[FANFIC] "Highways"
Ben Cantrick (alias Macky Stingray)
One of the things I liked very much about a some of the short stories
I've read by Stephen King is how he blends reality and fantasy in such a
remarkably believable way. I tried to do that in this story, and I hope
that it worked. Let me know what you think.
-----
I know it was her. There was no mistaking it.
Oh, the bike was unimpressive. Indeed, if you didn't look at it carefully
or actually read the logo painted onto the tank, you might not even have
given it a second glance. It was fire-engine red to match her leathers, and
looked vaguely like an '80s model Kawasaki, with the small swept-back
windscreen and front fender that wraps around the front forks.
But I'm getting ahead of myself...
I was on my way home. It was 65 degrees out, the evening just starting
to cool off after a scorching hot day. I was cruising along, letting the
wind play with the collar of my leather jacket and my ponytail. Feeling
the rush of air going by, watching the sun redden the horizon, setting
fire to the few clouds in eastern the sky.
I'm not sure exactly when I first noticed her behind me. She could have
been there for a second or a minute. I heard the deep thrumming of a
large engine and glanced in my mirror. She was coming up gently behind me,
obviously in no hurry, also enjoying the weather.
I was doing a little past the limit at the time. It felt like crawling,
but I'd learned to avoid speeding excessively after my second ticket. She
was going a little faster than I was, probably also taking it easy, her
bike's engine spinning contentedly at seven thousand RPMs.
I watched her turn signal flash as she floated into the other lane
to pass. As she pulled up alongside, I glanced briefly over at her bike,
giving it a once-over. Her head was tilted to the right and down, looking
at mine.
The logo on the tank of her bike was what struck me first. "Genom," it
read. "Genom?" I thought. I've heard of Honda, Suzuki, Kawasaki, Harley-
Davidson. Even exotics like Ducati and Virago. But never Genom. As I lifted
my eyes from the bike to the rider, I noticed the matching red helmet and
riding leathers. My mind began to nag at me as I clearly read the "AIC" logo
off the front of her helmet, which was now turned straight at me.
She was looking back at me.
I don't know how long we looked into each other's eyes. All I remember
thinking was that her eyes matched her bike and riding outfit. And I also
remember seeing the brown hair that flowed out of the back of her helmet
flapping slightly in the breeze. We hung there for an instant, a moment,
an eternity...
I smiled, and she smiled back.
Then her head turned back forward. I twisted the throttle down, not
wanting to let her go. It was in vain... Like a marble rolling down a gentle
incline, she pulled ahead. Her engine deepend slightly in pitch as she went,
the beauty of human and machine welded together, rushing forward with the
liquid grace of an electric pulse in super slow-mo.
I rode home in shock. And now I sit here, typing these words into my
computer. I no longer know if I'm sane. Fantasy and reality collided and
shattered on the highway this evening as I came home, and I can no longer
disambiguate one from the other. My world has turned upside down, and I
no longer know which way is up. There remains only one firm thought in
my mind, and that is this: I will search.
I will ride. I will ride in my old leather jacket with the loose
collar. With my scratched helmet. I will ride at sunset, in the right
lane. I will enjoy the weather, the feel of the wind against my neck.
I will search.
And maybe someday, on that long stretch of highway that spans reality and
illusion, a sleek motorcycle with "Genom" painted on the tank will pull up
beside me. She'll wave briefly, red leathers flapping slightly in the breeze.
And then the bike will pull away, speeding off into the sunset.
And as she goes, I will smile. Because I am no longer alone in this world...
-----
-Ben
--
"BGC: Because some of us believe women over 14 are still sexy."
=--------- http://ucsu.colorado.edu/~cantrick/home.html -------------=
*Ben Cantrick, diehard BGC otaku and Priss fan. ---> THE BGC DUBS SUCK! <---*
*Mac? Ha. "When I want to spend 50% of my time fighting an OS, I'll use VMS."*
Andy Skuse
Ben Cantrick (alias Macky Stingray) wrote:
>
> One of the things I liked very much about a some of the short stories
> I've read by Stephen King is how he blends reality and fantasy in such a
> remarkably believable way. I tried to do that in this story, and I hope
> that it worked. Let me know what you think.
think this short story has a character all it's own. I sat and thought
about "the encounter" after reading this, and 15 minutes later I was
still daydreaming about opportunities in my own lifetime that I have
missed and wished had turned out differently. And while the passion I
once had to pursue those things has diminished, my memory of what they
meant at the time has been refreshed. Well done :)
Andy Skuse
--
BG Cross
http://execulink.com/~askuse/bgcross/
Raven's Garage
http://execulink.com/~askuse/ravengar.html
The Laughing Bandit
cant...@rintintin.Colorado.EDU (Ben Cantrick (alias Macky Stingray))
wrote:
> One of the things I liked very much about a some of the short stories
>I've read by Stephen King is how he blends reality and fantasy in such a
>remarkably believable way. I tried to do that in this story, and I hope
>that it worked. Let me know what you think.
Good Micro-fic Ben. I've always been a fan of the short story, and
this one has a real nice "What if...." and reminiscence thing going
for it.
Gaius Tarquinius Superbus Maximus I Magnus Somniculosus Ex Patricis Priscis
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