She slammed the car door, dragged her leopard luggage along the side of the gravel, with her ridiculously large sunhat and burgundy sunshades, with her white pumps given to her by a great-grandmother, with her black floral dress she had gotten one Mother's Day, with her onyx and white sapphire earrings she bought the day she buried dad, and finally her scarf, whipping white in the Wyoming wind.685Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDCyqgmmprQ
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Through the Yellowstone National Park comprised of lakes, rivers, canyons, and mountain ranges I drive my red Cadillac windows down, tires crawling by her. I glare.685Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxWNBkgILsG
"Mom. This is Route 20. The longest road in the United States. You are not walking the whole way there."685Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJnwrsKAuIW
She slammed her leopard luggage down and sat upon it; I parked just as she stuck out a thumb. I glanced at the time. It was noon in August. She slurped from a water bottle to stay cool in the sweltering sunshine.
"There's an elk behind you."
"Shut up," she snapped.
"Not even kidding."
My gullible mother checked her surroundings. Just trees, and no elk. She looked at me with the blackest seething tiny eyes. I smiled. Made her look.685Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9nHSL3eIBL
"Eric, you are sick," she insisted as she lit up a cigarette and puffed out poisonous smoke. I held my breath, unable to withstand that ghastly chemical odor. She looked at me to persuade me. "We have to get you help."
I sped away, tires spitting dirt all over her, and cruised along the scenic route for less than a mile. I pulled over in the shade of tall trees where bugs and flies swarmed. I browsed social media for a minute before the 10% battery notification showed. Several cars and trucks passed before my phone rang. I picked up. 685Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRDWT6WX4yp
She informed that, because of her muddy clothes, she hitched a ride to the nearest airport and would meet me at Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Unbelievable, but I could believe it. It was typical of her. Mom was rather a resourceful shrew with a superior god complex who only did things her way. My way was the highway, the longest way, and why effing not? It was summer, and I wasn't forever young.
As I said sure, have a safe flight, and hung up, I got out of the red Cadillac. I took off my dress shirt and lied prone on the roof, resting my head and eyes. Disney clouds scrolled by like white ships in the blue Wyoming sky. Birds circled and screamed, stout wings sailing, staying up there with ease. 685Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡres71tArJX
A blue Mustang's engine cranked up roaring. Startled, I looked at a smiling blond man around my age and also shirtless. He put a lot of care into his sculpted jock body, like one of those models you'd find on underwear sold in Wal-Mart. A pretty boy with a triangular face, sharp cheekbones, and teeth that were Hollywood white. He saluted slowly, sucking on a blue raspberry lollipop. His bright stormy silver eyes squinted at its tartness and winked wildly at me. 685Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd0GvIr7bAS
I crossed my naked arms, kind of insecure.
He shouted, "Got nothing better to do?" 685Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkItR9jyMv9
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I shook my head, "Not really..."685Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM5M00z7gLB
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"That's summer for ya. My brother and his wife got a cabin up there," he pointed a muscular arm north to a line of cottages but I hadn't really looked. "We're here for one more week then we're back to Salt Lake. So where you staying?" 685Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhT2iwQQuje
"I'm not," I stammered. "I just pulled over for a minute."
"Ah, are you in a hurry? We got foosball and a pool. Come on over."
I stared, putting my dress shirt back on.
"We got a PS4 and a Switch. And stone oven pizza. And fireworks."
"All that sounds fun and great, but --"
"Great, I'm Garrett!" He patted and drummed his steering wheel. "This is the first summer in a long-ass time since we've had a fourth player. They'll be stoked. Follow me, don't worry about parking. Before I forget, what's your name?"
"Um, Eric?" I stalled for time to think. "Guess I can, for a few hours?"
I followed his blue Mustang up a thin winding path to a private cabin with a lot of wooded acres and plenty space to park. A few deer darted in the distance. A fire pit smoldered under a blanket of white ash. There was no pool but there was a trampoline, a cooler, and a dozen barking Huskies romping around. There were no other cars but there were several ATV four-wheelers and a picnic table of assorted stuff like paper plates, hot dog buns, and condiments. A quick tour through the cabin revealed its many rooms and hallways and stairways to be empty. There was a foosball table and a pool table, which now made sense. The giant windows showed life and wilderness outside, but inside, it was just... cold and dark. 685Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡijwZ2aMB5U
I nervously checked my phone, which died. Garrett called out for his brother and his sister-in-law. Marcus? Sarah? No reply.685Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡraDZGyqABp
A note on the table said they were out for more fun on the lake and more groceries.685Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoZgs1p7KVi
"Looks like it's just us," Garrett hit the refrigerator. "Drinks?"
"Uh, water, thanks."
I noticed every photo frame was facedown. The Huskies ganged up on me, tails wagging, wanting to sniff and be petted. Garrett had gone through all the reasons behind each of the twelve names he had for his dogs before I asked to be excused to the restroom. He pointed down a hall, and said it was the last room on the left. 685Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡussh2YSalD
I closed a thin wooden door behind me and turned a flimsy lock. Wasn't much of a door or a lock, but the yellow wallpapered bathroom and its golden brown drapes was enough to still my beating heart. What was I doing? Garrett was mighty hospitable and welcoming, but he was still a stranger. I really should be getting back on the road. As soon as I get out there, that is what I will say.
Faint barking outside had me check the window.
There was Marcus and Sarah, standing next to their massive black truck that parked right next to the red Cadillac. With hatchets, they swung away and hacked at my tires which hissed startling air, deflating to the dusty ground. I turned to see Garrett standing in the open doorway. He looked as shocked as I was. 685Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3D3xdOp6yW
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Then he failed to stifle a smile. "Uh, yeah... none of the doors really lock."685Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvi2QdW19tm
