Weak

Chapter Six

The drive to the hospital was quiet. The speed limit was 50 but I was pushing 65. Luckily there weren't any cops around; nor was there any traffic. This is why I chose to come this way.

Forests line the freeway and every once in a while I rev the engine of Mom's candy red Mustang. When I did this Mom would sit up in her seat and clinch the handle above the door. She's sighing more often and taking deep breaths. I can tell she's stressed by the way she's grinding her jaws; or maybe she's nervous. Possibly afraid of the unknown future.

The trees are starting to blur as the speedometer reaches 85. I love the speed. It's like an adrenaline rush. I feel as though I'm in some type of action movie. There's no one around and it's like an unsettled town and I'm in a nice car. In the movies everyone always has nice, fast, cars. What's best about the cars in the movies, they never run out of gas. Right now our the Mustang is on E which stands for empty, not excellent. We need gas like now. There's a main road coming up and I'm sure there's a gas station on it.

I pull onto the main road and there's a gas station called Louie Malik's. This is obviously not your average gas station. I pull up next to pump number two. This is pump number two...out of two.

“I need some cash for gas Mom.” she gets her purse from the floor and digs in it.

“Will $5 cover it? It's all the cash I have.”

“You know that we won't get far off of $5.” She sighs.

“Wait! You can charge it on my card.” She digs through her purse and out comes her wallet that has the card in it. Mom never uses her credit card, but it's an emergency.

“Do you want something out of the store? Could you bring me a soda?”

“Yeah. I'm not getting anything for me though.”

I walk up to the store. The windows are covered with beer advertisements. When I walk into the store, I see it's anything but average. The smell was terrific. There was a mini diner and slot machines in the back. I go over to the diner and take a look at the menu. The prices are nice and the food sounds good. I order Mom a vegetarian lasagna with four cheeses and I get myself an 8 oz. Steak with green beans and a baked potato. While I'm waiting for the food I see a young black girl mopping the floor. She has the most gorgeous skin I've ever seen and dark curly hair. She looks to about about fifteen or sixteen years old. She puts the mop against the wall and walks towards the diner counter. She has a few words with the chef who's a large black man and she turns in my direction. I look at her and she smiles.

“Well you sure not one of our regulars.” She has an accent that I can't really make out.”

“No, I'm just passing through.”

“Are you okay?”

“I'm fine. Why do you ask?”

“Well, normally I can tell someone's emotional state by looking at 'em. You seem to be worried about something. Are you sure you're okay?” I sigh.

“A friend of mine is in the hospital and I don't think he's doing too well.”

“Ah, I see. Was it a car accident?”

“No, he almost died in his sleep.”

“Wow. Death is just catching everyone in every way now. I've never heard of a young person just passing away in their sleep like that; unless they died in their dream...”

“He's actually pretty old.”

“What is he? Like thirty?” she chuckled.

“I'm not sure about his exact age but he's over seventy years old.”