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Apr. 19th, 2025 at 7:28 PM
[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.]
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.]
Comments
I'm not sure I can handle another, but let's go get you some more.
[Shots are fun, but she's definitely a lightweight when it comes to that stuff. She's still giggly and light headed, and has to hold onto his hand to have him help keep her from tripping as they make their way through the club back toward the bar.]
I'm not sure I can walk straight, actually.
[That makes her extra giggly, and she gives his hand a squeeze as her head ducks to briefly press against his shoulder in an attempt at embarrassment.]
[Don't question it. He snickers as he leads her along, back over to the bar where he downs another shot of something that burns. He's pretty sure he slurred "vodka" well enough to make himself understood but by the time it hits his throat he's forgotten what he'd asked for, and that's perfectly fine.
Snickering, he winds his way back through the crowd toward where he's pretty sure they came in, at that stage door. They probably could go out the front just fine but he's drunk enough to think he's sneaky. He's also drunk enough to have said to put that shot on his tab - one he never intends to pay.
By the time he stumbles his way outside, the cool, clean air helps to bring him somewhat back to his senses and he leans against the wall of the building, breathing it in and ignoring the sound of some couple nearby making out real heavy.]
Fuck, man, it's kinda cold out. Feels good.
[It's not that cold. It's just cooler here than down south in the summer, and he needs it right now.]
[She laughs, and sighs contently as she leans back against the wall next to him. It's easy to ignore the couple that's nearby in favor of tipping her head to watch him for a few seconds, but soon enough her eyes are looking up to the stars.]
It's actually a little too cold here, huh? I guess I should've made sure my leather jacket went with this dress before leaving without it.
[Her jacket is important to her, but she's still a teenage girl. Sometimes it just doesn't go with things and she can't always swing wearing it. It doesn't mean she doesn't value it, it just means she values accessorizing. There's nothing that says she had to give up her sense of fashion just because she joined a gang.]
[He grins as he pulls her in front of him and tries to wrap his jacket around her too, but it isn't really big enough to do much more than brush her sides. He gives up on that quickly enough and just holds her, arms around her waist, her back to his chest so she can still look up at the sky.]
You'll be in trouble when winter hits. You'll have to stay warm while wearin' skinny little dresses like that. Means you'll just have to be real close to me all the time.
[And in his drunk state, he finds that very funny, imagining her burrowed into his jacket while he's wearing it and trying to score an important stolen car deal or something.]
Oh yeah? You know I wouldn't mind that.
[Having to be real close to him all the time is essentially what she wants so he better not threaten her with a good time or else she'll take him up on it. She laughs though, just enjoying the feel of his arms around her and his chest against her back.]
I remember how much I liked wearing your jacket when we first met. I think I like this a little more.
[And her own. Better in her own given her personal loyalty to the gang now, but his dick prefers that little pleasant sensation when she wears something of his and looks all cozy in it.
Buuuut, since his dick is sated for now, he just grins and gives her a squeeze and a kiss to the back of the head, before eventually releasing her and ushering her along to follow him. He's been leaning there long enough he forgot how spinny the world gets right now when he walks, though, so two steps and he stops to brace himself against the wall with a hand, laughing.]
Shit. Fuck, that vodka. Okay, no, I'm good. I wanna go see the city! One wobbly fuckin' champion step at a time!
["Champion" only because he will defeat the spinning. He really will.]
Let's go somewhere we can walk, babe!
[There may be lots of alcohol in her system right now, but she knows neither of them should be driving. He can't even stand up very well. Driving is out of the question for a little while.]
I bet there's plenty of other places to check out just up ahead.
[And just in case he needs extra convincing, she pulls him in for a kiss. Fuck that vodka. They're still going to have a great time.]
Uhh, yeah, okay. Sure, there's gotta be lotsa stuff around here! Downtown!
