Valo

by Jonathan Kuiper

  “I’m going to have to stop soon,” she said out loud mainly to herself.

  Riley ignored the comment altogether and continued to look out the window. Luza half-heartedly replied, “Does this mean we can stop for some food too or even to stretch our legs?”

  “It’s always food with you.” Keira didn’t add another word. She zoned out again and pretended she was out for a long drive.

  Another hour passed and the gas light came on. There was no way she could keep driving without getting gas.

  At this point the trio had journeyed to the small city of Farmington, Maine. They had been cooped in the truck since they had lost the police officers back on the North Conway-Intervale border.

  Main Street, Farmington, Maine was like any other quintessential New England town, save being in the middle of nowhere. There were a few mom and pop stores that the teens passed by as they ventured deeper into this quaint village. First was the King Hardware Store housed in the newer red metal roof building. They had an oversized parking lot filled with a hodgepodge of storage sheds, chain saws, and leaf blowers. In the late afternoon sun, the place looked abandoned, aside from a few contractors getting supplies for the next day.

  Farther down the road, a row of older brick structures lined the right side of Maine Street. Keira, Luza, and Riley all turned their heads to catch sight of Lua Flowers, Jacobson Insurance, and Minston Press.

  “Well this is quite the metropolis we found ourselves in,” Riley said.

  “It’s bigger than Gilmanton that’s for sure.”

  “Is that good or bad?” Luza pondered.

  “I don’t know. We’re only just entering the town. If I remember right, the University of Maine campus isn’t far from here.”

  “We’re not going there, are we?” Riley clutched tightly onto the door handle. His eyes scanned the area.

  “No. I didn’t think it was on the agenda. I just want to stop down there on the left at the Cumberland Farms.”

  “What’s that before it with the golden arch thing?” Luza pointed at the McDonald’s sign.

  “You wouldn’t like it there. Between the French fries, the burgers, and milk shakes; you would be throwing up all over again,” Keira did her best to ignore the fast food chain.

  “Wait they serve food? Can we stop please?”

  Keira shut her eyes ever so briefly.

  “How bout we get gas and then we go from there.”

  “Riley, is it any good?”

  “I don’t know. It’s not like I ever really got to stop in and try any of those types of places.”

  “But have you ever gone?”

  He shook his head.

  “We should try it.”

  “Yeah since the last place you got food went over real well,” Keira said.

  “That was all Birchard. I was listening to him.”

  “Sure, a likely story. Luza, I can see if there is anything in Cumberland Farms. We really don’t need to draw any attention to ourselves.”

  “You’re like an old lady. Did you know that Princess?” Luza laughed.

  Keira pulled the truck into the two pump Cumberland Farm station.

  The gas station appeared to be out of the 1970s. Between the bright orange and white sign and the box shaped convenience store, it was very basic. Several cars parked to the left of the entrance. Keira turned off the engine to the old purple Dodge truck in front of the road side pump. One red Neon was parked next to the other pump.

  She rolled down her window and looked at the manual filling pumps.

  “How nice I get to pay first,” Keira sighed as she saw the big red letters pasted over the pump.

  Opening the door, she reached under the seat and pulled out an old leather wallet.

  “Where did that come from?” Luza looked carefully at the stuffed piece of leather.

  “This is the family emergency fund. We always keep something in here in case we get stranded. It won’t be much so don’t get too excited.”

  Keira turned to Riley.

  “What? Don’t look at me. I clearly don’t carry anything on me. Why would I have any money?”

  “So you gave us the change and you had more money all along?” Luza looked curiously at the money.

  “Seriously Luza? Let me pay the man for the gas.”

  Keira took a twenty dollar bill from the wallet before putting the wallet back under the seat. She shut the door behind her and headed into the store.

  “I’m so sick of her already.”

  “You are not, so stop,” Riley said.

  “Am too. What was that all about telling her about Lapland?”

  “What about it? She was going to find out sooner than later when we get to where were going.”

  “I ran the entire way,” Luza smirked. She ran her fingers through her predominately long white mane.

  Nodding in agreement, Riley opened his door. “Sure right after you arrived in Maine.”

  “Hmmph.”

  She pushed him out of the truck and then jumped down to the road.

  “How did you get here?”

  “That’s a little more complicated.”

  “Oh yes, I’m sure since the Great Loon loves Sohon and his minions.”

  “There’s more than one way to get off that island. Let’s leave it at that.”

  “No there’s not!”

  She looked carefully at him. He was always taller than her even when she was an Arctic fox, but now as a young woman, while the height difference was still prevalent, there was an aura around Riley that drew her even closer to the young man.

  “What is that supposed to mean? What are you hiding?”

  “I —” He looked downward and shrugged.

  “To my face Riley. Tell me to my face.”

  He leaned down and looked her directly in the eyes. “I don’t want to get into it. The Great Loon is going to have my hide when he sees me again.”

  “Did you hurt anyone?”

  “I didn’t.”

  “My prince what did you get yourself into?”

  He grasped her by the hands. Squeezing them ever so briefly he said, “Too much I think.”

