Chasing Cars ((Cori))

[chadconnors]

The only thing Chad could think about, as he trudged along the side of the empty highway, was how lucky he was that it wasn't raining out. Of course, Chad would have been walking regardless of the weather, but he preferred not to think about it that way.

In general though, there wasn't much for Chad to complain about. Sure, his feet hurt and he was tired, but with the setting of the sun went the heat and the night was cool and clear and the moonlight was bright enough for him to see the world around him. It was actually almost serene, he thought as he passed a marker that recognized the 107th mile of highway.

Chad hadn't been walking this highway for 107 miles, despite what it felt like. Before he had found himself walking along the highway after midnight, Chad was happily chatting away with an older couple who were making their way across the country in their beat up sedan.

Chad had felt good about things during the ride. The couple was cheerful and pleasant and everything was going well for quite a few hours. The sun went down and they drove a few more hours, chatting about nothing in particular. It wasn't until they passed a gas station advertising itself as the last gas station for the next 250 miles that his luck began to change.

The man pulled over at the gas station and got out to top off his tank. When he got back in the car, he leaned over the seat to face Chad and firmly told him that this was the last stop. Chad blinked at him incredulously, his eyes glancing at the clock that blinked 11:37pm. The old man proceeded to inform Chad that, although he shouldn't take it personally, they didn't want a hitcher knowing where they were going to sleep that night and, well, frankly, it was getting to be that time.

Chad exited the vehicle reluctantly and found himself alone in the empty parking lot of the gas station. As the little sedan sped off into the darkness, Chad found himself facing three options: He could waiting around here for another car to show up that night, he could find a place to sleep, or he could keep walking.

It was early and Chad wasn't tired, so the choice was made for him. He retied his shoes, readjusted the strap of his duffel bag and kept moving on into the moonlight. After passing two mile marker signs and seeing all there was to see in the dark, Chad began to hum as he walked, stopping occasionally to rest or relieve himself as he continued down the road.

Chad resolved, upon initially being dropped off, that he would continue to walk until he came across another car. After three hours of walking along the highway in the the moonlight, he was beginning to give up hope. But, like most things in life, it's just after you give up that things finally start to look up again.

In the distance, seemingly miles away but approaching fast, two bright pinpricks appeared on the horizon. It took Chad a minute to realize that he was looking at the headlights of a car. His heart, along with his sore joints, jumped for joy. Chad stopped walking, ran his hands through his hair, straightened his shirt and jacket, and stuck out this thumb, waiting for the car to make its way to him.

[sofie]

Cori was driving way over the speed limit. She was surprised that a cop hadn’t pulled her over yet, but also relieved. There were weapons in the back of her old Charger, knives with blood on them and guns with home made bullets. They were filled with salt and silver, things that were able to kill just about anything. She had a stake in there, it was stained with the blood from a vampire she’d killed months ago, and she just hadn’t taken the time to wash it yet. The trunk of her car was an arsenal, that was the easiest way to describe it. Not to mention she wasn’t exactly sober. It had been a long day, way too long. And in the end, the little girl she’d been trying to save, had ended up getting killed. She was six and possessed by a demon. Cori exorcised the demon with no problem, she’d done it enough times, but the little girls body was so broken and weak. She died in Cori’s arms. There were few times she actually had to hold someone while they died, to see the light fade from there eyes, and have them gloss over. She wasn’t supposed to me the one that killed innocent people. That wasn’t supposed to be here job.

After stopping by a bar, drinking a few beers and a couple shots, she went out to her car and cried for a couple minutes. It made her feel weak to cry, but she did anyways. After that, she blasted the radio and sped out of that little town. The highway seemed endless, and as the sky got darker she couldn’t ignore the grumbling in her stomach anymore. Cori looked around her car for something like a granola bar, but couldn’t find anything. With an unhappy sigh, the woman realized that she’d have to stop somewhere to get a bite to eat. Looking at the radio, the time was 12:36. What was open at this hour? Even if she found a little diner along the way, she highly doubted it would be open to serve at nearly one in the morning. There was a rush of emotions in her chest and she gripped the steering wheel with white knuckles. Everything was falling apart. A little girl died today, an innocent child! Why was this happening? For the umpteenth time, Cori wished she had a different job. Maybe if she were just a simple waitress, life would be easier. She wouldn’t have to carry all those weapons or worry about saving people. She could just be selfish and care for herself. A frown found it’s way onto her features, and her eyes had dark circles underneath them. As much as she hated the stress of being a hunter, she knew that she’d hate not hunting even more.

