The Tennessee Youngster

Chapter Four

Discovery

Both boys had slowly drifted off to sleep as the family drove down the road towards the city of Cincinnati. A couple of hours had gone by and the boys were still dozed off when their mother turned to them and said to them to wake up.

"Tommy...Nick, wake up."

Tommy slowly woke up to see an abundance of all kinds of different color lights in the distance. The lights from the small buildings and skyscrapers were awesome, as the family approached the city, Tommy leaned over to Nick and nudged him. Nick moved a little and Tommy nudged him again. This time he woke up grumpy but was soon put to rest as he glazed out the side of his window in amazement of the exciting city.

"Wow, this is rad," Nick said as he leaned as close to the window as he could to look straight up and the huge skyscrapers that lit up the night sky.

Tommy, on the other hand, was mesmerized by all the flashy neon signs go by illustrating different radio stations and businesses. One particular sign caught his eye as the car would follow the winding road through the city. It was lit up bright white, huge in size and as the car passed every building giving more life to the sign it drew his attention even more. It was WKRP. Tommy had no idea what the letters meant but just knew that it had caught his eye with the big bright letters. Tommy continued to watch the sign amid buildings as the car moved further away from the sign. Nick was like a little kid chasing the candy dish. He was just totally engulfed in the city lights.

"Boys look." Said their mother.

Tommy and Nick quickly focused on their mother as she pointed out to them of the approaching tunnel. Tommy was in awe to even think that right smack dab in the middle of the city was a tunnel. The car entered the tunnel, which was fully lit up with lights that made a streaking affect as Tommy starred as the cars drove by. The tunnel was curvy and very long as they soon approached the end of the tunnel. Tommy thought it was pretty weird that while they were in the tunnel other cars would honk their horns.

"Hey dad, why do people honk their horns while inside the tunnel?" Tommy asked.

"I don't really know other than the fact that everyone does it."

Tommy turned around to stare out the back window to gaze at the tunnel and see all the bright and brilliant lights glow in the darkness. That was awesome Tommy thought to himself. He noticed that Nick was in awe too, seeing how his brother had the same idea by leaning on the back seat and staring out the window. Tommy and Nick after a while returned to their seats and just sat there in total awe. That was a rush of excitement that neither of the boys had ever experienced. Soon the city of Cincinnati disappeared as the car drove further away.

It was getting dark and Tommy's father was getting very tired and needed to stop for the night. His father drove for another two hours before pulling off the highway and onto an exit. This exit had only one motel and restaurant listed on the sign on the highway right before the exit. Tommy's father did not care he was tired and needed the rest. The car came up onto the intersection form the exit ramp and stopped.

"Deb, you awake?" Said Tommy's stepfather.

"Yes." Debra was not really awake but had dozed off for a bit.

"There is a motel down the road to the right according to the sign on the highway and I am sure it is cheap. There has not been a motel sign for some time until now."

"Where are we, Stephen?" Tommy's mother replied while looking out her window.

"Not really sure, but I am tired and need to sleep."