0015: Don't Look Back
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Jeff Jackson. His name sends a cork screw through Everly’s chest. He was her first love. Her only love, to date.
A motorcycle wizzes past, the billowing echo of its souped up motor echoing in its wake. Everly waits for Hayley to continue.
When she doesn’t say more, Everly glances over. Hayley’s face presses against the window, her eyes closed, and mouth open. Little white halos puff out of Hayley’s lips onto the glass.
Everly nudges her. “Hayley? Hayley?”
How could she fall back to sleep at a moment like this? What did she know about Jeff Jackson?
Everly’s car sways to the right, THUD, THUD, THUD.
Her tires bounce against the beveled edge of the highway.
Everly looks up at a green highway sign. It reads, “WESTWOOD.”
Everly eases her car into the exit lane and then glances at the sign again.
WESTWOOD BLVD - EAST and WEST.
She wants to go west, right?
West to Westwood.
Everly checks her rear-view mirror, then moves one lane to the left to go west.
No, that wasn’t right. She lurches the car, last minute, back into the far right lane.
Or was it?
She swings back over a lane, and then, last minute, back into the first lane and catapults down the exit ramp.
Her foot pushes the brake, slowing around the turn.
She eases onto Wilshire Blvd. She’s made it. Only a block to go! She can almost taste the caramel frozen yogurt she is going to treat herself to when she gets back.
The car interior glows red. Then Blue. Then Red.
Is that fireworks?
Everly checks behind her.
Not fireworks.
--
Written by Michelle Lang
Images by #midjourney
A motorcycle wizzes past, the billowing echo of its souped up motor echoing in its wake. Everly waits for Hayley to continue.
When she doesn’t say more, Everly glances over. Hayley’s face presses against the window, her eyes closed, and mouth open. Little white halos puff out of Hayley’s lips onto the glass.
Everly nudges her. “Hayley? Hayley?”
How could she fall back to sleep at a moment like this? What did she know about Jeff Jackson?
Everly’s car sways to the right, THUD, THUD, THUD.
Her tires bounce against the beveled edge of the highway.
Everly looks up at a green highway sign. It reads, “WESTWOOD.”
Everly eases her car into the exit lane and then glances at the sign again.
WESTWOOD BLVD - EAST and WEST.
She wants to go west, right?
West to Westwood.
Everly checks her rear-view mirror, then moves one lane to the left to go west.
No, that wasn’t right. She lurches the car, last minute, back into the far right lane.
Or was it?
She swings back over a lane, and then, last minute, back into the first lane and catapults down the exit ramp.
Her foot pushes the brake, slowing around the turn.
She eases onto Wilshire Blvd. She’s made it. Only a block to go! She can almost taste the caramel frozen yogurt she is going to treat herself to when she gets back.
The car interior glows red. Then Blue. Then Red.
Is that fireworks?
Everly checks behind her.
Not fireworks.
--
Written by Michelle Lang
Images by #midjourney