The highway was basically empty except for a car or two. Their lights shined brightly against the dark night, making Cori squint. She slowed down a bit, finally taking in a deep, soothing breath. If Alex were here he would have been making fun of her, telling her not to be such a girl. He would tell her that you couldn’t save everybody and you can’t cry over every loss. But even if she was crying, he would have held his arms out let her crawl into them. For a moment, Cori forgot she was driving. She was lost in her memories of her brother. He was so nice to her when she was little, and she knew if he were alive now, he’d still be that kind. Alex was always the smart one that was going to go to college and end up being a billionaire. Cori was the plain one. The one that could barely be bothered to go to school and do her work. She was the free-spirited one that would run through the fields just laughing and singing and do stupid things. She would spend hours of her free time riding horses and drawing. Cori should have been the one to die. No one would have missed her, but everyone missed Alex.

Her green eyes snapped to attention and she almost passed by the man sticking out his thumb. Slamming on the breaks, Cori rolled down the passenger side window and surveyed him a bit. He looked scraggly, like he’d been wandering for a while, but he didn’t look evil. He had kind eyes, so she unlocked the doors and then moved her lap top out of the front seat to the back. “You can put your bag in the back seat, if you like.” She brushed a loose strand of hair out of her eyes and shivered. Goosebumps appeared on her skin as a cool breeze wandered into her car. It probably wasn’t a smart thing to pick up a stranger, but she really didn’t care. She just needed to…Not be alone. The silence was too hard for her. “I was thinking about stopping and getting something to eat,” she called out to the man. “Can I buy you a drink? Or a meal? Are you headed anywhere specific?” In her mind she begged he’d say yes, or say that he was going super far away. She didn’t want the silence anymore. Not again.

[chadconnors]

Chad couldn't help but grin as the car screeched to a stop a few yards past him. He picked up his duffel bag from the ground beside him and walked up to the now open passenger's side window. He peered in (the green-eyed driver was a sight for weary eyes) and flashed her a grin, hoping that his boyish charm was shining through despite his weariness.

“You can put your bag in the back seat, if you like.”

Chad smiled and nodded. "Thanks for picking me up," he said to her as he opened the back door and plopped his bag on the floor. He noticed a bunch of weapons strewn across the back seat and considered grabbing his bag and running. He didn't exactly want to get in the car with a serial killer who preyed on innocent hitchers. As he closed the back door and went to get into the front, he examined the lady driving. She didn't really look like she wanted to kill him. In fact, she looked like she had just been crying.

“I was thinking about stopping and getting something to eat," she called out to him as he opened the passenger door. "“Can I buy you a drink? Or a meal? Are you headed anywhere specific?”

Chad plopped down into the passenger's seat and rolled up the window -- he was tired of the early morning chill. He smiled at the woman. "A warm meal would be excellent." And his stomach agreed. He'd eaten peanut butter crackers in the car with the old couple, but those had burned off miles ago. "I'm Chad, by the way." He extended his hand to the lady, even though he was driving. "And I'm really not headed anywhere in particular, so you can drop me off whenever you want or whenever you get sick of me." Chad smiled and looked out the window, watching the scenery that he'd been slowly passing begin to fly by. As it all blended together and blurred, Chad turned to further examine the driver.

Overall, Chad thought she was pretty with stunning eyes. He found her face to be almost angelic in contrast with his own weathered looks. Chad tried not to stare, but he was fascinated by the way she moved as she drove. He was concerned about her though. It was obvious that she was upset and that she had been crying, but she didn't look like she was in any type of physical pain. Chad didn't see any bandages or anything like that.

"Are you running from something?" Chad asked, referring to the weapons in her backseat. Chad regretted asking as soon as the sentence escaped his lips. He knew it was a prying question to ask a stranger -- especially one who had the tools to take him out within arms reach.

