“You don"t have to leave.” Paul said as he pulled the truck to a stop beside the bus station.
“No, but I think I should.” Mason countered. “I"ve learned a lot, and I need some time to put it into practice.” He turned to look at Paul. “Thank you for everything. I promise to keep learning.”
“Just be careful out there.” Paul said. “Don"t show your hand. Stay out of crowds. Don"t trust water that isn"t free flowing.”
Mason smiled and nodded. “I"ll be careful. When I get home, we"ll have to get together.”
“I"d like that.”
Mason climbed out of the truck and pulled his freshly repacked pack from the back, shrugging into it before waving and heading for the station. He crossed dirty concrete to the window and smiled at the woman behind the glass. “I need a ticket to Washington D.C. please.”
