Chasing Fireflies
The Loneliest Road in America
“I’m telling you, the answer is right in front of you,” Stacey exclaimed, shoving a heaping handful of Bar-B-Que Pringles in her mouth. Her cheeks puffed out, making her look like a squirrel before hibernation, and Garrett laughed and pointed at her. Stacey shot a glare at Garrett as she swallowed. “Seriously, Jared. It’s way easier than you think.”
Jared shook his head, his semi-long hair flopping into his eyes. Flipping his hair out of the way, he replied, “No. I think I’m going to have to go with Garrett on this one. This game couldn’t suck any more than it does right now. I have no fucking clue what the answer is.”
Stacey rolled her eyes. “John? You know this one?”
“A tree.”
“Correct!” Stacey high-fived John. “Now,” she continued, folding her hands in her lap, “I’m getting hungry. Is anyone else?” Everyone but Kennedy raised their hands, including Jared, who had to put his left hand at the 12 on the wheel and steer with one hand for a few seconds. Stacey laughed. “Alright, then it’s settled.” With a look at the car clock, Stacey continued. “It is 3:49. Snack or early dinner?”
“Early dinner,” Pat said. “We can eat again later if we have to. I’m pretty hungry right now.”
“Agreed,” Rebecca said. She rubbed her stomach. “Really hungry, actually.”
“You guys are forgetting something,” I spoke up.
“What?” John asked, shifting in his seat to look at me.
I motioned to the deserted road we were traveling on and the almost bare ground surrounding that road. “We’re on the Loneliest Road in America. The next gas station isn’t for at least thirty miles and who knows where the next town is.”
“Shit. Fuck. Damn. Holy hell. … I’m not sure what else to say.” The car erupted in laughs. Garrett smirked at all of us. “But yeah, this sucks. Laurel, look at the map. Wouldn’t it tell us when the next town is?”
I shook my head, pulling out the map from under the passenger seat. I pointed at the highway we were on. “See, we’re on Highway 70. There are hardly any towns on the whole highway, and the biggest thing you’ll find are some gas stations and maybe a few motels.”
“So what does that mean?” Kennedy asked.
“Well,” I sighed, “we really should have thought about this before heading onto 70, but we really have nowhere to stop, besides the gas stations and possible hotels, for another…five and a half hours?”
“So that means…” Pat stared at me.
I shot him a grim smile. “It means that it’s going to be a long night. We’ll probably be driving until at least midnight.”
Jared groaned. “Do I have to drive the whole way? Because, no offense, but I’m really missing the backseat.”
“I’ll drive,” I offered. Jared sent me a smile and I smiled back. “How about we stop in about an hour and then we’ll switch.” Jared nodded in agreement and continued driving on the Loneliest Road in America.
Jared shook his head, his semi-long hair flopping into his eyes. Flipping his hair out of the way, he replied, “No. I think I’m going to have to go with Garrett on this one. This game couldn’t suck any more than it does right now. I have no fucking clue what the answer is.”
Stacey rolled her eyes. “John? You know this one?”
“A tree.”
“Correct!” Stacey high-fived John. “Now,” she continued, folding her hands in her lap, “I’m getting hungry. Is anyone else?” Everyone but Kennedy raised their hands, including Jared, who had to put his left hand at the 12 on the wheel and steer with one hand for a few seconds. Stacey laughed. “Alright, then it’s settled.” With a look at the car clock, Stacey continued. “It is 3:49. Snack or early dinner?”
“Early dinner,” Pat said. “We can eat again later if we have to. I’m pretty hungry right now.”
“Agreed,” Rebecca said. She rubbed her stomach. “Really hungry, actually.”
“You guys are forgetting something,” I spoke up.
“What?” John asked, shifting in his seat to look at me.
I motioned to the deserted road we were traveling on and the almost bare ground surrounding that road. “We’re on the Loneliest Road in America. The next gas station isn’t for at least thirty miles and who knows where the next town is.”
“Shit. Fuck. Damn. Holy hell. … I’m not sure what else to say.” The car erupted in laughs. Garrett smirked at all of us. “But yeah, this sucks. Laurel, look at the map. Wouldn’t it tell us when the next town is?”
I shook my head, pulling out the map from under the passenger seat. I pointed at the highway we were on. “See, we’re on Highway 70. There are hardly any towns on the whole highway, and the biggest thing you’ll find are some gas stations and maybe a few motels.”
“So what does that mean?” Kennedy asked.
“Well,” I sighed, “we really should have thought about this before heading onto 70, but we really have nowhere to stop, besides the gas stations and possible hotels, for another…five and a half hours?”
“So that means…” Pat stared at me.
I shot him a grim smile. “It means that it’s going to be a long night. We’ll probably be driving until at least midnight.”
Jared groaned. “Do I have to drive the whole way? Because, no offense, but I’m really missing the backseat.”
“I’ll drive,” I offered. Jared sent me a smile and I smiled back. “How about we stop in about an hour and then we’ll switch.” Jared nodded in agreement and continued driving on the Loneliest Road in America.
♠ ♠ ♠
Say hello to slight inspiration and very possibly the shortest chapter of this story.