[sofie]

"Thanks for picking me up,"

Cori nodded and drummed her fingers on the steering wheel. “No problem.” The back door of her car slammed shut and the passenger side one opened. When Cori got to examine the man a little closer, she was frightened by what she saw, but curious. He looked young, around her age, but there was depth in his eyes. His beard was made of mostly brown hair and his eyes were the same color. He didn’t look unfriendly. In fact, the man was smiling at her. It had been a long time since anyone had genuinely smiled at her like that. She couldn’t help the rosy pink heat that was rushing to her cheeks. In the dimly lit car, she hoped the man wouldn’t see it. It was odd to blush right now, in this weird situation, but she was. Cori cleared her throat before speaking again.

"A warm meal would be excellent. I'm Chad, by the way." Chad. Short name, Cori liked it. It was easy to remember. There was a tone of excitement in his voice, like he hadn't eaten in ages, but judging by his appearance, he wasn't exactly living in the Hilton. But it wasn't like she had any room to judge either, there were moments in her life where she literally looked like a piece of shit. Moving her left hand off of the steering wheel, she stuck it out towards him. Not that she was left handed, just that it was easier for her to drive with her right hand. "Corinne. Call me Cori." There was a sign up ahead that read Brownsville, fifteen miles away. They could make that. She could fill up her tank there too, that would be easier than waiting until she was running on fumes and not being able to find a gas station. "There's a town coming up in a few miles, we can stop and eat there." Knowing that she'd been frowning for a while, she offered the man a smile. "Unless you're some sort of vegan-veggies only person." She laughed a bit.

"And I'm really not headed anywhere in particular, so you can drop me off whenever you want or whenever you get sick of me." At this, she laughed a little more. Cori looked over at the man, Chad. He looked like he could use a long nights sleep and a big meal. Turning her eyes back to the road for a few seconds before replying to him, out of the corner of her eye, there was a movement. The man was looking at her. Chewing on her lip, almost nervously, she gripped the wheel tight. Was he judging her? Pin-pointing all of her imperfections? She didn't know why it mattered what some stranger thought, but it just did. "I'm not just gonna dump you on the side of the road, I'll at least take you to a motel first." She shrugged, trying to be nonchalant. On the inside, she was screaming at him to stay, just to give her someone to focus on other than herself. Right now, her mind was the last place she wanted to be. Switching into the right lane, she turned off the highway and started down the dark road.

There were very few street lights on this road and Cori turned her brights on. she leaned forward in her seat, peering into the darkness. Up ahead she could see the little town and as they drove closer, she could actually see how small it was. There was a gas station with a mini-mart, what looked a salon, and a Denny's. Not to mention "We can eat here, looks like there's still a light on." She pulled into the parking lot and was about to get out of the car, but then Chad spoke and she froze.

"Are you running from something?" She made a face. A bitter, scrunched face. Running her fingers through her curly blonde hair, Cori chewed on her lip. How could she answer that? Tell him her whole life story? She didn't know him well enough to tell him anything about her past. Especially not since her closet was full of skeletons. "Yeah," she shrugged. "Something like that." And then she exited the car.

[chadconnors]

Chad couldn't really explain the joy he felt when Cori, as she introduced herself, began to make lighthearted jokes about vegetarianism and promised not to just ditch him on the side of the road somewhere. On top of that, having someone his own age to travel with was a relief. Chad had found, in his years of hitching, that many people his own age didn't pick up hitchers for fear of rape, robbery, or murder. The older folks, however, seemed to feel empathetic toward him and would pick him up almost out of pity.

Chad's mind was wandering as he watched the scenery pass, getting off the highway at the Brownsville exit. They drove mostly in silence, Chad trying to figure her out and wanted to ask her a million questions despite how rude it would be. Maybe it was because he was intrigued by such a pretty girl crying or just because he hadn't had a companion his age in a while, but he wanted to know everything about her.

"We can eat here, looks like there's still a light on."

Chad snapped back from his thoughts at the sound of her voice. He looked up and saw an open Denny's just up the road in front of them.

Despite the awkward exchange in the parking lot, where Chad learned that Cori was kind of maybe running from something, Denny's was a welcome stop for Chad. They got seated and ordered drinks before Chad excused himself to the bathroom.
Standing in front of the mirror, he examined himself. His eyes were puffy from a lack of sleep and his hair was disheveled. He ran his hand along his jaw and felt the stubble with a frown. He definitely needed to shave.

Chad washed his hands and face, running his hands through his hair in a shallow attempt at cleaning up. He smiled at his reflection, decided he didn't look too terrifying and made his way back to the table. He slid back into the booth across from Cori and grinned at her over his Coke. "So, where exactly are you headed?"

