beyondtheline | I sure like the feeling of an endless road

I sure like the feeling of an endless road

[A few hours of open road makes for easygoing fun. It's great to be traveling again, and the feeling of Chrissy leaning up against his back, holding on tight while he whips ahead on a wide-open freeway through the pitch black of night is like nothing else. The last time they were racing up and down this freeway, they were on the way to go burn a bunch of people's lives down - but now that's hours back, back with the rest of the city. They've left the lights and have nothing to look at but the pavement in Johnnie's headlight, the glimpses of stars shining weakly through hazy clouds, and occasionally an oncoming car.

Johnnie hasn't exactly been trying to tune in to his senses or abilities or whatever it is he has - he's just been cruising, letting the night go by, enjoying their plunge northward without a care or a thought. So it is deeply irritating when the pavement quickly fades to a well-worn dirt track that almost tosses him and Chrissy to the ground, and it takes all of his skills to get the front wheel under control and to slow down before they hit a rock that really might launch them into the nearest alfalfa field. Or whatever it is that's here, whenever they've found themselves. Somewhere pre-freeway. Boo.

But there are a few lights ahead, and he did need a stop to pee, so, fuck it.]

Well, shit. Y'know, I dunno exactly where we are. Last sign said San Jose was still fuckin' hours off. You good? That was kinda shaky.

[As long as this dirt road stays packed, they can drive it, but it's going to be slow. Good thing they're almost to somewhere.]

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A whole hill?

[That's not really a problem, but the thought of it taking longer to get back to their bike because of a hill is really upsetting in the moment. What if it takes them just long enough that people mess with his bike? Then she'll have to make people explode or tear their skin from their body or something, and then she'll have a bloody nose and maybe even pass out. She'll never get a camcorder if that happens.]

Come on. I'll race you up to the top.

[They might as well turn it into a competitive game if they're going to make their way up the hill. It's the only way to motivate them to get a move on.]

Then we'll be so high maybe we'll be able to see the club and we'll know exactly where to go!

[Actually? She's so hopeful that will be the case that she doesn't wait for him to say okay. She just takes off at a light jog as the moon and stars overhead cheer her on.]

Yeah, I bet we will!

[And even if they don't, the optimism is fun. It gives him extra energy to bound up the street - for a little while anyway before he has to slow down. Damn. He's good on his feet for a long time in a lot of situations, but he can't say he regularly goes running uphill and it shows.

Especially not while high on mushrooms, where his feet feel like lead and the ground turns to molasses. It's a hell of a slog - and, just because he feels compelled to check with a finger swiping against the sidewalk before he presses it to his tongue, it doesn't even taste like molasses, so what the fuck is the point of that?

Eventually he makes it up to the crest of the hill with a groan, and stops to catch his breath. She's beat him this time for sure, especially since he had to stop and make sure the street wasn't actually tasty.]

D'you see my bike down there? Wait, that club was downtown, right? Those buildings look taller that way. That's gotta be it!

[She stands at the top of the hill with both hands on her hips like she's surveying her kingdom down below. In a way, that feels true, and it's not the influence of drugs causing that delusion of grandeur. She's not even sure it's really a delusion anymore. The entire world is not only their playground but their kingdom in a way. With the power they both have, they decide the fate of everyone around them. And gosh, isn't that exhilarating enough to shiver a little as a fresh burst of energy fills her.

Her head turns just in time to witness Johnnie approaching, and she smiles as she nods in agreement. The tall buildings are definitely the right direction. It's just that they're so far away.]

Do you think that if we tried really hard, we could run and leap off this hill and fly? I mean, we can do so many other really cool things we should be able to fly too! Or at least glide all the way over there.

[Of course, she could always try to focus enough to open a little tear right at those tall buildings. She can see them clearly, it should be easy enough.]

... Huh. ... You wanna try?

[He turns to her with a smirk. After that uphill slog, his feet could use a break, and the mushrooms definitely have him feeling light as air. Somewhere in the back of his mind he vaguely remembers flight attempts while high not going well, but also, he doesn't remember well enough to know why. It's all in good fun, what's the harm?

She's going to have to catch up to join him, because with a whoop and a leap, he's off, mostly sort of run-hopping down the hill toward downtown with his arms spread. He's clearly having trouble getting any height, but he's having fun trying.]

[She's laughing at first as she watches him go, arms outstretched. He looks like a giant baby bird learning to fly. So she squawks and flaps both her arms, because if he can have wings so can she. She takes off at a run after him, whooping and laughing as she run-hops as fast as she can. She tries her best to take to the sky but it always seems just out of her reach.