[Are they downtown? Well, they're close to it anyway. Party central. Shoplifting central for sure - it's not all that late out, but it's late enough that just about every place that isn't a bar or club or late-night movie theater ought to be closed.]
Hey, we oughta find a park. I wanna see what kinda drugs they got here!
[A park, a street corner, someone who looks bored - but parks are always pretty easy magnets for that sort of thing after dark. Sure, it's also a way to run across the local gangs, but if they're just here to buy and if the World Enders haven't made a bunch of enemies this far north by the eighties, the it's fine. Hell, it's a shame this city isn't already run by the Enders here and now - but he would've seen tags saying so if it was.
Or it's a different version of the world entirely, like Chrissy said. Anyway, doesn't matter. Hurts his head trying to think about it. First task is to keep walking down the sidewalk.]
[She squeaks out the word in a near shout, then winds up giggling at how loud she is. Sure, if he wants to walk around and find a park and some drugs, they can do that. She's sure it'll be fine.]
Do you think people in parks are gonna hate us because of your jacket? That would be really mean, baby, I hope they're nice to us.
[Her head turns to glance over at him, and she realizes he's having some trouble walking. He definitely had more to drink than she did. Her head is still swimming, but she's able to more or less navigate her way around. She's just giggly and floaty, and that means she takes charge by holding his hand and guiding him in the direction a park must be in.
There's a couple getting into a car parked on the street, and she points over at them before shouting.]
Hey, you two! Yeah, you! White couple!
[She conveniently forgets she's white these days, and doesn't really get why both the man and woman look at her like she's crazy.]
Where's the nearest park, huh?
[The woman shakes her head and gets into the car, but the man is nice enough to point off to the left. Chrissy calls out her thanks and marches her way forward to round the corner off the left. They're gonna be at a park in no time at this rate.]
"White couple!" Fuck! An' they fuckin' looked, they know they're "white couple"! That's the best fuckin' part!
[He catches up to her with a hand on his shoulder, and manages to get himself into a slightly more controlled snicker.]
What's that make us, huh?
[He'll ponder that while winding their way through the city streets. Maybe he'll figure it out before they get to the park.]
[She draws out that last word, trying to think of the best way to describe them. Obviously they're not a white couple. They're something else. But she doesn't like trying to put a label on them like that. So she brings their joined hands up to her mouth and kisses at his knuckles with a chuckle.]
We're better than they are, that's what we are. We're like a hurricane.
[A force of nature is exactly the best way to describe them. The thought makes her smile, even as she realizes she doesn't see a park up ahead. They stop at a corner so a car can turn and drive past, and she proceeds to keep heading straight ahead. If that guy sent them in the wrong direction, she's going to find him and make him sorry.]
[Better than anything else she could have said, and better than any dumb shit he might have come up with in the next few minutes. He tries to do a spin, arms wide, as if to demonstrate his hurricane-ness, but immediately loses his balance and topples to the sidewalk, laughing. He lets himself lie there for a second before picking himself up and brushing off his jacket. No harm done.]
Hey, that made me sober up! Perfect. Now, where's this park?
[It did not make him sober up. He's still pretty teetery as he walks along. But a little bright spot of subdued pain at contact with the pavement must have cleared the haze for a second or two.]
You're so not sobered up.
[The accusation makes her laugh, and as they reach another corner she points up ahead.]
The street sign says there's a park up ahead. It's not far. Are you sure you can make it?
[She's only teasing of course, he's done a lot more than just walk when he was a lot more messed up. But his spinning and falling is hilarious to her, even if it's in a concerning kind of way. He's the one that makes sure neither of them get hurt. And here he is all funny and they're going to buy drugs from people who might think they're a threat.]
[He loses track of his sentence midway through but then course corrects as he stumbles forward with confidence. For a short guy, he holds his alcohol well, he'd like to think, but maybe sitting down at the park for a while will do him some good anyway.