The waitress returned and Chad ordered two pancakes with two eggs, bacon, sausage, hash browns, and toast. He frowned for a second at Cori after the waitress left. "I hope that you don't mind that I'm really hungry and haven't had a real meal in days."

[sofie]

Chad, as he said his name was, ordered a drink quickly, then excused himself. Cori was unsure of really what to order. It was awkward, the waitress just standing there, staring at her with big brown eyes. She looked kind, but bored with her job. Taking a guess that the woman was in her late 40’s, and had probably been doing this job for a while, she offered her a gentle smile. It was almost like they shared some sort of little bond. Maybe it was a waitressing thing? Cor used to be a bartender, well, used to was the wrong word. She still was a bartender, had her LCC license and everything, but that was about all she’d ever been. Since the age of sixteen she’d been bussing tables, taking orders, and bringing out food to pompous assholes who blatantly checked her out.

So yeah, she understood the lifestyle of a waitress.

Chuckling softly, she spoke to the older woman. “Stuck doing the late shift, eh?”

The woman nodded and smiling, the corners of her mouth turning up in a sassy smile.

“I’ll just get a coffee please, black.” Cori ordered her drink and watched as the waitress wandered off. In the corner of the diner, sitting alone at a table, a man was reading yesterday’s paper and drinking something from a mug. She tensed a bit, a bit paranoid. Was he a demon? She couldn’t help thinking like that. Having been a hunter most her life, she almost expected everyone to suddenly try and stab her in the side or something along those lines. Taking a deep breath, and looking towards Chad as he took a seat across from her, she laughed. His hair looked slicked back, but it looked good. He looked better than he had before. In a sort of dorky way, he was cute.

Sandy, the waitresses name tag read, brought back their drinks. Chad sipped his Coke and Cor blew on her steaming cup, trying to cool down the hot liquid. When it finally wouldn’t scorch her tongue, she took a sip. The warmth traveled down her throat and into her stomach, and she shivered a bit. Before this, she hadn’t really be cold, but now she was.


"So, where exactly are you headed?"

There wasn’t much that she liked to tell about herself. Especially not to strangers. But Chad looked kind, and gentle, and she sorta liked the way he watched her. It was flattering, in the oddest way. She ordered a fruit salad and a egg and cheese omelet before shrugging and sighing. “I’m just kinda wandering, you know? Trying to found out what I’m really looking for.” Pausing a second before laughing awkwardly, Cor chewed on her lip. “Wow, hey, sorry. Just kinda dumped that on you.”

Sandy returned with their food and Cori nodded a thanks to her. When Chad mentioned how hungry he was, how he hoped she wouldn’t mind how much he ordered, she waved her hand in the air. “It’s fine. I can understand.” Smiling, then taking a bite of her omelet, she made a happy sound. “I haven’t eaten at a Denny’s since I was little.” She was a little surprised at how open she was being, but it was relieving. Cori liked this feeling. This must have been what having a real friend was like.

[chadconnors]

Chad chuckled at Cori, sitting across from him, smiling a friendly smile "Don't worry about it. You weren't dumping at all. I'm doing the same thing really." Chad lifted his drink to make room for the waitress to put down his plates. "You know, the wandering along until you've found something worthwhile."

Chad took a bite of his pancakes, quietly watching Cori as she dug into her omelet. He couldn't help but smile as she ate contently and told him that she hadn't had Denny's since she was a kid. He decided that she was pretty adorable and she didn't seem to mind him, so she was okay in his book.

Once Chad began eating, he stopped conversing. Chad hadn't had a real meal in days and eating was the only objective. The waitress soon brought him another soda and occasionally, between bites, Chad would look up and smile (half the time with food in his mouth.) Chad finished up his buffet of a meal and looked up at Cori, realizing she was only half done.

As the waitress cleared his plates and refilled his glass for a second time, Chad shifted positions - he put his feet up beside him and turned sideways, leaning his back up against the wall of the booth. He rested his arms up on knees and watched Cori finish eating. He smiled to himself, lost in thought as he ran his hands through his hair. "How long have you been up?" Maybe it was because you could still kind of tell she had crying earlier or maybe it was because of the lighting in the restaurant, but Chad thought she looked completely spent.

