Lola

Alice never got around to learning how to drive, which is why her current situation is so perplexing.1

A quick glance in the rear view mirror, reveals the road already traveled empty, satisfied she’s not about to take any one else out, she once again dares to look up.  And good thing too, as she’s just in time to see the speedometer approach one eighty.2

“Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god,” she repeats through clenched teeth. 3

With her sight momentarily obscured by flapping hair, her mantra rises in pitch, “…oh my god, oh my god, oh my god,”  she frees one hand from the wheel and tucks the stray strands behind an ear.  She’s on the Sea to Sky Highway, an unsettling stretch of road beginning at sea level, ending in the mountains.  Between which lie treacherous conditions such as mudslides and overworked long haul truckers. 4

Consciously easing the pedal from the metal, her leg begins to shake under the stress.  Swearing, she responds by shifting her rump, bracing herself with her thighs against grey leather.  She catches air, and loses gravity, one second, two, three “phwoof”, back on terra firma.  5

Suddenly, she’s  calm.  The air around her sparkles silver and gold.  her hair is floating like a filigree cloud  and her breath comes in long easy flows.  She can feel the movement of the automobile all around her, a hot, little, red convertible.  A total girl car fantasy come true.  She feels the clutches catch in her gut, the engine reverberate in her spine and tailbone, she feels the road, as interpreted by the mechanics of her car. Smooth grip, perfect curves, slight resistance, no longer hurtling around corners and curves she is floating through the scenery, observant and serene.  6

She can see for miles, and for a moment it occurs to her she could probably spy forever from here, but she has more pressing concerns, and scans the highway snaking before and above her.  7

The scenery is breathtaking, Mountains, scarred by rock slides, nurtured by springs and trickling water falls bounce rainbows off river rocks and pine trees.  Here and there billowy clouds lay in strips across the road, like slices of heaven woven into earthly creation.  She ignores an  urge to pull over and admire a glacial lake when suddenly, what she’s looking for appears. 8

Jumping up and down and waving arms in the air, Zelda motions to Alice who quickly counts the four bags  scattered around the Amazon’s feet, and considers speeding by.   9

For a non-driver, Alice executes a fine U-turn, punches it up a bit by laying some rubber and comes to a screeching halt in front of Zelda the warrior princess.10

The dust clears, revealing to Zelda a disheveled Alice perching on the back of her seat,  wearing an uncharacteristic grin on her narrow face.   Zelda flashes her a knowing smile, “Move over chickadee, I’m driving.”  Not so reluctantly Alice gives up her perch and actually bounces into the passenger side.  11

Zelda pauses for a moment getting a feel for the car.  She pushes back the bucket seat to allow for her longer legs.  “Ahhh, Lola.”  Zelda strokes the wooden console, “I’ve missed you, so.”   And with a flick of her wrist, she pushes Lola’s lighter into the dash, pulling a cylinder from behind her ear, placing it between her teeth, turns to Alice and grins, “So, how’d you get her?” 12

“I took her.” 13

Zelda scrutinizes the impish character beside her, Alice is sitting uncomfortably still, facing straight forward, wearing a deadpan expression.  14

“You took her?” 15

“I stole her”  Alice’s tone doesn’t change, but a twinkle enters her eye.  16

Zelda waits a beat or two then slaps her ample thigh, “I’ll be damned”  17

“That’s for sure.”  Alice lets a smile play on the edge of her lip.   18

Pop goes the lighter, taking Zelda’s attention from Alice, she furrows her brows and crosses her eyes as she brings together paper and fire.  Two, three quick sucks in succession release a puff of smoke, signaling successful ignition.  Zelda draws in a lungful, slowly exhaling with a slow sigh turn slight moan declaring,  “Mmmm, that’s the stuff,” and fixes her attention back on Alice.  19

“How is it you’re here?”20

“Raven left me a note.”  21

“No, I mean how’d you get here? You know…” trailing off,  Zelda makes a circling motion with her cigarette as if trying to paint a picture.  Alice never got around to learning how to drive, so the fact that she not only stole the car, but managed to get here, without getting caught or killed, is slightly astonishing, though Zelda hides her emotions well.22

“You know me Zelda, I’m observant”, Alice raised two fingers and pointed at her eyes, “And I always remember what I see, you know that.”23

Ignoring that last part Zelda tries to get it straight “So you learned to hot wire this thing, how to drive, and the route all from your memory?”  24

“Well mostly.  I didn’t hot wire her”, Alice nods toward the ignition, “I stole the keys, and bought a map.  Besides its not really like learning anything, it’s more like remembering something.”25

“Hmmm, peculiar. So?” Taking another drag off her smoke, Zelda blows her question into Alice’s face, “What was it like, your first ride?”  26

Alice answers with a delicious smile, and languid stretch.  Repositioning her feet on the dash, she places her arms behind her head and purrs, “Sweet.”27

Zelda lets her friend relish her moment, before turning serious.  “The note, do you still have it?”28

Alice sits up, digs around in the front pocket of her jeans and tosses a crumpled piece of paper on Zelda’s lap.29

Annoyed at the lack of care shown the paper, Zelda lets out a disapproving snort, noting Alice’s lack of concern as she settles back into her more characteristic aloofness.  Zelda smooths out the note against the steering wheel, and inspects it.”  She looks up at Alice, “Is this it?”  30

“That’s all there was.”31

Zelda pauses as if considering something, takes another quick drag and stubs out the smoke in the ashtray.32

With a quick shoulder check, Zelda switches gears, pumps the gas bringing Lola to roaring life.  With a grinning glance at Alice, Zelda joyfully counts down, “Three, two, one Blast off!”  A maniacal shout of glee escapes her throat as she launches out of the turn around and squeals onto the open road, hair on fire and streaming behind her, all to follow up on a hunch.33