So when she catches up to him she puts all her efforts into creating a tear large enough for the both of them, making sure it's far enough ahead he won't run right past it. It takes a lot of effort to keep it open, but she's still able to run. Her hand grabs his as they edge in closer, and she uses her free hand to claw at the air and tear open the hole large enough that they can see tall buildings on the other side.]

Geronimo!

[She hollers, keeping her hold on him as she takes a leap toward that shredded opening. Her eyes close as she feels momentarily like she's being pulled at every edge, but when she feels her feet hit pavement on the other side she opens her eyes and stares at a tall building. Fuck, she can do this even when she's high. She's amazing.]

We did it! We made it downtown!

Oh shit-!

[Whatever just happened, he's high enough that he can't really process it. Did they jump through space and time for real? Sure feels like it. Could totally be the drugs though. Either way, it's awesome even if a little disorienting at first until he lands and staggers and catches himself, held up partly by that hand holding hers.

He's grinning ear to ear once he gets his bearings back.]

What a flight! Hey, that's some kinda record, right? Farthest people ever flew with their own fuckin' power an' a real big fuckin' hill. Hey, you want breakfast?

[He can smell coffee, it's somewhere. Some shop set up to make sure those first businessmen off to work get their caffeine and bacon and eggs if they don't have a wife at home to provide it. Shit, he's hungry now.]

Breakfast?

[Not that she already isn't in a good mood, but she definitely perks up at the mention of food. Both hands press against her stomach as she nods.]

Yeah, I could go for some food. We need fuel to finish finding the bike.

[Her hand is still holding his, and she brings his up toward her mouth so she can kiss at his fingertips. It's silly and makes her laugh a little, so she shares her joy by leaning in for a real kiss instead.]

I can smell something good nearby. Let's see if we can sniff it out, okay?

[They've pretended to be birds. They might as well pretend to be wolves or bloodhounds or something. She gently untangles her fingers from his and pulls away to take the lead, sniffing at the air like she's on the hunt. She doesn't particularly pride herself on her ability to use scent to her advantage, but she's positive she can find whatever smells good out there.]

[He snickers and lets her go off sniffing all she likes. He's going to follow visions of bacon. He can see it waving around in the air, all salty and greasy, beckoning him forward. Seems like it's going mostly the same direction she is, though - so that's helpful.]

Thanks, bacon. Bein' a real good dude.

[Yes, he said that out loud. Eventually the nearest cafe catches his eye with a neon OPEN sign and he's not totally sure if it's what Chrissy is sniffing out, but he can see bacon in there for sure. Like, mountains of it. Banners of it waving from the ceiling. Also the door says "coffee" so it can't be the wrong place.]

Hey babe, over here!

[Bacon door. Bacon handle which turns into regular metal as soon as he opens it. Yeah okay wow the bacon hallucination is strong, so he's just going to have to order some as soon as they sit down.]

[She lets the smell of bacon and coffee guide her over to Johnnie, and it feels like she floats her way inside and right past the hostess stand, all the way into a booth in the corner. There's definitely a worry she might be drooling as she grabs a menu from behind the napkin holder and starts looking it over. She didn't realize how hungry she was until just now.]

Oh gosh, we need lots of bacon. And pancakes. I really want pancakes.

[That's probably a good breakfast, right? Bacon, pancakes, and all the cherry coke she can drink. That'll keep her going for hours, or at least until she crashes and burns from exhaustion.

The waitress approaches with a smile, but Chrissy doesn't have time for pleasantries. She's a girl on a mission.]

We need all the bacon a plate can hold. And pancakes!

[The girl waiting on them can't be older than twenty, and her eyes go wide as she laughs a little in shock. These two are definitely on something.]

Are you sure you want that much bacon? You have to pay by the slice.

By the - what the fuck? Who pays by the slice? Wait, how much is a slice?

[The waitress is amused, thankfully, not annoyed by his irritation.]

Twenty cents? You know what, I'll ask. Maybe we can get you a bulk price if you pay for a pound of it.

[Is she laughing at him?]

You laughing at me?

[Okay yeah he had to ask out loud. He must just look really confused or something. Which he is. Confused and annoyed because a plate full of bacon at twenty cents a slice, well, that's gotta be at least ten bucks' worth of bacon, right?

Fuck it, worth it.

She's shaking her head, and covering her mouth with a hand, and he shrugs it off with a snicker.]

Don't worry about it. But a bulk price'd be real good! Pancakes an' bacon it is. Oh, an' a coffee for me.

A cherry coke for me, please.

[This waitress is nice, so Chrissy has no issue using her best manners. The girl smiles and nods and turns to leave, but Chrissy gasps as she thinks of something else.]

