And we took this journey in a dream, not quite sure where we were stopping--
They sat on the hood of the DeSoto, parked beside a cheap roadside dive that specialized in greasy onion rings, stale pretzels, and slightly warm beer. Spooky cradled a Budweiser close to his chest, trying to protect whatever coolness remained in the darkened bottle. Beside him, Domino was munching into a small bag of deep fried zucchini, sipping from a styrofoam cup of pink lemonade. The two watched clouds as they lazily meandered across the horizon, the heat of the sun barely phased them. Off in the distance, a snake was sunning itself on a rock, and a line of ants were making their way towards a raised mound of dirt.
The clink of the empty bottle against the hood, “feels pretty good doesn’t it?”
“Feels like we’re still slacking off,” Domino countered.
Spooky leaned over and snatched a piece of zucchini, chewing on it thoughtfully. The glass beer bottle flew into a trash can, hitting the empty bottom with the hollow sound of breaking glass. “You’re not really embracing the concept of taking a break.”
The young man rolled his eyes, discarding the empty bag and sliding off the hood. In truth, he couldn’t really think of anything better to be doing, they were at a dead end. Spooky joined him, the two taking their time getting into the car, easing onto the scorching leather seats. Air conditioner went on, music went up, and they were on the road again.
-
Hours later, they were nearly at the border. Under the cover of starlight, an old motel advertised free cable, and the ‘V’ in vacancy flickered like something out of a horror movie. It wasn’t the Hilton, but Domino insisted (with drooping eyes), that they stop for the night. The beds were creaky, and the sheets were in questionable condition- it was about what Spooky expected.
“This looks a lot like the office,” Domino said as he flipped through some of the local channels.
“I’m offended, our office has more charm,” Spooky waved a dismissive hand at his partner and stretched out across one of the beds.
Apollo rejoined them earlier in the day, and was now resting in the shadows atop the old wooden T.V. stand. Spooky nodded to his presence and the animal snorted at him. On the wall, the clock ticked on; the sound of it’s hands slowly turning and the dull buzz of the television lulled the three to sleep.