Heading to Los Angeles

It is high noon, without a cloud in the sky, the sun beating down upon the dry tarmac. You can hear the sizzling sound of my sweat hitting the pavement. I'm trudging along a two-way highway with desert on both sides. A few patches of dry grass, and scattered cactuses about complete the landscape. There is a rusted green sign in front of me that reads Los Angeles 50 miles southwest- Las Vegas 150 miles northeast. I duck my head as I pass under the sign, wearing nothing but a t-shirt, shorts, and a pair of shoes. I'm wearing headphones but the battery died a few miles back; a dead tablet in my right hand. As I continue to walk along the highway, feeling the weight of the heat, with each step I take. The road seems to go on and on, both directions mirroring each other, but luckily there is a distinctive cloud in the direction I am heading, that breaking the image.

Suddenly “op," I tripped over something, catching myself on the pavement, with my left hand, as I held tightly to my tablet. As I lay on a slight angle on my right side, I notice my legs are covering, what looks to be like a sports bag. I check my hand, as they are a bit scrapped, but no blood. I kicked the bag out of frustration, but it didn’t budge, there is some weight to it. I sat up, with my leg around the bag as I scoot it over towards me. “What the hell is in this thing, and how come I didn’t notice it?” As I unzip the bag a few pieces of paper flew out as a rare breeze blows by. As a single dollar bill floats down as, it rests against my right shin. “What the," unzipping the bag completely. My eyes light up, as I see a bunch of money, mostly twenty-dollar bills all stacked individually. I picked up one, and it reads one thousand, on the little piece of paper. Most of them say this, as a few others reads five hundred. I pushed all the money on the right side of the bag, so I may begin to count each stack. As I picked up the last 500, and placed it with the other pervious counted bills. I counted out a total of one hundred thousand.

I raised my eyebrows in shock, and I begin to look around, to see any foot prints or tire tracks. “Hmm nothing.” I said to myself, as I slowly raised to my feet, and closing the bag at the same time. As I was about to pick the bag, I heard a crunching sound vastly approaching from the direction I came from. I haven’t seen a car ever since I left the hotel. I picked the bag up and mightily threw it on my right shoulder. It had to weigh at least fifty pounds. I almost forgot about the little black book I had in my back pocket. I purchased it in the lobby of the hotel so I may write a journal and keep some important information.

Now I know what you are thinking, how come I didn’t charge my headphones, or tablet, or a phone for that matter? Well simple enough I didn’t think I needed to at the time, and I accidentally left my phone at home. I’m sure you are also wondering how I got here in the first place? You see I was supposed to fly from Nashville and arriving in Los Angeles around 9pm there time, and meet my very good friend of mine. Las Vegas was my only stop, but unfortunately my flight was late into Vegas. The airport gave me a voucher to stay at a hotel, which was nice. Unfortunately, I over slept my alarm and completely missed my flight. I did everything I could, but in the end, I didn’t have enough to fly out, and I don’t have a driver’s license. So, I decided to walk, which is a no big deal for me. I opened up my tablet went on to Spotify, started listening to some music. As I began my long journey.

Back to reality. I see the car steadily approaching, sticking my right thumb out hoping for a ride. The car slowed to a crawl. It’s a candy red 2015 Chevrolet Camaro, that pulled up beside me. The driver lowers the passenger window, as heavy rock music comes blasting out. The driver is a female figure, with streaks of blonde in her brunette hair. As she lowers her sunglasses, “where are you going stranger?” She said in a Midwestern accent. “I’m going to Los Angeles. Is it okay that I may get a lift?” I responded, with the heavy bag of money strapped around my shoulders. She just stares at me, then towards the road. Placing her hand on her chin, thinking, then she looks back at me. “I have gas money, and I will pay you?” Her eyes light up as I said this to her. “How much?” she said. “Oh, I don’t know 150?” I said with my hands on the door of her car. “Deal,” she said. “Yay!” as I open the door excitingly, and sat down in the passenger seat. I extended my right arm, “my name is Chris by the way.” “My name is Ashley,” she said. “Oh nice, and nice to meet you.” I said to her as I reach to buckle my seat. As she puts the car into drive, and we head on down the road, feeling the wind in my hair. “So, what brings out here?” She said to me. “I had a stop in Vegas, we were late arriving in, so I basically missed my flight out to LA.” I said as I looked at her, and told her the rest of the story, minus finding the money. “May I ask, what about you?” I spoke. “I ironically live in LA, but I was visiting some friends, in Vegas a few days back.” “Oh nice,” I said back to her. “Are you from LA?” I said to her. “No, I’m originally from Frank, Indiana.” “Frank!?, that is a strange name for a town. What was the population?” I said to her. “About four thousand.” “Wow! The guy must have been real popular.” I said, as we both laugh at the corny joke.

As the laughter died down, and the silence fills the void. I see a sign that reads “Welcome to Los Angeles County.” “I guess we are here," I said to myself, slightly out loud. I don’t know she heard me, but I see her nodding her head in an agreement. “Where should I drop you off?” She said to me. “Um I need to go to the airport to pick up my bags, if that is, okay?” “You may just drop me off I’ll get a cab.” I said to her, but to my surprise she said. “I’ll wait for you.” I responded back. “Oh okay, that’s nice.”

As we got to the airport, and parked in one of the many parking lots. I ran to the front desk of the baggage claim, asking if my bag has come in. As I explained the situation. The young lady at the front desk typing as fast as she can. “Oh yes sir we have, you may have a seat while we bring it out.” “Thank you,” I said politely. As I take my seat looking around, and finally a baggage handler brings my bag out. He hands it me, I thanked him, as I went back out to the parking lot, hoping my ride will still be. Sure, enough she was. As I opened my passenger door, and throw my personal bag beside the money bag in the back seat. I sit back down in the passenger seat, putting my seat belt on. “Where to next?” She said to me. I responded, “just take me to a hotel, and I will figure things out from there.”

She drove me to the nearest hotel, as I grab my bags out from the back seat. I carefully hide the money bag, as I dug out 150 as I promised her. “Thank you so much," she said to me. I said “no, thank you, I probably would have died if you didn’t show up.” She gave a smile, and drove away. As I enter the hotel lobby, walking up to the front desk. Asking for a room, and the man at the first desk asked “how long do you plan on staying.” “Oh, about three days,” I said. As he finished the paperwork, I signed the copies, and hand him the money. As he hands me my key card. “Bottom floor room 106.” He said to me. As I get to my room, opening the door with the key card. I walked closing the door behind, as I threw both bags onto the bed close to the window, and AC unit. Then suddenly I am facing the carpet floor, as blood begins to stain the cotton fabric pouring from the left side of my head, as a pair of black hiking boots walks over me, checking which bag has the money, and slowly walks out with it.

Apparently when I went into the airport, to get my bags. Ashley was a little curious and looked into the bag I was carrying, and seen the money. When she did, she immediately called up her boss to let him know the money was secured, and it will be in a hotel room 106. I guess her boyfriend, or someone she knew worked at the desk.

I guess I will never see my friend now, expect for as a ghost. Oh, well. THE END