[ WP ] Write a story about a long drive in a car .

It was pretty much Joseph's idea. He said me and him, we should take a nice long relaxing drive down Interstate 80 in Nevada. You know, just to get away from the stress in my life. I was just looking for an excuse to get away from it all. 
 
 I lived in a small town called Millerville in Nevada, right off Interstate 80. It's got a population of, oh, I do n't know, maybe 400 people. It was one of those things where everybody knows each other, you know, all that good stuff. I worked as a cashier at the local general store and my boss did n't like me. He did n't like me because I had some weird mannerisms. People did n't like to be around me because of that and it hurt business because nobody wanted to come in the store as long as I was there. I'm not sure why he did n't fire me but I was afraid to ask because I was scared that if I did, it was gon na remind him that he should fire me. It was a low paying job anyway. I could barely pay my bills. 
 
 Enough about my story, though. I was cruising down the highway, with nothing else in sight except desert and towering mountains in the distance. It was strangely hypnotic, and I felt myself relaxing a little. 
 
 `` Can you feel yourself starting to relax now, buddy?'' Joseph asked. 
 
 `` Yeah, I guess so.'' I said. 
 
 `` Good. You really need this.'' he replied. After a couple seconds, he said `` We've known each other for a while, right?'' 
 
 `` Yeah.'' 
 
 `` Can I tell you something?'' 
 
 `` Sure.'' 
 
 `` I got laid off my job a couple days ago. Right now I'm just looking for someplace to stay. You know, I'm like, driving around EVERYWHERE, just like, looking for a bus stop or someplace to just settle for a while. You know what they do about the homeless in Millerville. Ca n't stay there.'' Joseph said. 
 
 I did know what they did about the homeless. It was a town law that it's illegal to be homeless, punishable by a fine the town lawmakers knew the homeless could n't afford. It was awful. 
 
 `` That sucks, man.'' I said. 
 
 `` Yeah, I'm totally broke right now. And my car's almost out of gas in like two days because I've been driving around practically all over the county, and now I ca n't afford gas, and I wo n't last 10 minutes out her in the desert, dude.'' Joseph said. 
 
 `` You're welcome to stay at my place if you want. You're there all the time. It's practically your house.'' I offered. 
 
 `` I do n't know, maybe.'' Joseph said. 
 
 I was silent. It might have been common courtesy to insist that he stay at my house, but then again, I was n't a common person. I basically have no concept of how to make conversation with another human being. The only time I ever could really hold up a conversation was in my head when I fell in love with this girl in my biology class in 11th grade and I imagined a conversation between me and her. It was nice. I never worked up the courage to actually talk to her in real life, and now I graduated high school and I never saw her since. I do n't think I even ever talked to her once. 
 
 The road in front of me was long and hypnotic, and the sun was setting over the mountains and turned the sky a vibrant beautiful red. We'd been driving all day, since around breakfast, and it was like meditation. At this point my mind was completely cleared. I forgot how almost everyone called me a creep or a weirdo behind my back, and how my boss constantly berated me and the only thing in my life was just a long lonely road that went on forever. With my car on cruise control I stared to zone out, the highway unraveling in front of me. For once in my life, there was NOTHING on my mind. 
 
 What brought me back to Earth was the horrible sound of my engine sputtering and dying. The car stopped and thoughts flooded back into my mind like a dam burst. What was I going to do? I did n't have a cellphone because I could n't afford one, so I could n't call a tow truck and we did n't see a car all day and I was doubtful that a car was going to show up now. 
 
 `` Aw, dammit!'' Joseph shouted. He kind of startled me because I totally forgot he was there. 
 
 I ran my hands through my hair. I was getting real stressed out again. We were stuck in the middle of the desert. We were gon na starve and die out here. 
 
 `` What're we gon na do?'' Joseph said. 
 
 `` I do n't know.'' 
 
 `` Well, we ca n't just stay here forever!'' Joseph said. 
 
 `` I said I do n't have any ideas!'' I snapped. 
 
 Joseph sighed. Then he kicked the back of the car in exasperation, and the suspension lifted the car up slightly from the force of Joseph's kick. 
 
 I pulled on my hair and then looked up at the red sky and shouted as loud as I could. I just wanted to go home and sleep forever. My feet were getting sore, probably from being in shoes for so long, and I just wanted to plop down on my bed and hibernate just like a bear. 
 
 I do n't know how much later it was but me and Joseph were tired and sitting next to my dead car. It was night time and the sky was incredible. You could see the Milky Way and a bajillion stars. It was really something else. Almost made me forget about my situation. 
 
 Me and Joseph looked up when we heard the sound of a motor approaching us. We got in the street and waved at the headlights coming closer and closer. When the car got close enough to us it stopped and the guy got out of the car and shined a flashlight on me and Joseph sitting next to my car. smelled like cigarettes. `` You need anything?'' he asked. 
 
 `` Uh... and my friend broke down. We were wondering if you could maybe give us a lift back to Millersville. I mean, if you know where that is.'' I explained. 
 
 The guy sort of frowned at me. `` What do you mean'you and your friend'? You and me are the only ones out here.'' 
 
 

