✓ 𝐀𝐋𝐋 𝐌𝐈𝐍𝐄 || 𝐫.𝐧.

005 | 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐮𝐠𝐥𝐲 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐭𝐡

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐓𝐄 is dust-covered. Squinting as she peered out of the right-hand window, Y/n spots a sign that reads, 'KEEP WYOMING CLEAN -- LITTERING PUNISHABLE TO A $2000 FINE'. On the bright side, they are only a few hours away from Venna. Still, Y/n didn't like the sight of this weather. Could barely make out a thing and she's positive that her car's one working taillight is only a tiny red speck, barely visible.

Hopefully, this doesn't become an issue if and when they come across other cars. Letting out a small sigh, she shrinks away back into her seat and glances at the gas gauge to find that the empty fuel light is flickering. "Great..." she frowned, but the needle showed a sixteenth of a tank left.

Lewis taps the gauge and the light goes off. It was just a false alarm. Fuller, despite being partially responsible for what happened to Ellinghouse, is passed out in the passenger's seat. For someone who is riddled with guilt, he sure seems to be sleeping well.

Just to stay awake, Lewis flicks on the CB, "Eastbound, looking for a westbound for a bear report?"

"Not a soul. Never any Smokeys on that..." Before the voice can finish its sentence, the signal dies. Lewis adjusts the squelch knob. Nothing.

"You've got to be kidding..." Lewis grumbles and then begins to switch through the channels. As he's flickering through them one by one, there is nothing but silence... well, until he shoots past one, in particular:

"—andy Ca—"

As soon as Y/n overheard the familiar voice, she shot up from her spot in the back and swallowed the lump in her throat. No, it couldn't be him, could it? Fear awakens in Lewis and, quickly, he flicks back a channel as he suspected that Rusty Nail was trying to talk to Candy Cane again. He only hoped he was wrong.

"Candy Cane..." Rusty ominously trails off. "Hellll... lllllo?" He continued to try and search for her. She better have a mighty fine good explanation.

Lewis hastily shuts the CB off. He can't listen nor does he want Y/n to endure any more of this. For a few moments, the blond sits in silence, petrified. He didn't know what to do. His mind raced—he didn't want to be a part of this nightmare again and simply wanted to ignore Rusty Nail for the rest of the day, but, then again, he and Y/n also couldn't afford to not listen to what the stranger was saying.

Slowly, Lewis turns the radio back on.

"—Cane..." Rusty Nail chanted.

Frantic, the blonde turns over only to harshly whack his older brother in the arm, trying to wake him up. "... I'm trying to sleep." Fuller shook off getting hit as Lewis tried to tell him that he wanted to swap spots. Y/n shook her head— she wanted nothing more than to shake Fuller awake— but it wouldn't be right of her to put her hands on him. It'd be too weird.

"Hey, Candy Cane!" Rusty raised his voice, feeling himself losing his patience with her. Upon hearing Rusty Nail's voice, Fuller's eyes slowly open and then he straightens up, now more alert. "Candy Cane?" He continued, prompting the trio to give each other the same, spooked look. "Anybody out there know Candy Cane? Or Mama's Boy? Baa, baa, Black Sheep? Turtledove?" He asked. As soon as Rusty Nail brought up Y/n's fake alias, her mouth dropped to the floor. She knew she shouldn't have done that.

She just dug her own grave. Now, Rusty just needs to push her inside.

Hesitantly, Fuller picks up the radio. Lewis' eyes widen at the sight. Before his brother can utter a word in the handset, he questions, "What are you going to say?"

"Hey, Russell. This is Black Sheep. Go to 23." Fuller said and then leaned forward to move the knob of the CB to the aforementioned channel.

"Hey, Black Sheep." Rusty Nail must've heard the previous 'conversation' going on. He let out a slow exhale, but it was clear as day that he was pissed off. Why wouldn't he be after the stunt they pulled? "Do you know where I can find Candy Cane?" He angrily muttered.