The Town 001: Hitchhiker


[Susan has been walking for far too long on the side of the road, carrying a bag that is too heavy, in weather that is too cold!] -01:58 Feb 12
[Anton is a journalist for a motoring magazine writing a review for the latest Jaguar. It’s getting late and he is looking forwards to testign her at night…] -01:59 Feb 12
Susan: Furry boots, as cute and stylish as they were, were not made for long distance walking. Had the bus not been filled with the creepiest people she had ever met, she might be tucked away in a warm seat in another state by now. Instead, she was hopping to the side of the road everytime she heard a car coming, sticking out a hand to wave around and try to get someone’s attention. Susan was sure she didn’t look like a serial killer or a hooker, why wouldn’t someone stop for a girl?! -02:04 Feb 12 Susan
Anton: He wasn’t meant to stop for hitch hikers and didn’t when he saw her… until he looked at the satnav adn saw they were miled from anywhere… Just before it disappeared behind the pines and a rise in the road the rd lights of the brakes cam on and the expencive car slid to s stop. "Good breaks…" he noted before undiong his seatbelt and lowering the powered windows to stick a neatly cropped head outsite and look back. "Where you going?" he called out regretting opening the window of the heated cabin. -02:10 Feb 12 Anton
Susan: Susan held back her cheer of joy to shuffle over to what had to be the most expensive car she’d seen in her life. She leaned in close, already longing for the heeeaaat of a warm space and gave her best pitiful-girl look. "Anywhere, the next town? Where ever you might be going? Anyplace that isn’t the middle of a forest is good enough for me." -02:14 Feb 12 Susan
Anton: She was running from something… That much was obvious. "Get in." He could get fired for this but so long as the car remained intact the insurence company wouldn’t make a fuss. So much paperword was involved in test driving supercars it was frightening. "I’m not stopping in the next town." he explained. "But I can drop you off." His story was suppoerted by a can of energy dring in a packet he moved off of the passenger seat for her. "I have a hotel room in Atlanta waiting for me. If I keep driving I though be there by midnight…" -02:22 Feb 12 Anton
Susan: "You’re a saint!" Susan was around the other side in a flash, sliding in to the seat and stuffing her bag down at her feet. After her seatbelt was clicked, she rubbed her hands together trying to get some feeling back in to her fingers. Everything in here was pristine. The car had to be brand new or he was some kind of control freak about the thing. "How weird would it be if I tagged along all the way to Atlanta? Bus far would probably be a lot cheaper for me there than in a small town… Oh, I’m Susan. Thanks for the ride." -02:27 Feb 12 Susan
Anton: He looked nervous as she stuffed her bag in, maybe he was a contl freak! But the car wasn’t his and any damage was comign out of his pay! "I’m Anton." He offered a hand… had she heard of him? She didn’t seem like the type to read petrol head magazines. "And okay… but that’s it." Theeditor would be around in Atlanta int he morning with the camera crew and picking up hitchhikers was a big no no. -02:32 Feb 12 Anton
Susan: Susan shook his hand, casting a wide cheeky grin. "Don’t worry, I don’t bite. You could probably use the help staying awake too. It’s what, hours from here?" She settled in to her seat, wrapping her arms around herself to help contain some of that warmness. It felt so good to get off her feet, and if she didn’t think he’d freak she should have taken off her shoes. "Are you a lawyer or billionaire or something? This car is crazy." -02:35 Feb 12 Susan
Anton: He chuckles as the car started moving off down the road. "I’m a writer." he said. "Of sorts… I review cars for a popular magazine and this month it’s and this month it’s the Jaguar F type…" he gave the steering wheel an affectionate pat. "It’s my job to find her strong points and weak points and write about them." the engine purred as the lights of town popped into veiw. "Maybe next car I get…" -02:42 Feb 12 Anton
Susan: "They actually let you test drive these things farther than a mile?" For a second there, she was trying to imagine how a writer could afford a car like this. Most people claiming to be writers didn’t do more than write crappy blog posts about the coffee they had that morning. Of course then he said it might be the next car he got, and she looked a bit dubious. "Do you really make that much money reviewing for a magazine?" Susan bit her lip. That question was probably out of line, she didn’t have a clue of what jobs paid in reality, and her recent experiences proved it! -02:46 Feb 12 Susan
Anton: "It’s a big magazine." he said giving her a look before self consciously at his two-buttons-undone dress shirt and jacket. "And my parents were rich… I don’t really need to work but I love cars and I love writing." there was a shake of his head. "If you don’t believe me you can look my up. Aston J. Wardon. Hypercar Magazine" he didn’t expect her to do it but it was novel to talk to someone on these trips… -02:58 Feb 12 Anton
Susan: "I’ll take your word for it. You probably won’t ever see me again anyway, so what will it matter?" she grinned at him. Susan didn’t care much for cars, but she did recognize the name of the magazine. Her boyfriend… exboyfriend always got that magazine every week. She was pretty sure he picked his current monstrosity because of the reviews. …which left her wondering about how strange the coincidence was. Susan tried to inconspicuously look him over to see if maybe she recognized him. That’d be crazy. "So, um… Where are you coming from?" -03:04 Feb 12 Susan