Oh! Can we get an order of french fries too?

[The waitress turns around, biting at her lip to keep from laughing.]

Are you sure you don't want hashbrowns instead?

[Upon seeing Chrissy's whole face scrunch up in distaste she laughs and shrugs.]

Okay, no hash. Fries it is. I'll be right back with your drinks.

[She turns to head off for real this time, and that leaves Chrissy slouching back in the booth with a content sigh. This breakfast is going to be so so good.]

You know, she doesn't look much older than I am. I wonder how she got stuck working the super early morning shift in a place like this.

Yeah, who knows. Girl's gotta earn her drug money somehow.

[Or her shoes money? Record collection money? But there's some sort of desperation about working a shift like this one, and she's so damn cheery about it too. Gotta be drug money. Doing coke in the back room with the Mexican line cooks all trying to get through the day.

He snorts a laugh at the idea and leans back with an arm over Chrissy's shoulders. Bacon-shaped moths dart around one of the lights on the ceiling.]

Speakin' of, we still got a little of this shit left ourselves. Next time we find ourselves in a real nice place we can enjoy it one more time. I wish I'd got more.

We'll find more somewhere else. Or maybe something even better. There's a lot of good stuff out there.

[It's been a nice high, that's for sure. It's too bad the guy that sold it to them was all weird about Johnnie's jacket. Her eyes glance up at his face to admire it and she notices his eyes looking upward. She directs her gaze to the same direction and she doesn't see anything there.]

What're you looking at?

[Her eyes narrow, squinting like that will open the mysteries of the universe to her. All she sees are flying spiders swarming around a light near the ceiling, and that's absolutely not what she wants to see. Her eyes drop back down to the table, and she drums her fingers against the edge.

The waitress drops their drinks off and Chrissy gladly takes the opportunity to ignore those spiders Johnnie's admiring by diving into her cherry coke.]

Bacon moth.

[He gestures upward with a pointing finger, then lets his hand slowly drift back down to the table - just in time to grab his coffee and have a slow sip.

But oh fuck it's hot, and thankfully the girl dropped off a couple little creamer things to go with it, maybe those will cool it down. He pops those open and drops the cream in, then leans over to steal a sip of Chrissy's coke while she's holding it.]

Oh, ow. Mine's hot, yours is cold, now my teeth fuckin' hurt!

[But not badly. He laughs it off and goes back to sipping carefully at his coffee. Maybe it'll clear the bacon moths from his brain.]

Bacon moth?

[She tips her head upward in the direction that he's pointing, and glances over at him just in time to catch him stealing a drink of her coke. That makes her laugh and she gently grabs at his chin to turn his head just right for a kiss.]

That's what you get for stealing my drink.

[There's a playful wink as she pulls away, and her hand drops to idly rub at his thigh. Obviously she doesn't mind him drinking her coke.]

I'm pretty sure those are flying spiders, babe. I've never even heard of bacon moths.

Oh, cool.

[Flying spiders? Sure, he'll believe it. Neat.

A few minutes of trying to get his coffee to cool down passes quickly enough, and then their server is out with the food. Pancakes, a plate full of bacon, a basket of fries. She gives a chipper "enjoy!" and then she's off, leaving the two of them to their odd assemblage of breakfast choices.

Johnnie goes for the bacon right off the plate immediately before even trying to actually serve himself onto one of his own. That delicious crunch of salty grease is an absolute essential - and once that need is satisfied, he sets about actually portioning some out with a pancake and syrup.]

Oh, fuck yeah. This was the best choice ever.

[She watches him dig in before she grabs some bacon for herself. Rather than make an actual plate, she dips the bacon into the syrup and enjoys the sweet and salty taste. One piece turns to two, then three, and she stops at four before she grabs a french fry. That also gets dipped into syrup, and she quickly decides any combination of salty and sweet is good.

A minute later she's taken a pancake and folded up bacon and french fries inside it, and is happily drizzling syrup on top of everything.]

It's like a breakfast taco, see? A midwestern breakfast taco!

[Because no one from the midwest could ever hope to make actual breakfast tacos as good as the people in LA. Her creation is raised in a salute to Johnnie and his delicious breakfast tacos he makes at home all the time, and she digs in like a ravenous monster that hasn't eaten in a week.]

[What an incredible goddamn invention.

He eyes that with jealousy before quickly making one of his own, and it's gone in seconds with how quickly he devours it.]

Oh shit.

[He laughs a little with his mouth still full of food before he manages to finish chewing and swallowing it.]

That's fuckin' good. Fucking midwestern breakfast taco, shit, you could sell those.

