Reflected Upon the Snow

Mark Drives to Cracker Barrel

Date: 12/12/17

"Merry Chrysler!"

Tyler heard from outside. He had heard that phrase for about the millionth time that week, and he was just about feed up with it. However, Mark wasn't the right person to scold and direct his irritation towards.

He winced, but decided to let his childhood friend have his fun.

Mark was bouncing around his van, helping toss luggage into the back of the vehicle while wearing a red Santa cap coated with bells. He hummed "jingle bells" quietly just to add another layer of obnoxiousness.

"Come on, doofus," Amy pushed the bumbling fool playfully. "Help me grab a few more bags from inside and we should be ready to go. Eventually."

Mark looked at the scene beyond his view of the van. The team didn't look all too prepared for the trip they were about to set off on. Kathrine was outside on the lawn with two air mattresses, individually expanding at their own paces. Tyler and Ethan were inside, making sure all of the equipment for releasing Marks videos and the luggage and other necessities were ready to go for the trip. Mark could see them through the open door, the two were bumbling around, laughing and rough housing. At one point, Mark even saw them giggling at a video on Ethan's phone, but it didn't matter too much, it's not like they were on the most tight schedule.

"God-" she cut herself off with a series of grumbles. Kathrine fumbled with one of the mattresses. One stood firm and plump while the second mattress was slowly sinking to the ground. Kathrine slapped her knees and her expression was sour. "We need a new mattress." She deadpanned.

Mark came over to see if she was right. He crouched down and lifted up the mattress's flimsy corpse. "Well that's just freakin' flippin' fantastic," Mark said goofily. "Don't worry, we'll just stop at the store and get a new one. We can get snacks for the road trip while we're there!" Mark smiled and stood back up.

Kathrine went back to tending to the mattresses and prepared to place them in the van.
A large smack of the door being hit against the interior wall of the house sounded as a mess of platinum blonde fluff and fur zoomed out of the house as Tyler and Ethan erupted into a fit of laughter. Mark gasped in both surprise and shock as he saw his beloved beepis scrambling across the yard.

"Chica! What did those mean boys do to you?" Mark pat his lap and smacked his lips to call over the goofy dog equivalent of himself.

Chica was strung up in a most festive attire. It almost seemed as if Christmas had thrown up on her. With Tyler's oversized ugly Christmas sweater containing the front half of her fluffy coat, paired with a jingling bell strung collar. Along with antlers, a glowing red nose, and a string of blinking lights holding the sweater in place.

Tyler and Ethan hooted with laughter as Mark threw a fuss over how cute his dog looked and how frustrated he was that the two of them wasted their time like this. He wasn't angry with them at all, he just wanted to be at least half way to Colorado by sundown. Maybe they would even reach the campsite by if drivers alternated and took turns. Maybe... they could go to Cracker Barrel... Mark pondered this idea and he didn't care how long it took them to get there or how late he was up driving, he wanted his gosh diddly darn breakfast food. Even if it killed him in his process of getting it.

"Alright you guys," Mark sat with Chica in his lap on the concrete driveway. He ruffled her ears and gave her a kiss as he stood up and brushed the dog hair off himself. "Are you two ready to go? Or did you spend so much time defacing my dog that you forgot about the trip entirely?" Mark chuckled lightheartedly.