plot in Soul Quest

Plot points/Scenes

1. In the car 2. Main roads turn into back roads. 3. The compass starts moving and the GPS goes out. 4. Gas station 5. The old couple and their blue sedan 6. Missing Persons poster board 7. The compass spins as they approach a covered bridge. 8. On the other side of the bridge, a sign welcomes them to Harmony. 9. They get out of the car to investigate but see nothing. 10. They drive into town.

Themes

Vulnerability without technology The Lost and The Missing Entering the unknown

Exposition

The story opens with Danica in the backseat of Bonnie, Ritchie's '69 Ford Thunderbird. Jesse sits in the front passenger seat, his seat buckled, occasionally checking the GPS on his phone to orient himself with their location. Ritchie sits in the driver's seat, tapping on the steering wheel along with the drumbeats of his beloved rock and roll as it blasts through the car's updated sound system. The humidity's high and the windows are down. Danica stares out at the scenery passing by as they drive through the state of Georgia.

On the seat beside her sits a potted hydrangea which homes the soul and spirit of Thomas Winthrop Crowley, who wrote Secrets of the Spirit Realm, which Dan definitely means to read but can't right now because reading in the car makes her nauseous. Tom doesn't have much to say; he's just happy to be there, free from Moira's garden.

The compass, which "points to magic and spins when you've found it", sits on the dashboard. So far, the needle has pointed straight and true, but now it shifts direction. Ritchie exits the freeway and drives from main roads to back roads, following its heading, until they are surrounded by wilderness without a sign of civilization in sight.

Conflict

Jesse loses the GPS signal on his phone. They keep following the compass, even though they have no idea where they are. There are no signs or landmarks, just road and trees and overgrowth. The pavement turns to dirt and gravel. Ritchie notices they are low on gas and will need to stop soon. Jesse has to use the restroom and Dan wants drinks and snacks. They drive on, hoping to find a place along the way.

Rising Action

At last, they find an old gas station with old-fashioned pumps. Although it looks run down, the place is open. Ritchie pulls up to a pump to refill Bonnie's tank.

Dan notices a blue sedan, sitting outside the gas station. She notes the interesting bright steely color of the car, the Michigan plates (these people are even further from home than they are) and the "My Granddaughter is an Honor Student" bumper sticker on the back.

The owners of the car are an elderly couple. Ignoring her husband's protests because "What is it about men and asking for directions?" the woman asks Ritchie, Jesse, and Dan if they know where they are and how to get back to the highway. Their GPS signal got lost and so did they. Jesse admits the same thing happened to them and they don't know where they are either. The woman suggests asking the gas station clerk.

On her way inside, Dan spots an old payphone. She gawks at it for a moment as she's never seen one in real life. Then she forgets about it and enters the building. The old couple are talking to the clerk. Dan walks past them to use the restroom. Then she gathers food and drinks for herself. By the time she reaches the counter, the old couple have left.

On the wall by the register, there is a board covered in posters, photos, and flyers, for people who are missing. Dan feels uneasy looking at all the names and faces of people who are lost, and considers it must be easy to get lost in the middle of nowhere. The cashier gets her attention and she pays for her meal and drinks. Then she meets up with Jesse and Ritchie outside and they eat in the car.

Climax

When they are back in the car and start driving again, the compass begins to spin— slowly at first but then faster and faster until they find themselves at a covered bridge at a crossroads.

Ritchie says, "Good thing this isn't creepy at all." But they've already come this far so they may as well go all the way.

Once they cross the bridge, the compass is spinning like crazy. A sign reads: "Welcome to Harmony— The Most Hospitable Little Town in The South!" Dan asks Ritchie to pull over so they can check the place out. They don't see anything unusual, but the air is unnaturally still and silent but charged with energy.