"You look exhausted. Maybe after this we should find some place to stop for the night. I'm pretty tired myself." Chad frowned a little at Cori, although it faded quickly. "I can sleep outside and you could lock yourself in the car if you felt more comfortable that way." Chad offered a smile even though he wasn't all that thrilled about the prospect of sleeping out in the cold night.

He continued to watch Cori eat, his thoughts fading in and out not focusing on anything in particular, until the waitress came by with the check. Chad grabbed it up quickly before Cori could even put down her fork. He examined the bill and dug into his pocket, spilling the contents on the table. He quickly counted through the wrinkled dollar bills and coins. "I think I can help pay if you want." Chad said to Cori with a grin.

[sofie]

"Don't worry about it. You weren't dumping at all. I'm doing the same thing really. You know, the wandering along until you've found something worthwhile."

Nodding a bit, feeling like they had some sort of unspoken bond. It was silly, but clear that they'd both faced hard times. After they got their food, there was little conversation. Chad was stuffing his mouth quickly, and Cori chuckled softly. She took another slow bite of her omelet. It had eggs, cheese, mushrooms, peppers, and olives. It was delicious. Though she knew that it was probably drenched in salt, grease, and trans fat. She didn’t need all of that, but Chad looked like he could use a few good meals. By the time she was a little over half way done with her meal, the man was already finished with his plate. And he’d drank two sodas. There was an amused smile on her face as she swallowed her bite.

“If you’d like another plate of anything, you can go ahead and order it. I’m not trying to limit you.” Her eyes were filled with interest as she spoke. Taking another bite of her omelet, Cori felt Chad’s eyes on her. It was odd, to have someone watching you. She hadn’t felt this awkward in a long while. Though it was a good feeling. It made her think of sunny days, playing on the tire swing, and being in first grade. Having pig tails, crushes, and skinned knees. It reminded her of how angry she was that her innocence had been stolen from her. She finished her meal and went to take a sip of her coffee, but when Chad spoke, she stopped.

Tracking the demon had taken her almost all day, then it had taken another hour to deal with the girl. She hadn't died immediately. The death had lagged on, though there was nothing Cori could do. It was like someone was sticking a knife in her heart and spinning it in circles. Then there'd be the bar, and driving...She shrugged.

"Too many to count, it seems." Taking a sip of her coffee, she smiled as the warmth rolled down her throat.

"You look exhausted. Maybe after this we should find some place to stop for the night."

A frown formed on her face. Was that an insult? Cori knew that she didn't look the best, there were dark bags under her eyes, a gray-ish tint to her skin, and her hair...Well, it was pretty much a mass of blonde curls. But was it that obvious? Did she look ugly? Tired? Was her breath bad? Tussling her hair, the hunter looked at the table. For some odd reason, she didn't want to look gross in front of this guy. But he looked sorta rugged and messed too, so maybe that made it okay. Still, she was frowning. The mention of sleep made her yawn out loud.

I'm pretty tired myself. I can sleep outside and you could lock yourself in the car if you felt more comfortable that way."

This made her laugh. "Sleep outside?" She shook her head, still smiling. "Chad," it felt odd to say his name. "I'm sure there's some little hinky motel around here somewhere."

After they were both done eating, Chad rummaged around in his pocket and slapped a wad of cash down on the table. She shook her head, pulled her wallet out of her pocket, and slapped down a plastic card. It didn't belong to her. Well it did, but it wasn't under the name of Corinne Grove. It was Sandra Blake. Either way, she waved the waitress over and handed her the bill clip, with the card tucked neatly next to it. Then, turning back to face Chad, she smiled. "So, tell me something, what's with this whole rugged guy thing? Where did you come from?"

[/blockquote]

[chadconnors]

So, tell me something, what's with this whole rugged guy thing? Where did you come from?"

Chad blinked at Cori a few times from across the table, trying to form some kind of response that wouldn't involve him rambling. He always felt kind of dumb when he rambled. He replayed Cori's question in his head. He couldn't help but chuckle. She had asked him about his appearance as if he dressed like that for fun -- like he was following some sort of trend or something.

"What's with this rugged thing?" Chad chuckled again and ran his hands through his hair. He played with the straw in his empty soda glass. "I don't wake up in the morning, put on ragged clothes and decide I'm going to pretend to be homeless for the day." He looked over at Cori to gauge her reaction. He feared that she might like him less if she discovered that he really was homeless.

