Post by Lovely on Mar 19, 2011 22:52:00 GMT -5
May 18, 2008
11:30 a.m.
Joy rides involved having no destination and some desire to be out on the open road, blissful and carefree. Marc hadn't met any of the qualifications when he'd set out at sunrise. A week before, he'd started at the library for maps of a place he kept trying to remember and find out where it had been that he'd passed through it - and why. The glimpses in his memory showed him shadows and smudged faces, dark corners and darker grimaces he could scarcely make out against the backdrop of scenery. It was overall a mottled and unpleasant landscape that flashed through his mind repeatedly, but only from the edge of sleep that eluded him. The maps were of no use and scenic guidebooks turned up nothing in the way of landmarks he could ask anyone about. Mile markers taunted him though he couldn't know which state's border the marker counted from - he'd been through several in the past year. He paid no attention the markers on a given day, so it was strange to have this one planted so solidly in memory. Beyond just needing to identify the place and what he'd done there, he had no reason to go - or did he? The images nagged at him during waking hours the past three days like something he was warned not to forget, something important, something he needed to accomplish in this lifetime. It was the sort of nagging like the dreams of walking into a classroom on the day of the test you didn't study for - he didn't know this place but -knew- it at the same time. He wasn't sleeping enough anyway and still hadn't turned up any new work in town. No customers meant no money to continue to pay rent - again. Now, a handful of hours after sealing his belongings into storage, he was squinting at a long highway with few cars and fewer landmarks than the guidebooks. He was on a mission to erase the dreams and the event or task or simple folly from his mind so he could concentrate on life and livelihood and maybe get a full night's rest. Maybe. The road sans excitement took a figurative turn as he saw the derelict lump of vapory metal on the horizon, becoming larger and more distinct.. and apparently not abandoned to decay as he'd first thought, seeing the driver pacing around it and striking it as he rolled up to offer help.
Kat was on a similar mission with about as much or as little sleep as the man who rolled up near the car she was currently taking her frustration out on. The tow guy had been and gone and she was more angry now than she had been when the car first broke down. She kicked the driver's side door and turned to look over her shoulder at the guy. She had slight circles from the lack of restful sleep that most people would hardly notice, but most also wouldn't notice the difference in her scent that said she wasn't a normal girl.
He wore no helmet to hide the concern and confusion as she beat the vehicle. He shut down his engine and folded his arms, watching her a moment before deciding to get further involved than being an amused bystander. "Anger management classes are at the community center on Tuesdays," he suggested with a smile from behind the safety of his sunglasses that were really little barrier. He neglected to mention which town, however. "Barring that, need a hand? Or well... maybe a glove? Something softer?"
11:30 a.m.
Joy rides involved having no destination and some desire to be out on the open road, blissful and carefree. Marc hadn't met any of the qualifications when he'd set out at sunrise. A week before, he'd started at the library for maps of a place he kept trying to remember and find out where it had been that he'd passed through it - and why. The glimpses in his memory showed him shadows and smudged faces, dark corners and darker grimaces he could scarcely make out against the backdrop of scenery. It was overall a mottled and unpleasant landscape that flashed through his mind repeatedly, but only from the edge of sleep that eluded him. The maps were of no use and scenic guidebooks turned up nothing in the way of landmarks he could ask anyone about. Mile markers taunted him though he couldn't know which state's border the marker counted from - he'd been through several in the past year. He paid no attention the markers on a given day, so it was strange to have this one planted so solidly in memory. Beyond just needing to identify the place and what he'd done there, he had no reason to go - or did he? The images nagged at him during waking hours the past three days like something he was warned not to forget, something important, something he needed to accomplish in this lifetime. It was the sort of nagging like the dreams of walking into a classroom on the day of the test you didn't study for - he didn't know this place but -knew- it at the same time. He wasn't sleeping enough anyway and still hadn't turned up any new work in town. No customers meant no money to continue to pay rent - again. Now, a handful of hours after sealing his belongings into storage, he was squinting at a long highway with few cars and fewer landmarks than the guidebooks. He was on a mission to erase the dreams and the event or task or simple folly from his mind so he could concentrate on life and livelihood and maybe get a full night's rest. Maybe. The road sans excitement took a figurative turn as he saw the derelict lump of vapory metal on the horizon, becoming larger and more distinct.. and apparently not abandoned to decay as he'd first thought, seeing the driver pacing around it and striking it as he rolled up to offer help.
Kat was on a similar mission with about as much or as little sleep as the man who rolled up near the car she was currently taking her frustration out on. The tow guy had been and gone and she was more angry now than she had been when the car first broke down. She kicked the driver's side door and turned to look over her shoulder at the guy. She had slight circles from the lack of restful sleep that most people would hardly notice, but most also wouldn't notice the difference in her scent that said she wasn't a normal girl.
He wore no helmet to hide the concern and confusion as she beat the vehicle. He shut down his engine and folded his arms, watching her a moment before deciding to get further involved than being an amused bystander. "Anger management classes are at the community center on Tuesdays," he suggested with a smile from behind the safety of his sunglasses that were really little barrier. He neglected to mention which town, however. "Barring that, need a hand? Or well... maybe a glove? Something softer?"