Sneak Peak part 2

Since I introduced my somewhat grumbly hero the other day, I thought it only fair that I introduce my heroine. I absolutely adore her and her traveling companion. Meet Ember.

The beat-up, twenty-three-year-old Subaru went clunking down the highway in all its rusty, paint-peeling glory. Ember drove along belting out tunes on her road trip playlist at the top of her lungs, much to the chagrin of Ollie, her traveling companion.

“Oh, I LOVE this song, It’s one of the best, right Ollie?” Ember screamed and began drumming the beat of Queen’s Fat-Bottomed Girls, on her steering wheel. As she bobbed her head, loose strands of her red hair escaped their messy bun prison and her periwinkle framed glasses moved precariously down her pert nose. The car, which was probably not safe for long travel, had a wonky steering mechanism that had seen better days. As Ember picked up speed, Ollie watched the road go whizzing by lurching this way and that. Nauseated, he closed his eyes and settled into the seat, hoping the madness would end sooner rather than later.

In time, the GPS on Ember’s phone directed her to make a left on Honeyrose Avenue and then, in its slightly robotic voice continued, “Your destination is on your right.”

“This is it, Ollie! We’re here!”

Ember reached over and shook Ollie awake. He opened his eyes, gave her side-eye and after, making a non-committal noise, returned to his nap.

“Ollie, you could show a little more enthusiasm! We are finally here, and we don’t have to be at the office for, well, for however long this takes.”

Ember turned the recalcitrant wheel to the right and headed down the long, dusty road. Weeds and tall grass aligned the sides. Ember steered as best she could around divots, some, more like craters than others. At the end, a large black metal archway, adorned with scrolling vines, greeted her. In an arc at the top, letters that might have been golden at one point in time, spelled out their destination – _RI_AL _OWN. The letter B, hung down, dangerously swaying in the breeze. The D and the T had long since disappeared – some said they just fell off and were lost to time, others claimed local resident Dewey Thomas had taken them for his own.

“Bridal Town?” Ember whispered, with a little less enthusiasm than she had moments ago. “Welp, as long as we are here, might as well give it a shot. Nothing ventured, nothing gained, just like Grandad always said. Right Ollie?” she asked nervously. Ollie, as he was wont to do, ignored her.