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ARVIN'S CAR DIED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT, leaving Arvin and Adaline to walk along the side of the road, hoping someone would give them a ride. Arvin held both of their bags on either shoulder, although Adaline insisted that she could carry her own, as they walked, eventually coming to a stop beside an intersection.
A black car honked as it pulled up behind them. Both Adaline and Arvin turned around to see a couple in the front, beckoning them to come over. The man in the passenger's seat cranked down his window as they came closer.
Arvin ducked his head, "Mornin'."
"Where're you headed?"
"Meade, Ohio. You heard of it?"
The man nodded, "The paper-mill town, right?"
Arvin nodded, "Yeah, that's right." The man faced the woman in the driver's seat and had a nonverbal conversation with her. Adaline watched the woman's eyes and noticed there was some kind of...look to them. But she shrugged it off, knowing it was probably just her newfound trust issues to blame.
The man smiled back at Adaline and Arvin, "We're passin' right through it."
Arvin nodded again, "Thanks." Adaline followed him inside the back seat of the car where he put their bags on the floor.
The woman began driving and the four of them sat in a temporary silence until the man spoke up, "What you goin' to Meade for?"
Adaline let Arvin answer, "Just visitin'."
"Got family there?" The woman asked.
Adaline glanced over at Arvin who shook his head as he took off his cap, "No, I used to live there a long time ago."
"Well," the man started, "probably ain't changed much. Little towns never do."
Adaline spoke up, "Where do y'all live?"
"In Chesterfield," the man answered. "We're headed up to Chicago, Illinois. We like pickin' up strangers along the way, don't we? Meet new people, don't we, hon?"
The woman didn't even nod, "Sure do." Arvin noticed the uneasy look on Adaline's face and extended his arm on the seat behind her, using it as an opportunity to give her a look, silently telling her that he thought that last answer was a little suspicious too.
"Oh, shit. My old billy don't work like it used to," the man said, looking over his shoulder at the kids as he laughed. He looked at the woman, "I'm gonna have to..." the woman looked over at him "...pull over and take a leak somewhere here." He looked back at Adaline and Arvin, "That alright by you folks?"
