A Summertime Journey

it has a tainted taste. We stop, and I spit it out into my hand and look at it this time. I push Toni back so I can see her face, and part of her bottom lip is missing. Horrified, I scream and push her out of the booth, and she lands on her butt. She swings her arms behind her to break her fall, and her left arm hyperextends and snaps. Toni doesn’t notice it; she sits on the floor, smiling up at me.
“What the fuck is going on!” I yell, looking at Charlie as I scramble to stand on the seat.
Charlie smiles and says to me, “What! Don't you like my groupling? It looked like you two were getting along great. What’s wrong?”
I jump down and start heading for the door, yelling, “Her lip’s missing, and she just broke her arm and didn’t flinch!” My eyes dart between her and Charlie as I walk, never turning my back on either of them.
I pull on the door handle; it’s locked. Charlie has sealed the building so we can’t escape. I look back over at Toni, and her lips, nose, and ears are blue-green. She’s rotting away in front of me. When I screamed, Jeremy stopped what he was doing with Becky, startled, and he must’ve noticed the same thing I did: Becky, too, is rotting. At about the same time, we hear Joey frantically screaming in the back, and he comes running out straight for the door. He’s met with the same result: it’s locked.
Charlie is laughing so hard he slips off of his stool and transitions into a mocking curtsy. Now with all three of us in the main area, he can finish having his fun with us.
“Boys, what’s wrong? Don't you like your girls? Jo-Jo, I thought you had a special connection with Wendy—what’s wrong?” he says, laughing even harder, blowing air kisses at him.
Before any of us can answer, Charlie looks at his imaginary wristwatch and says, “Time to get back on the road, gentlemen. If you want to say your last goodbyes to your dates, do so now.” He points at the girls who are now back to their original spots behind the counter, smiling at us with their putrid, rotting faces. “No? Okay, girls, thank you for the wonderful evening. You may go now. I’m done with you.”
Toni produces a large carving knife from under the counter and uses it on the other two girls before using it on herself. The three of us are frozen, unable to move as we watch the murder-suicide. But is it really? If they’re already dead? The three girls dissolve into the Sheol atmosphere to await Charlie’s call when he wants them again.
Charlie flicks his wrist, and the door swings open. He walks out and lights a cigarette by the Camaro. Stunned, we don’t know what to do. Joey starts slowly moving toward the open door, wiping his mouth with his shirt.
Jeremy says, “What just happened? How are we going t—” I thrust my hand over his mouth so he can’t finish.
“Don’t fucking say another word… don’t even think it. Charlie can hear everything and read our minds.” I have an idea. I pull the rock out of my pocket and motion for Jeremy to hold it, but before I give it to him, I say, “He can’t hear if you’re holding the rock.” Jeremy gives me a quizzical look, and I repeat, “He can’t hear or read your mind if you have the rock. It’s got some kind of magical power. I don’t understand it, but trust me.” I hand Jeremy the rock, and he takes it in his quivering hand and squeezes it hard like he’s trying to get juice out of it.
“How are we going to escape?” Both of us look outside to see if Charlie heard. Nothing. Relieved, Jeremy opens up and starts rambling. I hold my hand out, and he passes me the rock. I tell him I don’t know how I know, but I assure him we will be all right. I don’t think he believes me. I put the rock safely back in my pocket, and we go outside. Joey and Charlie are already in their seats, and the Camaro roars to life. We get in, and dread fills us again.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
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THE CAMARO PEELS OUT, rolling over the gas signs on the ground, and our journey continues. We must have been driving for quite a while because I fell asleep. After the diner, I didn’t think I would ever be able to sleep again, and Jeremy seems different, more depressed. He keeps rubbing his lips and staring at his hands.
“Don’t worry, we’ll be there soon, and you can go to sleep for good. Hang in there, warrior.” Charlie is turned around and looking directly at Jeremy. Jeremy must have been thinking in his head.
I pull the rock out of my pocket and tap Jeremy on his thigh. With his eyes filled with despair, he turns and looks at me. I’m worried about my friend. I hope he can stay strong long enough for us to get out of this. He takes the talisman from my hand and mouths, “Thank you.” We continue driving for what seems like hours, and then Jeremy does it.
I look over at Jeremy, and tears are cutting a path through the red dust on his face, leaving behind a trail for more to follow. He looks over at me with the desperate look and fright he had earlier. My eyes follow his hand as it inches forward and grips the door handle, everything happening in slow motion. The door swings open and he pushes it with his foot, simultaneously pushing Joey’s seat forward, he leans out, and then he is gone. I didn’t see him crash against the asphalt below. My mind was not able to process what was happening in time to react.
The force from Jeremy pushing Joey’s seat causes Joey to slam