Freedom Train

December 31, 1962

-NEW YEARS EVE December 31st

New Year's Eve snuck up on Annabeth as she waited anxiously for two weeks to pass. It only took a little gentle goading from her gal pals to convince her to join them for the annual New Year's shindig at Jim's diner in town. It seemed to be the only place the younger generation had to enjoy themselves. They took advantage of the diner and of Old Jim every chance they had.

"One of these days we ought to thank Old Jim for letting us throw these parties here," Liz said with a smile.

Sandy, Liz and Annabeth sat in a corner booth of the diner, noise makers beside their milkshakes, counting down the minutes until midnight.

"You're kidding, right?" Sandy laughed. "If anything, he should thank us for all the business we drum up for him. He's got the most expensive burgers in town at a quarter a pop and we still buy em'. You're welcome, Old Jim!" Sandy called to the little old man, earning a laugh from her friends, as Jim walked from his place of business and out into the cold.

Luckily for Annabeth, Jim was an old friend of her Daddy's, otherwise there would be no way that he would allow her to attend any sort of late night party.

Little did Reginald know that Jim, like the Saint he is, always left the Diner shortly after nightfall so that he could attend more adult revelries at the Pub on the corner. With only the teenage wait staff and one surly cook in charge, there would be no one around to deter the young ones from getting a little brazen and enjoying the night. Just another reason for the girls to love their time at Jim's Diner.

Shortly after Old Jim left for his bar of choice, a few boys began to pull out their flasks, filling any glass that was held up in the air to thankful hollers from the diners patrons. Annabeth was perfectly content with her milkshake, but Sandy held her glass up and lit a cigarette as soon as the old man was gone from sight.

At precisely 11:50 p.m., Bobby and Tommy stumbled through the door, both clearly intoxicated from whatever gathering they had come from.

Sandy and Liz were talking to a couple of jocks from their old high school about the upcoming Alabama Crimson Tide game the following day against Oklahoma. Annabeth had no chance of joining in the conversation as her eyes couldn't leave Bobby's wobbling form. Not only was he highly intoxicated, there was something on his smiling face that was so incredibly sad.

"Could you excuse me for a minute?" Annabeth asked Liz.

Annabeth sat on the inside of the booth beside Liz, blocked from leaving.

Liz slid out easily, her eyes still on her male counterpart in the booth behind her. Annabeth could feel Sandy's eyes on her, however, as Sandy watched her walk through the crowd and over to where Bobby staggered by the door.

He smiled softly when he saw her. She returned his smile slowly as she stopped in front of him. Bobby reached out, gently touching the side of her face.

"Happy New Year's Eve, Annabeth," he slurred. "I was hoping you'd be here."

***

Outside the barred windows of the skyscraper, the streets were alive with sound and movement. Horns honked, people laughed, glass shattered. Terry climbed out the window and onto a fire escape, his breath coming out in little puffs of air as his body adjusted to the bitter New York cold.

He had left his coat inside but he couldn't find it in him to care. All he knew was that he was suffocating in that over stuffed apartment, choking on the smells of smoke and cheap perfume, wanting nothing more than to be home in Alabama, celebrating the night with his family in the comfort of his own home.