Behind the buildings past that sign, dark shapes emerge in the night, silhouetted against the city - trees, looking mostly black in the dark but for where moonlight or street light shines on their crowns. It looks mostly quiet here for now, but there's a couple of people strolling past farther down on the sidewalk, out enjoying the summer night. Light shimmers off the surface of a dark pond in the middle of the grass, too - and in the middle, a concrete protrusion that must be a fountain when turned on and running during the day.
Johnnie manages to find himself a bench and sits down, tipping his head back to enjoy the cool breeze. That might do more to help him come to his senses than, say, falling over.]
Well, I don't see anyone selling but maybe they're just waitin' for someone like us to sit down. C'mere, baby girl, you gotta come back in my arms an' stay warm.
Let's give someone five or ten minutes to show up. I bet someone will.
[And sure enough, within a few minutes, a couple walks by and eyes them as they pass. The woman whispers to the man, and he looks back over his shoulder their way. Chrissy catches this and gives Johnnie a little nudge, before smiling and waving at the two. If she needs to play up the innocent and sweet thing to get these people to sell them drugs, she'll do whatever it takes.]
I don't think we've seen the two of you around here before.
[The woman says as they approach, and Chrissy shrugs.]
We're not from around here. We're just visiting and are trying to have some fun. Right, babe?
He grins, on Chrissy's cue, and gives her a pat on the thigh.]
Yeah, night's still young. You two dunno where we could score somethin' to make sure we have a good time, do ya?
[The man answers verbally first, as the woman taps her purse.]
Sure, we can help you out with that. What kinda party are you after?
[Johnnie considers the question for a moment, his tongue muddled by alcohol. What kind of party? What an annoying question. Future pushers like these two need a menu or something, how does he even know what to ask for?
Well, he'll wing it. He'll figure it out.]
I'm thinkin', something to keep us dancing all night long! Or at least somethin' to let us enjoy the sights while we wander around. But no boring shit, I ain't lookin' for pot, man.
How about something that takes you all the way to outer space? You can dance all night with the stars. It's totally radical.
[The woman drawls, and Chrissy gets a little tense because that description sounds an awful lot like -
Her eyes widen as the man unzips the purse and situates himself so no one can see the woman pull out a little vial with black liquid. Chrissy has to bite her tongue to keep from gasping in shock. That definitely looks like vide noir. But it can't be, they burned it all in 1967. Didn't they?
She doesn't say a word. She goes absolutely rigid in Johnnie's arms and waits to hear his reaction before speaking.]
[Wait, he hadn't meant to say that out loud, but there it is, along with his raised eyebrows. Yeah, he's pretty sure he knows exactly what that stuff is.
The woman takes his response as enthusiasm and gives the vial a little wiggle just to make the liquid inside shimmer ever so slightly as it catches the dim light - though it doesn't catch much. This stuff never does.]
Tried it before? It's good. This one's a new formulation, gets you out there on a real smooth ride.
[Is that bullshit? Seems like it could be bullshit but he doesn't actually know the first thing about how this stuff is made and bottled. Are there formulations or does vide noir just run raw through the earth in its secret, hidden places?
He's not going to take it. He's not. He wants it. He really is not going to take it though. Probably.
He nods at the bottle.]
That's what, an ounce? How much?
[She smiles, anticipating a sale.]
Forty. Best price you'll find out here tonight. Especially given those Jawbreaker kids sell it diluted with motor oil. This is the real deal.
That sounds like more of an adventure than I'm wanting to take. Do you have anything not so...
[She hesitates, unable to find the right word. It's not like she wants to offend a nice, honest couple out trying to earn money. She just isn't going to be the chump that buys black sludge she can get for free from the place the Ender sent them. Surely he'd kick them back there if they really wanted another dive into the darkness.
Wouldn't he?]
So what? Are you looking for something a little less dangerous?
[The woman tries again, smiling as she taps her purse.]
You looking for something you can breathe in? Or wanting something you can mainline right into your system?