Anton: "Columbia, they’re calling it a ride thought he south…" he rolled his eyes. "Driving a car like this through an area like this… I’m happy the insurence people will take care of the ar tonight." Streetlamps were apssign by now but they were short livesd as they passed though town. "What about you?" -03:10 Feb 12 Anton
Susan: "Nowhere insteresting." And that was all she would say about that. The last thing she wanted to do was give anyone information that would help track her down. He could always still be a spy or hitman or something! Susan very quickly changed the subject back to him, while she covered her mouth with a hand and yawned. "I guess driving through the south is better to test out the cars. Cities aren’t so condensed and there’s lots of hills and dips. Is that all your do, then? Drive and write?" -03:15 Feb 12 Susan
Anton: "Drive, write, buy mistreated cars and fix them up…" he tapped his hands on the wheel. "Collect things… You can get all this from my wikipedia page…" it was a joke, but a true one. "What do you do? Student taking an off year?" -03:20 Feb 12 Anton
Susan: He has a wikipedia page? How weird. If she still had her phone, Susan would have looked it up right then just to see. Instead she was now fussing with her fingers, clicking her thumbnails together as she shifted uncomfortably in her seat. "I was just a Customer Service rep and answered phones. Pretty boring. …Do you seriously have a wikipedia page? Are you famous or something? Like one of those Forbes top twenty rich guys?" -03:23 Feb 12 Susan
Anton: He shook his head. "It doesn’t take much to have one these days… just make a anem for yourself. I write and an a respected journalist who doesn’t take bribes and who has told magazines and editors to get lost when they tried to tell me what to write… It I put my name on somethgin it’s going to be something I’m proud of." he pressed a few buttong softening the suspentions and raising the ride. "And I don’t like people who don’t respect me." -03:27 Feb 12 Anton
Susan: "Where were you two years ago." she muttered. Out loud. By accident! Susan cleared her throat and tried not to sigh. It was just hilarious she hopped in to a car with mister successful and respectful after finding out her boyfriend was the exact opposite. That bitter part of her didn’t believe it, though. This guy probably had some big scary secret too. Like a body in the trunk, or two wives, or hated dogs. "Are you bribed a lot when testing these cars?" …Maybe he transported drugs in these things. That got her suspicious again and wondering if it wasn’t a coincidence. "Do you know anyone named Jamie Rossel?" -03:34 Feb 12 Susan
Anton: "I was in Germany, California, where I live, India, Chille, France and… that’s it I think." he knew he didn’t have to asnwer the whestion btu he did. "And no, I think they’ve learned their lessons. If they’re so unsure of their cares that they need to bribe journalists then why are they releasing the… Oh… Cock…" there was a beeping from the console and the engine had suddenly died. reading a warning message on the screen he pulled ove and stopped the car. "Damn… well… I need to make a phonecall." he pulled out a phone nad pressed the speed dial. "Dave… Hi P where’s Dave? Again? Fine… the Jag’s dead. Screen says needs a service and I’m not crackign her open and getting sued again. Fine tell dave to call them and get back to me. Thanks. Bye." -03:40 Feb 12 Anton
Susan: He answered the question she didn’t want an answer to (though she had to admit she was a little impressed), and neglected the one she did. Which she guessed was understandable because the very expensive car just flat out died. Susan was staring at the dashboard herself in disbelief. Brand new cars don’t just break down, and he couldn’t have been driving THAT long had he? The car look immaculate. Susan rubbed her arms, frowning just a bit. "So how often do these die in the middle of transit?" -03:46 Feb 12 Susan
Anton: "It it’s a prototype… surprisingly often. But this isn’t." he sighed and turnd off the lights before his phone started ringing. "Dave? Bert… where’s Dave? No… What? And where am I meant to… Fine. Good night." Hsi ahnds raised to rub his temples ans he put his phone into his pocket. "They’re sending a truck out in the morning… until then are there any places to stay back in town?" -04:03 Feb 12 Anton
Susan: "I don’t know. I wasn’t there long enough to find out… but every town has to have at least one motel, right?" That meant going back out in to the cold and more walking. Susan couldn’t help but groan out loud as her head dropped against the seat rest. "Well, the ride was nice while it lasted. I guess this is where we part." -04:08 Feb 12 Susan
Anton: "I guess…" he siad getting out and closing the door behind him nefore walking to the trunk and retrieving a large backpack. "I’ll talk you to town though, safer that way…" Shouldering the bag and lockign up the car he sighed… pity… it was a nice car. -04:19 Feb 12 Anton
Susan: Susan climbed out too, hefting her bag over her shoulder and debating. It was getting pretty late, and she didn’t want to know what kind of people would be driving around back roads at midnight. But she also didn’t exactly have a lot of cash on her for stopping at motels all the time. …either way she was going to have to walk, though. If a bear popped out it could eat him first. "Okay, that’s seems cool. Two hitchikers are better than one?" -04:23 Feb 12 Susan
Anton: "I’m not hitchhiding." he said. "I’m going to get a room and I’m getting a night’s sleep." he stretched. "You should too. Better travel by day this time of year. But that’s up to you." He started walkign the way they had come. "I hope I have enough for a room on me…" -04:29 Feb 12 Anton

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