Underneath the light of a truck stop, there’s a utilitarian car that’s trim and clean on the outside, as if it came off the car lot only a few weeks ago, and clearly lived-in on the inside. Clothes are scattered about the interior, along with fast food trash and empty liquor bottles and Dan, fast asleep in the back seat, covered in a cheap blanket. Newspaper is taped with duct tape over the windows to reduce the sun’s glare. His phone goes off, cheerily pepping out “Werewolves of London”.
Groaning, wincing, Dan paws around at the source of the noise and flicks his phone on, puts it on speaker.
“Lionel?”
“Merry Christmas, dude. Did I just wake you up?”
Dan wipes sleep out of his eyes and runs his hands through his hair and finds his sunglasses. “It’s Christmas Eve.”
“Nah, dude, it’s December 25th. I’m watching Charlie Brown right now. You lose a day?”
“Must’ve. Hold on a second.” Dan finds a bottle that still has some vodka in it and takes a chug, then massages his temples.
In the vision, Dan returns his attention to the phone and says in a voice that’s cheerier and more composed than his body language suggests. “Sorry, just taking me a moment to wake up. I’m glad you called. How’s your pack? Started any new rituals yet?”
“We’re good, we’re good,” the voice on the other side of the phone says. “Still all getting to know each other, you know, and no better time for that than Christmas. Christmas with only a sliver of a moon, too, so we’re all just vibing. Hey, um, I mostly just wanted to check in with you. We’re all a little worried, since it’s the first Christmas since…”
“I’m fine. I actually talked my way into a really nice hotel tonight. The hot tub is amazing.” Dan says, and he sounds believable. He gropes around for cigarettes. “Anyway, I’m waking up to a fourteen-hour drive, but I bet I can make it in ten. Half that strip is through nothing but cornfields.”
“Okay.” Lionel on the other end sounds relieved. “I’ll see you in a few days, dude.”
“Can’t wait. Merry Christmas, buddy. Try not to have too much fun without me. Give Matt a kiss for me, too, and tell him he can expect more.” And Dan turns the phone off, and breaks out his morning smoke.
PRESENT
Groaning, wincing, Dan paws around at the source of the noise and flicks his phone on, puts it on speaker.
“Lionel?”
“Merry Christmas, dude. Did I just wake you up?”
Dan wipes sleep out of his eyes and runs his hands through his hair and finds his sunglasses. “It’s Christmas Eve.”
“Nah, dude, it’s December 25th. I’m watching Charlie Brown right now. You lose a day?”
“Must’ve. Hold on a second.” Dan finds a bottle that still has some vodka in it and takes a chug, then massages his temples.
In the vision, Dan returns his attention to the phone and says in a voice that’s cheerier and more composed than his body language suggests. “Sorry, just taking me a moment to wake up. I’m glad you called. How’s your pack? Started any new rituals yet?”
“We’re good, we’re good,” the voice on the other side of the phone says. “Still all getting to know each other, you know, and no better time for that than Christmas. Christmas with only a sliver of a moon, too, so we’re all just vibing. Hey, um, I mostly just wanted to check in with you. We’re all a little worried, since it’s the first Christmas since…”
“I’m fine. I actually talked my way into a really nice hotel tonight. The hot tub is amazing.” Dan says, and he sounds believable. He gropes around for cigarettes. “Anyway, I’m waking up to a fourteen-hour drive, but I bet I can make it in ten. Half that strip is through nothing but cornfields.”
“Okay.” Lionel on the other end sounds relieved. “I’ll see you in a few days, dude.”
“Can’t wait. Merry Christmas, buddy. Try not to have too much fun without me. Give Matt a kiss for me, too, and tell him he can expect more.” And Dan turns the phone off, and breaks out his morning smoke.