[Mainline? That sounds new and potentially exciting. Chrissy glances over at Johnnie with a shrug.]
Whatever's cheapest.
Wait, hold the fuck up, I don't fuckin' want less dangerous, that's bullshit! I live for danger, you kidding me?
[And fuck cheapest too, cheapest is shit, cheapest is how you get the bad shit that gives you the runs and a bad hangover or whatever.
His insistence makes the man chuckle, though it sounds like there might be an edge of frustration there at these two not buying already.]
Maybe we'll do a deal then. A little of this, a little of that, right?
[As he says it, the woman sorts through her purse until she pulls out a vial of clear liquid. Heroin, or morphine, Johnnie recognizes that. And he snorts and shakes his head.]
No fuckin' downers, man, I ain't lookin' to have a nap here even if it's a real nice one. Look, you got coke?
[Not exactly as dazzling as something like vide noir but it'll keep him going while they race through the streets and explore on his bike, and maybe that's the best alternative here.]
It looks like you'll need it to get through tonight.
[A tiny clear bag is just barely pulled out of her purse so he can see, and her tone takes on a sharper edge. If this little shit doesn't buy something in the next ten seconds, she's walking.]
Six hundred, it's yours.
[Her partner insists, giving a chuckle with an edge that says if six hundred isn't handed over as quickly as possible they might have a problem. Chrissy recognizes the threat there and eyes him critically. He looks like she could take him in a fight if she needed to.]
So the laughter fades, and he takes in the seriousness of it all over the next two or so seconds before bristling, eyes narrowed.]
The fuck do you mean, six hundred? That shit ain't worth that much, it's just fucking cocaine! What, 's it made from fuckin' ground up angels or some shit? Diamonds? I fuckin' sell that shit at home, I'd get fuckin' stabbed if I tried to sell it for anywhere near that much! Fuck, I oughta gut you for even suggesting it!
[Booze keeps his chatter going long after he should have stopped, and allows his hand to slip toward the knife at his belt.
And, seeing this, the woman stuffs the bag back in her purse and quickly turns to leave. Her partner backs off a step as well, but keeps his eyes on Johnnie just in case.]
Fine. We've wasted enough time on this. Good luck, kiddos.
Did you really want to buy the vide noir?
[It's impossible for her to hide the worry in her voice, but she does them both a favor by not looking directly at him. Staring straight ahead at the darkness that couple disappeared into is just fine by her. The distress in her eyes probably is showing and that will ruin their good night.]
Come on, let's go find somewhere else to buy something. We'll get high and keep having a good time. We don't need to sniff six hundred dollar junk. I bet we can find vide noir just about anywhere if we really wanted to.
[But if he's doing it, she's doing it too. And she knows he doesn't want her to touch it.]
[Did he really want to buy it? Maybe, for a moment, when presented with the opportunity. The shit is good.
But he shudders at the memory of it, too.]
When it's good, it's perfect, that's the thing. An' there's no fuckin' way I'm payin' six hundred for coke! Shit, they better not have only expensive drugs here. San Francisco's bullshit.
[And he's just mad about it. With a sigh, he gives her a nudge to get up as he stands too. At least he's less wobbly now after sitting a while and letting the alcohol boil off in his anger.]
What'd she say, Jawbreakers? Must be one a' the local gangs. They'll know better than those two assholes.
[This area is pretty nice. There's probably only one gang around here, right? There must be. She's wearing a hint of a smile as she stands up and stretches, but turns it into a smooth move where she takes hold of his hand and leans in for a quick kiss at the same time. He doesn't seem like he's really in a bad mood, which means they'll have fun no matter what.]
If we did find vide noir, would you still tell me not to take it? You used to tell me to stay away from that shit.
[She pauses, head tipping to the side as she laughs at some memories of their early conversations.]
I think you used to tell me to stay off the hard stuff too. Like cocaine.
[And now he wants to buy it for a fun and romantic night out stealing.]