[But she shouldn't. He's keeping them all for himself, and so he quickly makes another, packing it with extra bacon.

Before long he's feeling pretty stuffed, but they've honestly made their way through just about everything that was put in front of them. Maybe it was all the walking they just did. He slumps lower in his seat as he works on a slice of bacon, one nibble at a time.]

Think they'll let us sleep here? Wait - nah shit, I don't want them to tow my bike.

[But he'd be tempted otherwise. He could go for a nap.]

I won't let us nap here. We gotta get back to the hotel!

[It's a good room and they've barely used it. Maybe they can get one more day out of this place since they didn't really focus on stealing anything, and that's the whole point of this trip. Then again, getting high and messing around all night is the whole point of being a World Ender, when they're not focused on chaos and destruction.]

I can try driving us back. We just gotta find the bike, then I can carry you all the way to bed.

[And honestly, the prospect of him being all tired enough to lay there for lots of cuddling and sleep cuddling is so enticing, she eyes the nearby side door with a grin.]

Wanna ditch before she comes back with the check?

[Oh right, they have a hotel! He'd honestly forgotten. He's having too good a time with everything else. At least the food has given him the encouragement he had needed to get some sleep, though.

As for ditching? Yeah, of course. He's comfortable here slumped in the booth, but he picks himself up a little, sweeps a hand through his hair with a smirk, then slides out and onto his feet.]

Yeah, let's get goin'.

[He's not exactly quiet or subtle about that, those aren't things he does well, and when he hears the waitress shout at them to wait, he breaks into a run, laughing as he does so.]

Race ya to the bike!

[Wherever it is!]

[She glances back toward the waitress and laughs as she gives chase, running after Johnnie so she can bump against him as she jogs past. Does she have any actual idea where the bike is? No. But running is fun, and it feels like she's flying as she blurs past the early morning crowd stuck on their way to work.

A few of those people get nearly bowled over as she pushes past them, and she howls with laughter as they shout in offense. It must suck to be an adult that has to work all day every day and only has the weekend to live for. But it's not her fault they're grumpy because they're stuck in that life and are unable to have any fun. She's out here living her best life and is having the best time.

Somehow, they manage to find the bike parked where they left it. She reaches it before he does, and slaps her hand against the seat as she leans over to catch her breath. Maybe that was a little too much running after eating so much.]

Oh my gosh it feels like I'm gonna puke. Gross.

[Johnnie sees her reach the bike and shouts his complaints but it's only a couple more seconds before he's there himself, panting and groaning at his own stomach ache.]

Ugh. But the bacon was so fuckin' worth it!

[Still. Was it really?

Yeah. But barely. He sits down next to the bike rather than hopping on immediately, deciding to catch his breath there for a long moment.]

Man, that really was kinda a lotta running on a lotta food, though. Ugh. All right, back to the hotel?

[Just. Give him a second. Before he hauls himself upright and slings a leg over the bike, then holds out a hand for her.]

[Her stomach is definitely still cramping as she grabs his hand and lets him help her up on the bike.]

Yeah, let's head back. I'm so tired all of a sudden I could sleep for a whole day.

[That's probably just the cramps talking, but they're pretty distracting right now. Maybe she should've taken the time to drink water instead of all that coke.]

You know, we didn't get any money last night like we wanted to. We really have to focus tonight so we can get lots.

Yeah, I know. You know how it is, it's so easy to have a ton a' fun we forget to do the stuff we gotta do.

[And that's not really a problem as far as he sees it. There's time for both, they'll make sure of it. One more night here in San Francisco sounds fine to him.

At least now he's pretty sure he has a vague sense of where to go. The hotel was on the way toward the edge of town, and there aren't so many busy streets or possible options in that direction, and he's pretty sure they didn't take too many turns. It takes a few minutes and one or two backtracks when he's pretty sure he went the wrong way, but soon enough the hotel lot is ahead. He pulls in, slides off the bike and onto his feet, and holds the door for her.]

Did it. Found the fuckin' thing. Think the mushrooms are wearin' off, though.

[What a shame.]

They are.

[She laughs as she shuffles along after him and into the room, and promptly kicks off her shoes and removes her clothes. They're all tossed onto the floor and she takes off at a run to leap into bed. Her eyes aren't closing yet, she still needs to brush her teeth and wash her face. But it's so nice to be comfortable after a busy night out.]

That's too bad though. I bet sex on mushrooms is really cool.

[To be fair, sex on any kind of drug has been pretty great. So she's guessing mushrooms would be the same. She laughs as she nuzzles down into the blankets and lets out a long, content sigh. This has been a really great trip so far.]

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