"Some lady at a motel called me a homeless bum once and, I dunno, I think she's wrong. I prefer to think of myself as a wanderer or like an explorer, kind of. " Chad realized that this girl knew nothing about him and he could make his lifestyle seem more glamorous than it really was. Chad dug into his pocket and pulled out a beat up book. The cover was torn and sun-faded, the pages were dirty and well-worn, but the title was still there in bold print. Chad pushed it across the table to Cori. "Have you ever read that? It's On the Road by Jack Kerouac. It's a great story if you've never read it." And so Chad's rambling began.

Despite the fact that he acknowledged himself as a rambler and tried his hardest to conceal this fact, Chad couldn't help but go on and on about things that inspired him -- things he was passionate about. Chad tapped the cover of the book as he continued to speak. "This book. This book is genius. Jack wrote it about himself, even though he changed the name." Chad's eyes got bright and wide as he continued.

"And Jack hitchhikes all over the country and he meets all these interesting people and he doesn't work a real job and he's free, you know? He's totally and completely, 100% free." By now, Chad was talking with his hands and his passion and his honesty was showing in his smile. "That's what I'm doing. I'm being free. I sleep under the stars every night, which is gorgeous, and everyday is an adventure. I never know who I'm going to meet and where I'm going to end up."

Chad grinned at Cori before snatching the book back and tucking it back into his pocket. He felt a little rude just snatching it up off the table like that, before she even really had a chance to look at it, but this particular copy was very special to him. Sure it was beat up and falling apart, but his dad have given it to him over a decade ago and he had read it cover to cover more times than he could count. Chad smiled at Cori, hoping to show her that he wasn't trying to be rude.

"As for where I'm from, well, I was born and raised in Shermer, Illinois. It's near Chicago." Chad smiled and nodded at her. "It's nothing like here actually. Significantly more..." Chad paused for second, trying to find the right word. "Bustling, I guess you'd say. But what about you? Where's such a pretty girl like you from?"

Chad continued to smile as he shifted his position again so that he was directly in front of Cori, leaning in and expectantly waiting for her answer. Chad seemed to have a second wave of energy now that he'd gotten some food in his system.

[sofie]

"I don't wake up in the morning, put on ragged clothes and decide I'm going to pretend to be homeless for the day."

She couldn't help but crack a smile at this. Chad was funny and he brightened her mood. She'd been upset before about the hunt gone wrong, but this man was making her night a whole lot better. She liked him, but didn't want to get too close. Cori never had been the type to open up easily, but he just made her feel like she could trust him. He had one of those personality's that you just were attracted to. That was how she felt, though it was quite silly. Then plopped a book down on the table in front of them. It was worn, old, and sorta dirty. It looked well loved, and well traveled. Much like a pair of boots she was given a couple years back. They were caked with mud, sprinkled with dust, and probably had enough samples of DNA on them that you could use them to fuel a whole season of CSI.

"And Jack hitchhikes all over the country and he meets all these interesting people and he doesn't work a real job and he's free, you know? He's totally and completely, 100% free. That's what I'm doing. I'm being free. I sleep under the stars every night, which is gorgeous, and everyday is an adventure. I never know who I'm going to meet and where I'm going to end up."

She realized he was talking about the book now and listened intently. From the way he was waving his hands and grinning, she would have thought that he just won the lottery. But he was talking about a book. Cori liked reading, but she wasn't too avid at it. Most days she felt like coming home from a hunt and completely curling up and going to sleep, there was little time to crack open a novel. Picking up the book in her hands and gently flipping through the pages, she smiled. Cori understood Chad. He was one of those people that was free, literally. They had no job to go to at 6am in the morning. He had no suit and tie and shiny blacks shoes at home in his closet, waiting to be put on. She stared at the man a moment before putting the book now and watching him tuck it back into his jacket. There was envy in her eyes, shining like the sun, but something else too. Passion. She wanted to feel what he feel and genuinely enjoy life.

"As for where I'm from, well, I was born and raised in Shermer, Illinois. It's near Chicago."

Cori nodded. She'd been to Chicago a couple times. Never to Shermer though.

"But what about you? Where's such a pretty girl like you from?"

She didn't like being called pretty, most of the time she felt the opposite of that. She felt tough, like one of the guys. She rarely wore heels, make up, or even anything fancy. But to be called pretty, that was just something she wasn't used to. Remaining silent for a moment before replying, she shrugged. "I'm from Maryland. Little po-dunk town out in the boonies. There's a not a lot to tell." She laughed a bit, catching a glance at the clock. "You know, normal people would be in bed right now."

