Little bits of Crazy

Chapter One

It was dark outside and I was positive I was the only one on the road. I was driving home from All Purpose Flour, the cafe I worked at. Tucker, my two year old  American English Coonhound, lay beneath the passenger seat of my beaten up red truck. I risked a quick look down to Tucker, who's eyes were on me. Carefully, he lept up onto the seat and stared out the front windshield.
          He began barking rapidly as I tore my eyes from him to look at the road. Down the road was a large bus,  I could barely make out several figures. Tucker's deep throated barks echoed throughout the car as I slowed to a stop behind the bus.
I squinted and looked away as a flashlight was pointed in my direction. I parked the truck and opened up my door, I got out and grabbed the flashlight I kept beneath the console, Tucker lept onto the driver's seat and out the door, staying by my side as we approached the bus. I flicked my flashlight on and pointed it at the ground in front of me.

"Can I help you?" I called out, trying my best to make out the figures in front of my while also silently praying they weren't dangerous.

"Yes, actually." One of the larger figures said as I neared the group. There were five people in total; two boys around my age, two beefy men dressed in all black and a woman, maybe a year or so older than me.

"We have a flat tire." The figure, one of the men, continued.

"Where is the nearest tire shop? Can you call them to come here?" One of the boys asked.

I shook my head and stifled a laugh. "I don't think we have a tire shop here. Maybe in the next town over, its larger." I  thought back, did my small southern town have a tire shop? I'd never been to one and I don't remember passing one ever.

"How far away is it?" One of the men asked.

"Probably thirty minutes, they won't come here though. It's to late."

One of the men opened his mouth to speak but I quickly cut him  off.

"There's a tire in my truck, It might fit." I say. Tucker looks up at me and whines. I pat his head reassuringly.

"Can you do that for us?" The other man said.

"She might not even know how to change a tire, it's pointless." I overheard one of the boys say. Tucker must've sensed me stiffen because he growled at the men, I rest my hand on his head and he softens.

"I know very well how to change a tire, thank you. If you're gonna be so rude about it, maybe I'll let you put the tire on yourself, since you seem to be an expert. Or maybe, I won't give you my tire at all." The two boys huffed but the men protested, thank goodness my momma wasn't here, if she ever heard me talk so rudely towards folks I'd just met she'd have my head.

"Please," The girl cried. "We need that tire or we'll be sleeping out here all night."

"I'll go see if it fits." I say. "Only cause you said please and my momma would disown me if I didn't help." I sigh and walk back to my truck. I pulled down the tailgate and heaved the tire out. I felt bad using my spare, but figured that this was exactly what it was meant for.

Thankfully, the tire was the right size. I walked back to my truck and pulled my tool box out from under the passenger seat. I brought that over to the bus.

"Is it turned off?" I asked. They all nodded and I heard a 'yes'. 

Thankfully, the truck was lodged in the ditch, where it naturally was propped up. Lifting a tour bus was not something I wanted to do tonight.

I pulled out a wrench and got to work taking all the bolts off.

"Hold these and don't lose them." I said to one of the boys, who had both sat down next to me. The two older men stood talking quietly to the woman. The boy looked at me, then down at the bolts and from the corner of my eye I noticed him roll his eyes.