  * * *

  Keira walked into the convenience store. She took one quick look towards the truck, half wondering what Luza and Riley were up to. The owner of the Neon blocked her view, so she couldn’t tell what her traveling partners were doing.

  The store was busier than expected. A line had formed in front of the register, not for gas, but for that evening’s Megabucks. An illuminated sign flashed to the right. “$10,000,000” hung over a plastic container of brownies and blondies, along with a variety of one dollar scratch offs.

  Unsure whether she wanted to get in line or not, Keira stepped to the side and scanned the metal rack full of post cards and state maps. Thumbing through several, she looked back at the line and contemplated what to do.

  First she grabbed the least expensive map and then decided to browse the different chips and crackers stocked on the shelves.

  “Not a chance,” she chuckled to herself.

  All she could see was the broken vending machine and Luza gorging herself. While she wanted to be upset, how could she really fault her? It wasn’t like Luza had been human that long. Perhaps feeling guilty, Keira turned onto the next aisle and grabbed a stick of pepperoni and two Cheddar cheese sticks.

  “What do I want?” she said to herself.

  “Me,” a deep baritone voice filled the air.

  “Huh?” She saw the approaching hand and stepped aside. “I don’t think so.”

  A blue eyed, blond haired, teen smiled at her with perfectly white teeth. Impeccably groomed, his hair was slicked back most likely by a can of grease, and his hands were free of blemishes. Wearing a pair of light washed denim jeans with a matching denim jacket and a blue hooded sweatshirt underneath; he looked like a movie star.

  “Come on now. I’m not so bad — far from it actually.” There was a slight accent to his voice.

&nb
sp; “I don’t even know you. Why are you talking to me?” Keira felt flustered and confused. Her eyes twitched and for a moment she thought about the best way to protect herself.

  “Hey now, you got to give me a second to introduce myself. It’s not every day that a beautiful woman my own age comes into this establishment.”

  “Dude, this is Cumberland Farms, not a high-end restaurant.”

  “That’s quite true.” He held out his hand. “I’m Cameron. You can call me Cam.”

  Keira looked at him, unsure how to respond. She twirled her hair around her right index

  finger and peered at Cam and his non-local getup. He was really cute.

  “You have nice eyes, Cam.”

  She couldn’t believe what she heard come out of her mouth. Keira got lost looking into his deep baby blues.

  “You’re not too bad yourself. I’ve never seen anyone with that shade of blue and what, amber?”

  Keira looked away and felt like she needed to catch her breath.

  “I’m sure you’re a nice guy Cam, but I got to go. I have friends waiting for me.”

  “I’ll go with you.”

  “It’s probably better you don’t.”

  “At least tell me your name.”

  Keira turned away from Cameron and walked down the aisle towards the register. She couldn’t believe there was still a line.

  “See, you can’t get away from me yet. Maybe you want to grab a bite to eat?”

  “Do you always come on this strong? Seriously?”

  Taken aback, he breathed out of the side of his mouth and rested his hands on his waist.

  “I don’t know. I never had a reason to until this moment.”

  “Cam, I feel a sense of desperation coming from you, even if you are handsome guy.”

  “See, you are warming up. At first you were putting me down, but now there’s a glimmer of hope.”

  She tried to ignore the young man, but he was insistent.

  “If I paid for your food, will you tell me your name?”

  “I’m getting gas too.”

  “Fine, I’ll pay for it all.”

  Keira put the pepperoni stick and cheese down on the counter.

  “Twenty dollars on the Dodge truck out there.”

  Before she could get the tab, Cam put a fifty dollar bill down.

  “Come on, your name?”

  Keira didn’t know what to say. She felt like she shouldn’t give out her real name. Lane had always talked about these types of encounters.

  “You can call me,” she hesitated, “Erin.”

  “Beautiful,” Cam smiled.

  Before he could get another word in to the conversation, Keira bolted with the food and out the door.

  * * *

  “I can’t believe you talked me into doing this,” Riley looked back at the truck in the Cumberland Farms parking lot.

  “She’ll figure it out. Seriously, what can happen with us getting something to eat?”

  “Hey Foxy!” Birchard glided down and landed on the trash receptacle in front of them.

  “I wondered where you went off too.”

  “Just making sure things are ready.”

  “I imagine you would have to do that. Is the road clear for us?” Riley looked up at the loon.

  “It’s always clear if you know who to talk to, right Bucky?”

  “You started this Luza. I really don’t like this nickname.”

  “Why not? It’s pretty much your name sake. I mean you can become one or are.”

  Riley rolled his eyes ever so slightly at the comment. “Never mind, can we get in and out of here before Keira catches us?”

  “If you’re going in, I want a burger.”

  “We got you covered Red-eye.”

  Luza nodded to the loon who elected to fly to a higher spot. Perched elegantly on the arch, Birchard took in the better view.

  As the two teens walked into the restaurant, he watched Keira in the distance march out to the truck with her hands full.

  * * *

  She placed the map, the pepperoni stick, and the cheese on the front seat.

  “Come on!” Keira yelled. She saw the leather wallet, thrown haphazardly on the driver’s seat. Thumbing through it, she found that all the money was gone.