[chadconnors]

Chad chuckled. "Normal people are over-rated. I think that interesting people are eating breakfast-like meals with strangers right now." Chad winked at the girl sitting across from him as she continued to eat.

There was something about her, though he couldn't quite put his finger on it, that he liked. Maybe it was the way she had shrugged off his compliment about being pretty or just the way she listened, rather than talked a lot, but Chad liked being around her. She was different from him and from most of the people who picked him up on the side of the road.

Chad couldn't think of much else to say, so he let his mind wander while Cori finished her meal. With their bill paid, Chad thanked Cori again for the meal. "Thanks for that. Really. I haven't had a decent meal in days. I owe you." Chad felt kind of foolish, continually grinning at the girl, but there was something about her that made him smile. Chad pulled on his jacket, partly because he was cold and partly in anticipation of leaving.

"So, what direction are we headed?" Chad was ready to get back on the road now that he had eaten. He hoped she would say anything but east, seeing as that is where he'd been earlier that night, with the older couple, but at the same time, he didn't really care. He was just thankful for a companion that didn't treat him distantly, like he was some kind of dirty bum.

Chad smiled a friendly smile and picked up his duffel bag. "I promise that I'm not trying to rush you out the door or anything, but I'm gonna go outside and have a smoke. If you're still in here when I'm done, I'll come back inside, but otherwise I'll meet you outside?" Chad's smile faltered a little. He didn't want her to think he was being pushy, he was just itching for a cigarette and to be out of the restaurant. He was anxious to get moving again.

[sofie]

"Normal people are over-rated. I think that interesting people are eating breakfast-like meals with strangers right now."

"Hmm, well, guess we aren't normal then." Cori chuckled, taking a last bite of her meal. Rubbing her tired eyes, not really caring if her make-up smeared, she sighed. Not because she was unhappy, but instead to clear her mind. It was a relaxing breath. Now she could use a drink. Something strong. Something really, really strong. She wanted to get wasted, do something she'd regret in the morning, and continue on like this life didn't take a mental-toll on her. In her thoughts, the woman was distracted. Snapping out of it, shivering, and looking at Chad, Cori bit her lip. He kept looking at her. It was weird. Creepy.

But cute too, so she didn't mind too much. He was like a little lost puppy.


"So, what direction are we headed?"

We. Cori liked that he called them 'we'. She shrugged and shook her head. "I'm not sure. To a motel for tonight. I don't know about you, but I'm so tired I could just pass out right here at the table." The bags under her eyes agreed. "We could share a room, as long as you promise not to pull any creepy shit. I don't wanna wake up chained to the bed." Though Chad didn't seem like the type that would hurt a woman. He didn't seem like the type that could even hurt a fly. A smile cracked on her lips. Yep, just like an innocent little lost puppy. Unlike so many man she knew.

Chad stood and tossed the old duffel bag over his shoulder. For a moment Cori was afraid he was going to leave. She would never say it out loud, but she liked him. The way he smiled and you could tell it was genuine, the passion in his eyes when he spoke, the ruffled brown hair.

"I promise that I'm not trying to rush you out the door or anything, but I'm gonna go outside and have a smoke. If you're still in here when I'm done, I'll come back inside, but otherwise I'll meet you outside?"

She just nodded, unsure of what to say. Cori watched Chad saunter out the door. She'd follow him in a minute, but for now, she just needed to sit. Closing her eyes for the briefest second her thoughts danced back to the exorcism of the young girl. The pain in those wide blue eyes, the sheer fear. That look of giving up, just not even caring anymore. It's not something she could easily describe, but she knew it. Her cellphone buzzed and the images were broken, probably for the best. Clicking on the message, it read;

possible vamp clan in Grants Pass, you in?

-Danny

Grants Pass was a couple hours from here. And she was so tired. So dead beat. All Cor wanted to do was curl up in a ball and sleep forever. Grabbing her things she nodded goodbye to the waitress and excited the diner. The smell of cigarette smoke was in the air. Sucking in another deep breath, she turned and wandered over to Chad. "You up for a little road trip?"

Cori didn't want to do this hunt. But she would. She had to, it was the duty of every hunter out there.