The Disillusionists cont'd...

May drove like a madwoman in a grocery store. Breakfast cereals, soy milk products and vegetables spilled from the shelves and rolled around the coach. "My parents are going to kill me," she said to herself as she turned the vehicle around at an intersection. Suddenly, however, she was confused as to which direction she should go. In her panic she couldn't remember which way she had come out of the campsite and had the sickening feeling that she should have gone the other way. She wasn't about to risk going back though, and decided to continue on in the same direction, with the bus pointed the right way of course.

She gunned it. After about a hundred yards the road took a sweeping left hander which tightened sharply. She continued to giv'er but the motorhome bit into the soft sholder and wedged against a low cliff edge. It came to a shuddering and teeth grinding, tinny halt. May was pressed up against the steering wheel and pelted with ancient packs of Jello. The engine had stalled. The lights began to dim with her repeated cranking. Finally it became obvious she would have to abandon the old dear.

* * *

At the remains of the campsite, Alexis and Jay recovered two lawn chairs and stoked the fire. Mike was hurling epithets and whatever else he could get his hands on. The other two passed a gritty bottle of wine back and forth and waited for him to calm down. Alexis had seen this many times and knew it was not wise to intervene. Finally Mike exhausted himself and, propped against a small tree, began banging his head against it.

"So what now chief?" asked Alexis, familiar with the next stage.

Mike started to laugh. He stopped banging his head and glared at the ground. Yes, that was exactly the kind of thing she would say when they were working. He released his stranglehold on the sapling, came over and sat on a log by the fire. He motioned to Jay for the bottle and drank the rest down. Wiping his mouth, he looked back and said, "Go get the car."

"What. Me?" Jay was gob-smacked.

"Yes." sighed Mike, "You."

"Fuck that. I'm not going out there!"

Alexis laughed. Mike turned his attention to her. "What is so funny?"

"Nothing."

"Nothing?" Mike stood up and held up his palm to Jay before he could speak, "Shut. Up."

* * *

Meanwhile, as Gunther crept closer to the edgo of the campsite he could just about make out what they were saying. He watched as their silhouettes played out a strange pantomime until finally he heard Mike say, "Get the fucking car and we'll pack up the gear like nothing happened..."

"Car?" His eyebrows raised, "What car?"