dandelion; joshler

smoke ;

a/n; here you go you lucky fucks, if you like it tell your friends im begging for validation. so far this story is probably gonna be josh-centric but once the ball starts rolling it'll be joshler, but also i have no clue what im doing, so,

∆•∆•∆

the breaks squeaked softly as josh eased next the sedan next to the gas pump. he'd been driving with the low fuel light for, what, thirty miles? the marathon gas station was the first building he's seen for hours, and he figured he must've been somewhere in nevada by now.

which was perfect for his situation.

grabbing a pistol from the back seat, he checked the ammo in the clip and grabbed the red ski mask from the pouch behind the driver's seat and a large sack, already filled with what josh assumed to be around eight-hundred dollars. josh just knew it was a lot. once situated with the tools for the job, he stepped out into the mild desert night. the midnight sky was thick with stars, and josh could see a bored cashier through the window, flipping through a magazine. luckily, she didn't notice josh, and he was able to walk to the station comfortably, aiming the gun at the cashier.

a tiny bell run as he walked through the door and fired two shots into the ceiling. the cashier, a young woman with a pixie face and short hair, finally looked up from her magazine and into the holes of josh's mask. josh cleared his throat and opened the burlap sack.

"at least three hundred. if you don't have it,  i'll blow your brains out."

the cashier froze, and josh fired another shot, this time aiming at the liquor bottles behind her. the shattering glass and spilling vodka seemed to get her moving, unlocking the register and counting stacks of bills.

examining some pills claiming to give him at least eight hours of energy, josh looked up when the girl's shaky voice spoke up.

"i- i'm so sorry, there's only two-fifty here but if you let me go to the back i can open the safe and give you whatever's in therejust pleasedonthurtmepleasedonthurtmeplease-"
two more shots rang out, this time crashing into the woman's head, silencing her. josh tucked the pistol into the holder on his belt. he hopped the counter and landed next to the cashier's fallen body. josh kicked her twice, making sure she was dead, and rolled her over to grab the wallet in her back pocket. he glanced at her license and pocketed it, flipping through credit and debit and gift cards until he found cash, around fifty bucks.
"stupid cunt," he muttered, kicking her body once more till it rolled over and he could admire the twin holes in her head.

setting the bag filled with cash lovingly into the back of his car and tucking his mask and pistol back into place, he sighed. it was beginning to get chilly, and josh could see his breath rise into the nevada air like smoke.

josh wondered how he ended up like this.

∆•∆•∆

the breaks squeaked loudly as the bus eased next to the stop. he'd been riding for, what, a few hundred miles? he was one of only three passengers, the other two hopping on at the previous state. tyler had been sleeping for the majority of the ride so far, and he assumed he was somewhere in illinois by now.

maybe he'd be safe here for a little while.

he decided to get off at the stop, exiting the chilly bus and into the freezing night air. the bus spit him out somewhere in a gritty city, sirens blaring all around him, so different than the quiet columbus suburbs he grew up in. tyler walked until he came across a cheap motel, offering a night's stay for fifty bucks.

the lobby of the motel wasn't much warmer than the outside air, and it smelled like piss. tyler shuffled up to the scowling man at the counter, eyes red and teeth yellow.

after an awkward silence, tyler spoke first.
"o-one night, please," he whispered, bringing out his wallet. the man at the counter, whose scowl seemed to be permanent, eyed him up and down and turned his mouth into the closest thing to a smile he could muster.

"seventy bucks."

tyler frowned, bringing his wallet close to his chest. "the sign outside says fifty." the worker let out a deep growling noise (which was apparently a laugh) and leaned over the counter.
"if i say seventy bucks, it's seventy bucks, kid. you wanna place to stay or not?"
tyler sighed and took out two bills from his wallet and gingerly handed the money to the cashier. the man slided over a clipboard for his signature and keys.
"room twenny-one," he croaked, "checkout time is 11 a.m.. late fee is fifty bucks." tyler curtly nodded and walked out to his room.

if the lobby smelled like piss, tyler's room smelled like a rotting corpse. even opening the heavy door just a crack, the odor hit his nose like a bullet. the single bed sagged to the floor and bugs scurried out from under the door. questionable marks stained the bedsheets and worn carpet, and a door across the room hung open, leading to a small and dirty bathroom. hesitantly, tyler set his bags onto a plastic covered chair and sighed, thick dust rising from the furniture like smoke.

tyler wondered how he ended up like this.