  “I hate,” she was about to yell out Luza’s name or even worse, when she caught herself.

  Her body was pulsating. There was this overwhelming frustration taking over. Doing her best to stay calm, she lifted up the latch to the gas pump and began filling the truck.

  Every moment was becoming more unbearable. She couldn’t remember ever being this upset and it took everything in her being to remain somewhat composed.

  “Erin? Where are your friends?” Cameron yelled from the front door of Cumberland Farms.

  She ignored his questions and turned towards the truck.

  Ever so persistent, the six-foot teenager ran across the parking lot and over to Keira who was falling into a darker place and mindset.

  “This isn’t a good time Cameron. Just let me be.”

  “Did they leave you or something?”

  “I guess you could say as much. I know where they are and when I’m done here, I’ll deal with it.”

  “They don’t sound like very good friends to me.”

  “We’re not really friends,” Keira blurted out. She couldn’t believe that the words came out of her. Nonetheless, part of her felt that way. She had only been traveling with Luza and Riley for a few days. Sure their fates were tied together, but as for friendship; moments like these made her wonder.

  He lifted his eyebrow in a half quizzical look. “You lost me Erin. Why are you with them?”

  Despite her confrontational appearance, part of Keira was trembling. Her lips quivered and her hands shook.

  Keen to the shift in her body language, Cam reached across and rested his hand ever so slightly on her shoulder.

  “Whatever you want to call them, the whole situation is a bunch of hunky-bunk.”

  “You sound like an old man, hunky-bunk huh?” Keira didn’t know if she should cry or laugh. With a half grin, she pumped the final dollar of gas and then lowered the handle.

  “Have a nice day Cam. I got to go.” Giving him the cold shoulder, Keira slid into the driver’s seat and started the truck.

  Unwilling to let her go freely, Cam rested his arms on the side of the door, hanging them over the open window.

  “I really can help.”

  “You must have something better to do.”

  “Please,” he puckered his lips with his best puppy dog impression.

  His eyes called to Keira, but she was too upset to act on his generosity.

  “Later Cam.”

  He lowered his arms and stepped away from the truck, as Keira put the truck in drive and pulled out onto the road.

  She watched Cameron’s long stare. There was something about him she liked, yet at the same time was a bit off putting. Shrugging off any first impressions towards the teen, she saw the empty wallet and was ready to deal with her traveling partners.

  * * *

  “Wow, it smells unbelievable here. No wonder Keira didn’t want us going in,” Luza’s eyes sparkled with the bright red and yellow colors filling the walls of the fast food restaurant.

  “I’ll admit it does smell pretty good. It’s not like we have been living off the best food of late,” Riley smiled.

  “What should we get?”

  “I don’t know. How much did you grab?”

  Luza held up the wad of twenty dollar bills in her hand. The letter jacket sleeve concealed most of the money.

  “We’re not going to need anywhere to close that.”

  “How would I know? It’s not like we have money where I come from.”

  “I’ll handle it from here,” Riley took the twenties from Luza.

  She frowned at his gesture. “You are going to tell me what the options are, right?”

  He nodded, and then motione
d for Luza to step into the queue. There were a few people in front of them as they fell into the line.

  “What are those?” Luza pointed at the board behind the register.

  “Menu items, fish sandwiches, chicken sandwiches, burgers, everything comes with fries.”

  She was salivating. “I don’t know what to get. Is it fresh?”

  “Hey let’s go Whitey!” a voice called out.

  Luza and Riley were too caught up in the sign to realize what was happening.

  “Hey, Freak-Show, and Wilderness-Boy, can you place your order or move aside?”

  Riley glanced behind them and saw a familiar face. It was none other than Bobby Hinderstein who lived across the street from the house he had been living in on the Barnstead border.

  He didn’t remember if they had actually been formally introduced. Most of the time Riley was trapped in his room. Bilal only let him outside if he was scouting the area for Luza or for other unspeakable tasks.

  “We’re ordering. Relax,” Riley said in a quiet reserved tone.

  “You can do it a bit faster,” Bobby nudged Riley from behind.

  Not wanting to start anything, Riley stepped aside. “Luza just let him go. He’s clearly hungrier than us.”

  “What? Why?” She gave him a once over and noticed Bobby’s stocky frame. He was the same height as Keira from what she could tell, and well over two hundred pounds. His face was red, he reeked of alcohol, and the freckles across his cheeks and nose looked almost like a series of constellations.

  “Like you could eat what I eat, little girl,” Bobby forced himself past the duo. “Come on Danny.”

  His friend who was equally large and red in the face, smiled at Luza with a pair of glossed over eyes.

  “Who are you calling little?” Luza tapped him on the arm.

  “Let it be,” Riley whispered.

  “Who is this guy that thinks he can do whatever he wants? If I ever — ”

  Bobby turned around from the cashier and looked at Luza. He gave her a once-over and then snarled, “If you ever what, Short-Stuff?”

  “You’re lucky I’m hungry right now,” Luza glared at him.

  “Or what, you’re going to step on my foot? You’d blow over from one of my farts, Short-Stuff.”