NICK GRABS A CANDY BAR FROM THE SALES RACK AND PROCEEDS TO GRAB ANOTHER. "WELL, I GUESS WE COULD GO DOWN TO THE VENUE WE'RE PLAYING TONIGHT AND TELL J THE GOOD NEWS ABOUT BRIAN AND ESTHER."
"I SAID TO KILL A FEW HOURS, NOT OURSELVES."
"YOU HAVE A POINT THERE."
BRENDA TAGS ALONG BEHIND HIM AS HE TAKES HIS FOOD UP TO THE CHECKOUT. "WE STILL HAVE 2 HOURS UNTIL THE BUS GETS HERE."
THE CASHIER HANDS NICK HIS CHANGE AND THE TWO MAKE THEIR WAY OUT THE EXIT. SITTING DOWN ON A BENCH OUTSIDE, HE PEELS THE WRAPPER OFF ONE OF HIS CANDY BARS. "I GUESS WE CAN JUST SIT HERE FOR TWO HOURS. WANT HALF?"
"ONLY YOU WOULD FIND PLEASURE IN SOMETHING THAT AMUSING. SURE." SHE REPLIES, TAKING THE HALF OF A CANDY BAR HE OFFERED. "I JUST WISH THINGS WOULD FIX THEMSELVES, YOU KNOW? LIKE, WE COULD ALL JUST MAGICALLY POP UP IN THE SAME PLACE AND EVERYTHING WOULD BE OKAY."
NICK NODS. "IT'S NOT THAT EASY THOUGH."
"I CAN DREAM, CAN'T I?" SHE PAUSES AND AVERTS HER EYES TO THE STREET. "WHAT IN THE WORLD IS THAT NOISE?"
BRIAN JUMPS OFF OF THE CURB AND CATCHES ESTHER IN HIS ARMS AS SHE HOPS DOWN INTO THEM. "MY HERO." SHE CHUCKLES, LOOKING UP AT THE GAS STATION THAT LAY AHEAD OF THEM.
"HEY, THAT'S WHAT I'M HERE FOR, RIGHT?" BRIAN LAUGHS. ESTHER JUST SMILES AND SHRUGS HER SHOULDERS. "YOU'VE GOT A SICK MIND, ESTHER."
"I DIDN'T SAY ANYTHING!" SHE DEFENDS, SLUGGING HIM PLAYFULLY IN THE ARM. "YOU'RE THE ONE LETTING YOUR IMAGINATION RUN AMUK."
"SO WHAT DID THAT LITTLE SHRUG MEAN THEN?"
ESTHER SHAKES HER HEAD. "I WAS MERELY........ WHAT'S THAT NOISE?"
"I THINK THIS IS AS FAR AS IT'S GONNA TAKE US, GUYS." KEVIN LOOKS OVER AT A.J., WHO PULLS HIMSELF AND DIANA FROM THE FLOORBOARD. "WE GOTTA GET SOME GAS IN THIS THING AND GET BACK ON THE ROAD." THE VEHICLE CLUNKS TO A SLOW STOP AND KEVIN KILLS THE ENGINE. "BEFORE SUNSHINE MERLE CATCHES UP TO US."
"UM, KEVIN?" LAURA SQUEAKS, LOOKING OUT THE WINDSHEILD IN FRONT OF THEM. THE OTHERS FOLLOW HER GAZE AND WATCH AS A BLAST OF STEAM SEEPS OUT THE SIDES OF THE HOOD. KEVIN FROWNS.
"I THINK YOU'RE RIGHT, KEV. THIS IS AS FAR AS IT'S GONNA TAKE US."
"A.J., NOW IS NOT THE TIME TO CRACK JOKES." KEVIN SIGHS AND SLOWLY GETS OUT OF THE VEHICLE. THE OTHERS FOLLOW HIS LEAD.
DIANA COVERS HER EYES WITH HER HAND. "GREAT. WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO NOW?"
"DUDE. NICK, LOOK OVER THERE AT THAT GUY. DOESN'T HE LOOK A LOT LIKE KEVIN? DO YOU SEE HIM? THAT GUY RIGHT THERE?"
"YEAH......" NICK STANDS AND TAKES A FEW STEPS CLOSER TO GET A BETTER LOOK. "YOU'RE RIGHT, IT DOES.......'
"DID YOU SEE THAT CAR? WITH ALL THE NOISE IT WAS MAKING, I'M SURPRISED IT HASN'T EXPLODED YET."
"YEAH....... ESTHER, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, BUT DOESN'T THAT GIRL OVER THERE LOOK LIKE DIANA?"
"WHOA, SHE DOES. HOW ABOUT THAT GUY OVER THERE?"
"DIANA, THERE'S NOTHING WE CAN DO. WITH THE CAR ANYWAY." KEVIN GRIMLY LOOKS UP AT THEM ALL AND SIGHS.
"I GUESS WE NEED TO MAKE A RUN FOR IT THEN?" A.J. ASKS, PULLING HIS AND DIANA'S DUFFEL FROM THE TRUNK.
"CAN'T WE JUST CALL NICK AND BRENDA TO COME?" DIANA LOOKS FROM A.J.'S FACE TO KEVIN'S.
"FOR THEM TO GET HERE IN TIME, WE'D BE ASKING FOR SOMETHING SHORT OF A MIRACLE." A.J. REPLIES.
"I REALLY WISH THE OTHERS WERE HERE." LAURA WHIMPERS AS DIANA PUTS A COMFORTING ARM AROUND HER. SHE SWALLOWS AND GLANCES THROUGH HER TEARS OVER DIANA'S SHOULDER. "IF ONLY THEY WERE ALL.........OH MY GOD!"
NICK'S EYES GROW WIDE AS HE CLUTCHES ON TO BRENDA'S SHOULDER. "OH MY GOD!"
ESTHER'S JAW DROPS AS HER AND BRIAN EXCHANGE A LOOK. "OH MY GOD!"
"OKAY, OKAY, OKAY, EVERYBODY!" THE GROUP GROWS SILENT AS KEVIN CALLS THEIR ATTENTION. "THIS IS UNBELIEVABLE. TO THINK WE ALL ENDED UP AT THE SAME PLACE.......... I CAN'T EXCENTUATE THAT ENOUGH."
THE GROUP LAUGHS.
"HEY, WHERE'S HOWIE?" ESTHER QUERIES, TAKING A QUICK GLANCE AT THE GROUP.
"THAT'S ONE OF OUR PROBLEMS, ESTHER." KEVIN REPLIES, TAKING A DEEP BREATH. "A LOT HAS HAPPENED ON THIS LITTLE VACATION OF OURS. NOT ONLY IS THERE A PROBLEM WITH THE WHEREABOUTS OF HOWIE, WE'RE ALSO HAVING A PROBLEM WITH....."
"HIM!!!" LAURA SHRIEKS. KEVIN HURRIES THE CLAN INTO THE STATION AREA JUST AS AN OLD PICK-UP SCREECHES INTO THE PARKING LOT, WITH MERLE AND HIS GUN INSIDE.
