Short Story #31: Desert

Prompt: Write a short story set in the desert. (Word Count: 258)

* * * * * “Top-down Cadillac’s the only way to travel to Vegas!” Mandy Danvers propped her feet on the dashboard, spread her arms wide, and soaked up the California sun.

Gary, her husband, snagged the lighter from the dash, lit a Lucky Strike. “Babe, you’re blocking the side-view.”

Mandy twirled a lock of his shoulder-length hair. “Ain’t nobody out here.”

He shrugged her hand away. “Better safe than sorry.”

“ ’swhy you smoke so much? ‘Better safe than sorry?’” She put her feet down, crossed her arms.

“Hey, don’t pout, Babe. Find us some tunes on the radio.”

She dialed in the Gospel Radio Hour. Gary shot her a look; she kept dialing. “...bulletin. Travelers on Interstate 15, be advised of heavy winds 20 miles east of Barstow. Sandstorm conditions reported. National weather bulletin. Travelers on Interstate 15—” Gary switched it off.

In the distance a beige wall loomed.

Gary pulled over. “Help we with the top, huh?” Grudgingly, she assisted him.

Back in the car, they drove until the storm swallowed them. Visibility decreased from miles to yards, and Gary pulled off the road. He turned on his high beams and flashers, lit another cigarette.

“Really, you’re smoking now?”

“What, smoke obscuring your view?”

Mandy rummaged through the glovebox, found The Best of Jerry Reed, popped it in the cassette deck.

Gary stubbed out his Lucky and ejected the tape. He rolled the window down a crack and tossed both outside.

It was going to be a long wait.

–30–