On The Road

By Jodi Lee
© 2009, All Rights Reserved

It was Dark and Stormy’s idea to go back to New Bedlam. Their parents had taken us all there ‘on retreat’ about five years ago, thinking it would be great for a bunch of college students to see what a real writers community was like. I have to say, I was impressed more with the town, than the people in it. Far more impressed, really. There was something there, something that drew me in and kept me focused for our entire stay.

It was almost like a voice, whispering in my ear. Caressing my very soul with breathy words.

And we’re going back to rebuild all that was lost two years ago when that crazy woman set fire to the town. By the time she did, though, most of the residents had apparently committed suicide, or left. The whole situation was just unbelievable, and let’s be frank here, some of those writers seemed to be dipping into something a little psychedelic, if you get my meaning. Even the stone buildings were gone, according to the aerial and land photos we’d gone over. Everything was gone except the sewers and some of the pavement on the streets, although Dark said those would be gone by the time we got there. He’s a smug bugger, that one, but once he sets his mind to something, it gets done.

The twins – Dark and Stormy – they’re the by-product of two well known authors coming together and being creative, probably after a taste of that ‘special tea’. Have you guessed their last name yet?

Knight.

What kind of freak names their kids something so overly bloody clichéd? Their father himself is such a cliché and their mother is desperate to be different, so they name their kids Dark and Stormy Knight. Anyway, the twins had come into a substantial amount of money and since the county of Lassiter had condemned the property that had been New Bedlam, they made an offer. I guess substantial amount doesn’t really cover it. It’s safe to say, there are very few fresh college-graduates with this kind of money. The pair of them took us all out and to get drunk to celebrate, and while we sobered up the next day, they came up with the idea to rebuild New Bedlam and restore it to its former glory.

Like I said, someone had been dipping into the forbidden mushroom patch.

* * *

After four hours in the car, all I wanted was to get out and stretch my legs. Our destination was still a good five or six hours away, and I wasn’t sure I could handle much more. Dark was absolutely focused on the road ahead of us, and Stormy was snoring quietly in the back seat. Beside her sat Billi Johnson (Stormy’s latest fling), whose knee seemed to be rubbing up against Dem Gates’ pretty often. Dem is Stormy’s on again, off again, and he doesn’t seem to mind the constantly fluctuating stream of females that share their bed.

As for me, I only have eyes for Dark, but he only has eyes for the road and the project ahead. I sighed, for the millionth time in the last hour, and watched his lower lip twist a bit. “I have to pee.”

“No, you don’t. You had one cup of coffee this morning and nothing since. You want me to stop the car so you can get out, walk around, light a fag and contaminate your body further.”

“Alright then, I’ll pee here.” I made a show of undoing the button on my jeans. Glancing over, I saw he was still eyes-to-the-road. “I’ll do it, Dark. Watch me.”

He knew I wasn’t serious, but he did motion to a rest stop just coming into view. It was the most wondrous thing I’d seen in my entire life. After this long in the car, the Gobi desert would have looked welcoming. I reached down to pull my shoes on, and grab my purse. I could feel the car glide over onto the shoulder, then the gravel and finally, as I was tying the laces we turned and came to a stop.

When I sat up, I could see the look on Dark’s face. I turned to look at what he was staring at, and felt the world fall out from under me.

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Jodi Lee is publisher and editor in chief of The New Bedlam Project. Her writing has appeared in several recent anthologies as well as magazines on and offline for the past decade. Having shelved her first novel for the time being, she is currently working on two (or three) novels set in the fictional town of New Bedlam.