The Cannibal House

1. Who Says You Can't Go Home?

"We gotta make a stop."

"In five miles, yeah."

"No, just pull over. I gotta piss."

"Of course you do. Because you got that Big Gulp from the gas station."

"I like big things, and soda. It was a win-win."

"And now your bladder is paying the price."

"All because my sister won't pull over."

"Lee, can't you wait?"

"Okay, Angie, because you asked, I'll try." Sarcasm was littered all over his voice. Lee was in the passenger seat of the sedan that was pulling seventy five on the an abandoned California back-road.

Lee was a jock in high-school and some of his muscle carried over to his freshman college year, but going into sophomore he went "soft" and let himself go a little bit, lost the six pack and with it his girl. He got sad, and then he got brave and then he got buff again. And then he got another girl who took his virginity, and then his heart and then his wallet.

Angie got pregnant a year ago and gave the baby up for adoption, she was beautiful but a lost soul and never got men that treated her right. She would get saved every Sunday until summer, and then she'd go home and live a better life than her USC party life and in the fall, she'd continue her sinner life. In the winter, she would feel guilt and go back to being saved every Sunday because of the things she'd do Saturday night.

It was when Lee got arrested in a car full of strangers that, unknown to Lee, had been transporting weed, he got smart again and gave up the wild college drinking and sex and drugs.

He kept the rock-n-roll though, and they listened to that when the radio went out on the "shortcut" back road up north to home. They settled for Foo Fighters and then transitioned to Queens of the Stone Age, and then went shuffle and got 3 Doors Down and then O.A.R - to which Angie put a stop and shuffled her "classic rock" which came up with the Rolling Stones's "Angie" (ironically) - which Lee skipped. He couldn't stand that song. Finally they just went on full shuffle. They talked mostly about Derry, their brother, Lee knew how old he was, but Angie forgot, so he had to remind her. They talked about what he'd be into. They decided he would be a fan of the Avengers and maybe Edge of Tomorrow. He was thirteen, the youngest of the three. They knew from Instagram that he was a guitar player, electric, and he knew how to play "Just the Way You Are" by Bruno Mars. And probably "Sweet Home Alabama" - at least the opening riff, all beginners knew the opening riff.

They stopped at a gas station and got drinks. That was when Lee got a big gulp and that was all she wrote. Five miles later it had went through his bladder and he had to go. The next stop was in five miles. Or so the sign said. When they passed another they found out that the city was twenty out, longer than they had thought. They thought they were in trouble, and Angie was about to pull over and let him go on the side of the road, when they passed a wooden sign that said

ROAD HOUSE - FIVE MILES

So they decided to stop there and maybe get a bite to eat. It was one-thirty and they'd skipped the twelve thirty lunch and passed McDonalds to get home faster. They had laundry in the back that was starting to stink, but it wasn't anything major- they also just wanted to be home, safe.

And when the sign passed that said the nearest city was twenty out, Lee said: "Aw, dammit, Angie. Just pull over."

"No, did y'see?"

"See what?"

"There's a restaurant, or a rest stop, uh, five miles out."

"Hopefully they believe in a shitter."

"I don't think they wouldn't."

"That doesn't even make any sense, Angie."

Angie laughed, "I can't even grammar."

The two laughed and then sung along in a drunk-like chorus to Bon Jovi's "Who Says You Can't Go Home" - which felt very relatable right then.