Over the Hills and Far Away

Chapter 3 Night Flight

        It was late that night and the van was stuffed full of everyone's luggage. Jimmy was at the wheel, Robert sleeping beside him, and both John's in the back, drinking whiskey. They had left a few hours ago and were far from their home already. John wasn't sure how far but he knew that they couldn't turn back now. Everything around them was very unfamiliar, which John knew made Jonesy feel uncomfortable. The liquor that the two drank would calm Jonesy's nerves. Though Jimmy begged for some, John refused to give him any. Jimmy pouted and didn't talk much for most of the ride. Robert snored lightly, his blonde hair acting like a big blanket around his head. 
        "Jim!" John suddenly burst out. Jimmy jumped slightly and growled.
        "What do you want, John? I'm driving so don't mess around!" Jimmy looked in the rearview mirror at John. John giggled but became serious in an instant.
        "My ass hurts!" John shouted. Jonesy laughed but Jimmy became red with anger. John didn't usually complain but alcohol made him a different man. 
        "Well, isn't that too bad? My ass hurts just as bad but I'm not pissing about it!" 
        "Oh, don't get your panties in a twist, deary. Can we stop somewhere? I need to take a leak too. And maybe we can relieve our asses." 
        Jimmy didn't say anything for a while. He finally responded, "fine. But you have to drive next." John whined loudly. 
        "But I'm drunk!"
        "Well, Robert can't drive. He's too sleepy!"  
        Jonesy quickly spoke up. "Ladies, ladies! Your fighting is ugly." The bus went quiet but for Robert's snoring. "I'll drive just to shut you two babies up." 
        "But," John said quietly, "you're drunk too."
        "I'm in a better state of mind than both of you."
        The rest of the ride to find a place to stop was very quiet. It was very awkward for John and Jimmy who weren't sure if they were still angry with each other or worried about Jonesy driving. They finally came to a stop at a rusty looking gas station in the middle of nowhere. Everyone jumped out besides Robert who could sleep through everything. It was still dreadfully cold, though snow did not come from the sky. 
        John rubbed his butt with his hands and stretched his legs. "Where are we?" He asked, his breath coming out in an icy cloud before him.
        "We're coming close to South Dakota," Jimmy replied. He was busy putting gas into the van. Jonesy walked over to John.
        "I'm hungry," He announced. "Let's get something from the gas station, John." John looked over at the dark gas station and a shiver ran down his back. He wasn't sure if it was from the cold or how sketchy the small building looked. 
        "I think I'll just stay here."        
        Jonesy pouted. "Please, John! I'm starving here." 
        "Go with him and get me an Almond Joy," Jimmy spoke up as he climbed into the van. "But no liquor! We can save that for tomorrow." He slammed the back door behind him. John turned back to Jonesy who clutched a few dollars in his fingerless gloved hand. 
        "Fine! But let's go quick. I think they're closed anyways." The two began walking to the small building. The lights were so dim that there was a good chance that it was indeed closed. 
        "Nah, it's open. See? There's an old man at the register." Jonesy was incredibly calm but John's nerves were making his stomach twist up. "Don't be afraid," Jonesy said as they finally reached the door. It was very dirty looking, as if no one had cleaned it in years. Jonesy went in first, then John. The terrible smell of bleach filled John's nostrils. As soon as John stepped in, he wished that he could run out. 
        "Let's make this quick," John whispered. The two searched for the items they desired. John looked for some small cakes and Jonesy looked for where the hotdogs were. All the while, the man at the front desk sat looking at a book as if he had not heard them come in. John kept glancing over, hoping that the man would not notice him. He found Ho-Ho's and Honeybuns, to his excitement, and began grabbing two of each. Jonesy, on the other end of the gas station had found the hotdogs and was now looking for the Almond Joys and perhaps a Butterfinger for Robert. John came to Jonesy side.
        "Come on," He whispered in his friend's ear. "This place is giving me the creeps." 
        "Don't be such a baby," John Paul replied a little too loudly. The confidence that Jonesy was displaying from the whiskey concerned John. Jonesy finally found the two candy bars that he was looking for and began walking to the counter. John followed close behind. 
        "Hello," John Paul said loudly to the old man. The old man looked up with an uninterested expression. It took him a while to register that a customer stood before him. When he began to ring up the items, the old man did it slowly and without a word. John continued to hide behind Jonesy.
        "Nice gas station you have here. Do you mind telling me where we are?" The man did not reply to Jonesy, but continued to ring up the cakes. He finally finished.
        "$10.95," the man said simply. John Paul cheerily paid for the items and grabbed the bag that they now sat in. 
        "Goodnight," he said politely and started for the door. "See? That wasn't so bad." John sighed with relief as they walked out into the cold night. They walked to the van and his feeling of relief drained from him. A strange man was standing at the front window of the van, talking to Jimmy. Robert was now awake and smiling politely at the man and Jimmy stuck his head besides Robert's and coversed with the man casually. The two Johns came close and  the strange man looked over at them.
        "Hello, who are you?" John Paul asked. 
        "This here is Warren. He says he can drive the van until we get to Colorado where his mother lives."
        "That's an awfully far way, Jimmy," John spoke up. He didn't like the idea at all. 
        "No, it's fine! He needs a way to get there and we need a driver."
        "We don't need a driver. There are four of us that are capable of it." 
        Jimmy sighed. "Oh, come now, John. What if you were in Warren's shoes, eh? The van's big enough for all five of us." All this time Warren, a chubby man with sandy brown hair and big ears that were red from the freezing air, said nothing. He didn't seem like the kind who would harm anyone. John thought for a long while, looking at Jimmy and then at Warren. 
        "Come, John," Jonesy whispered next to him. "It's not such a bad idea. And he won't be with us for all that long." 
        John sighed and looked down at the ground. "Fine," he said quietly. Warren finally moved from where he stood and walked over to John. He grabbed his hand in a firm handshake.
         "Thank you so much! I'm Warren. I suppose we can talk more in the van." And with that, the men stepped into the van. Jonesy, Jimmy, and John all sat in back, and Robert continued to sit in the front with Warren. It was strange for Jonh, who was now feeling terribly sober after this stop at the gas station, to see a stranger in the diver's seat of their VW van. Jonesy acted as though nothing had happened and passed around everyone's snacks. Robert crunched on his Butterfingers and began singing Heartbreak Hotel. 
        To John's horror, Warren sang along with Robert. And to make him feel even worse, John Paul joined in drunkly. He opened a new bottle of Jack Daniels and passed it around to a giddy Jimmy. The only person not to drink or sing was John, who looked out at the plain farmland that was covered in a frosty night.