267Fast Approaching Death
1. On the road
A/N
Thank you for joining this Eric and Sookie avatars on this ride.
Million thanks to my gracious beta, Kjwrit. She help me with this idea, gave me courage and a much needed proper English language. Also to all the amazing ladies on twitter that fueled my self-confidence.
Action takes place in Romania, just because I enjoy having our SVM characters tour my country. No undead vampires in this story even if here is Dracula's birthing place. All in here are red-blooded, living and breathing humans.
Damn! I thought as I almost spilled gas on my shoes. All of the gas station attendants were busy and it had been a while since I serviced my car by myself. I walked into the store needing something to help boost my energy for the three hour drive I had ahead of me. I searched in vain for Burn, my favorite energy drink, but I had to settle for something else, just like how everything else in my life seemed to be going lately. Sighing deeply I paid for the gas and my second best drink option. The shitty Friday morning I turned out to be having wasn't the way I wanted to start a long weekend.
The company I work for was having a team building retreat over the weekend in the mountains and allowed us to leave a day early to travel there. By team building read 'drinking and eating till both your head and belly feels like exploding'. It was 'mandatory fun'. Arrgh… Nobody asked ME if this is MY idea of good time. I could spend the weekend observing my colleagues drown their brains in alcohol into a silly oblivion, or I could spend it with a good book, a tray of freshly home baked cookies and a jug of mint lemonade. Guess which one would be my ideal Friday night? Duh!
Okay Sookie, enough whining! I could have faked an impromptu sickness but I didn't. Gritting my teeth and squeezing my eyes shut I thought – I will try to have fun! No, not clear enough: I WILL have fun for the next three days! I will have fun. I'm having fun already.
Silently shouting my new found mantra, I steered my car towards the road and headed north. The weather forecast for today was brilliant: warm and sunny. I will enjoy this, even if I have to choke on it.
A deafening roar broke through my self-induced happy mood as a couple of motorcycles cut me off to enter the 'GAS STATION THAT DOESN'T SUPPLY BURN!' which is what I'd named it in my mind. There went my mood, melting just like a popsicle onto the already hot asphalt. Groaning internally, I glance at the noisy horde thinking they were just like wild horses. Not that I've ever seen any, but...whatever. Back to the self-pity.
I'll admit I was a little sad that nobody wanted to ride in my car with me. Gosh, I thought, that sounds too whiny even for me. I have a tiny yellow Fiat Panda that doesn't reach racing speeds by any means unlike the luxury cars the others drive. It was better this way, I thought, while fumbling with my DC. As I listened to the sounds of Buddha Bar gently pouring through the radio with its soft waves, I felt it wash away my sour mood. See? I can listen to whatever I want. Beaming with pride for finding the sunny side of life again I mentally chanted: Happy thoughts, Sookie, happy thoughts!
~o~
I drove at a steady pace, occasionally disturbed by some of the excessively speeding drivers who didn't appear to understand there was a reason for speed limits. I paid careful attention to the road signs so I wouldn't miss the right turn I needed to make since I'm painfully aware that I am perfectly capable of getting lost even on the roads around my home. I couldn't afford a GPS even though I would be in dire need of one if I were to get lost now.
Several groups of bikes passed my car – sportbikes, on/off roads and even some touring ones, but no cruisers yet. What can I say? I have a soft spot for these metal horses and I liked the sight of them.
Apparently this hobby was more in vogue than I was aware given the number of bikes on the road today. I thought it must be a great to travel and since I'm a night owl, I often hear their roaring engines break through the quiet during the late hours of the nights. I sometimes wondered why the police were allowing it, but then again, who could possibly stop them in the metropolitan labyrinth?
I found myself fantasizing about what it must be like to ride one. Mmm, a savage beast roaring between my legs. Gripping its handle bars like the horns of a raging bull, accelerating to warp speed… Snapping out of my reverie I grudgingly came to my senses thinking 'That isn't for you, fool! Eyes on the road, Sookie.'
After about an hour of driving and some searching around Ploiesti I stopped in the parking lot of the hypermarket where we had decided to meet for food shopping. I found the others at a coffee shop and all I was greeted with was "Finally!", "At last", and "Glad you took your time to get here". My coworkers were nothing but pompous assholes and of course, no one had the courtesy to wait for me to get myself a cup. After all, I'm just the secretary.
I wondered why on earth we had to buy food and drinks when our villa had a restaurant. I decided it was probably just because, here, you could buy spirits in industrial quantities. With the open invitation to buy whatever we wanted to eat or drink everyone started to fill cart after cart with meat for the grill, beer, water, sodas, vodka and whiskey. Someone added more vodka and whiskey just to be on the safe side. Apparently somebody else took care of the wine necessity, having already brought along 20 liters of homemade wine in our boss's SUV. Shyly, I added a couple of fruit flavored Belgian beers that I had wanted to try but always seemed too much for my budget and three cans of my energy drink (Finally!).
The majority of the shopping bags ended up in my trunk and on my back seats, just because I had no other passengers and only a shoulder bag as luggage. I hoped my engine would be up to hauling this load feeling like an ant carrying ten times her bodyweight.
~o~
Finally made mu way back on the road headed to the mountains. The landscape became greener while the sunflower, corn and other fields were left behind. The flat plains changed into swelling hills that were covered by lush forests. The music playing on the radio seemed too sedate so I changed it to a more energetic station. Once I was able to turn off the air conditioner I could feel my car's 54 horse power engine becoming slightly bolder. Cool fresh air entered through the now open window, gently caressing my skin. Hopefully I'd be able to get some tanning done this weekend. I heard there was a pool at our villa and it was the only thing I was really looking forward to.
Humming contently with the song, 'Fell in Love With an Alien' along with The Kelly Family, I glazed over looking at the beautiful hills and faraway mountains.
I fell in love with an alien
Fell in love with her eyes
Fell in love with an alien
I'm telling you no disguise…
A rapidly increasing noise signaled a new wave of speeding motorbikes approaching me from behind. I attempted to maintain my serenity and ignore the noise which was deafening now due to the opened window.
The leader of the pack appeared like a blue flash of light right next to me. I felt like I'd been captured by a tractor beam and I couldn't stop turning my head towards the biker. He was wearing a full face helmet and I saw the blue orb was turning towards me too. Its shield was like one huge alien eye and in that moment, all time and motion froze. You know, like Einstein's theory of relativity? But now wasn't the time to think of it. In the shiny black visor I could almost see my reflection staring back except it was a fiercer version of myself. I felt a shiver start at the base of my skull and descend down my spine, generating small earthquakes on its path.
When the moment was over and he passed me I got to admire from behind the view of his impressive slender form, hugged by the blue armored suit. Quickly accelerating he melted into the distance with his travel companions trailing behind.
When I finally managed to resume breathing normally all I could think was 'What on earth was that?'
A/N- another one, yes I know…
There are links in my profile of how I see the biker (well, by now everybody guessed who is hiding under the blue suit).
I'm looking forth for your opinions.
Disclaimer: I own nothing but the mistakes in this story.