The misfits

chapter 7

Eve

It seemed like we spent hours driving, with no destination or arrival place in mind. This was reasonably better than the motel, were every corner hid something uniquely queer, but that didn't mean anything in the big picture. Alisan was dosing off in the back, map still in hand. It was ratchet and burned in the corner, old stains grazing over the images of touristic caricatures of California. It was colorful and free, something you would find in a hippy movie or in an abandon thrift store, which made me question were he could have gotten it from. I was seldom this curious, but there wasn't much to do or be anymore.

-Alisan! Do you even know where we're going?- I ask, unaware of how loud my voice is. He wakes up from his ephemeral nap, looking drained of all his life.

-No.

-Then why are you shilly-shallying us through these streets of dead land? There isn't much petrol left, and you'll be the one to drag the car to the station when all of it ends. - Brian adjusted the mirror to be eye to eye with him, change noticeable in his attire.

This turned out to be effective, as Alisan was now spilling directions left and right, Even though there wasn't much need of them. I focused instead on the road, as every kilometre was passed was like a change in scenery. We had left the motel behind, and the further we traveled south the more deserted the background got. Most of it was a blur to me anyways, as I had left my specks behind. Yet, I was the first one to notice the lights of the petrol station, pointing at it like a moth would to a far away light.

The station was directly on the outcasts of what Alisan had called 'the ghost city of Cali', where we were supposed to go after we spent the night. I found it weird that we couldn't enter the city before dawn arose, but I wouldn't question the both of them at the same time. Too much headache. Instead, I tried finding more of its location on the rechaufe phone, but to no avail. The station, much like the town, was quite out of place. The deserted streets, shutters hanging by once hinge bangs eerily in the gusty wind, the heavy dust that surrounded everything, and the dark ominous cloud that hung above our head made the petrol station eerily mysterious. Close to it was an apocalyptic building, stubbornly refusing to die. The walls were no more than the same rock and dirt they stood on, yet storm after storm failed to return them to the earth. They were a refuge for rogue travelers who sometimes passed through the district and a haven for small birds. A crow chipped over my head as I got out of the car, and I instinctively shoo-ed it away with one hand while leaning on the garage for support. My act triggered the car to open up, and as I was about to apologize profoundly I saw the content inside. No way.

There was no way that there was so much money in the garage. It couldn't be ours. Alisan was quick in his feet shifting from one place to another with his mouth agape. Brian looked just as shocked, taking about for a moment.

-Is this ours? Tell me is this your money?- I could feel my heart beat in my chest in sync, banging harder and harder in my chest as I waited for an answer.

-No. No this is not oh god this is so much money.- Brian's eyes were glistening under the shitty petrol lights, looking pensive as ever. He must have a hand on this money, unless he..

-Did you steal this car? Brian? - Alisan asks him before I have a chance to open my mouth. There was no need for an answer, Brian's response was shown all over his face. He starts going through the money like a man starved, looking for any contacts or addresses, any signs that might make us suspicious-or more vulnerable. Right in the corner stood a weird shaped casket, holding nothing more than a packet of cigarettes, a bottle of whiskey and a notebook. Taking it in my hands, Is pages were surprisingly harmed in weird ways. Some pages were torn, others were burned, but most noticeably the whole notebook was drowned in the scent of alcohol, full pages were ink was possibly unreadable. Brian snatched the notebook out of my hands, going through them furiously.

- I know this number. Fuck, I almost know every single name put in this list.

-And what are you going to do about that? - Questions, questions and more questions

-Spend it of course. Ill treat you all as fast as we go to the new city! New identities, new homes, new jobs, you name it! Just watch. - Brian was clearly speaking without thinking. There was no way we could use all this money and not get in trouble.

-Brian think for a moment! We can't spend all of this money and not get caught! Someone-

-And who's to say that? No one, - he throws the cigarette pack in my side.- No one!

And so he leaves, going to the station and filling the car up with more petrol for yet another trip. It was impossible, yet it promised us so much. He promised us so much. I open the pack, taking a cigarette between my fingers. From the corner of my eyes I notice Alisan walking towards, with a wired type of caution. When on my side, he roams his pockets in search of what later turns out to be a white lighter.

- White lighter? Really? You didn't strike me as someone with a 27 club affiliation. - I ask him, pure curiosity evident on my face. I didn't mean to offend him, yet he seems unbothered, so I ask him, - What have you lighten with this?

He giggles, a soft sound escaping his lips. -Don't let your imagination roam too much