I don't own Mad Max
also please note that I do have dyslexia. I'm not ashamed of it because it is something I cannot control but I am self-conscious about it. so a lot of my words are misspelled and many, many of the sentience are a little back to front. I can't tell you the number of times I've gone to reread something that I have written but couldn't even understand what I was trying to say.
Please, please, please leaves comments. I really want to know what you guys think.
Long Roads chapter 2 Big Girls Don't Cry By The Four Seasons.
A bright shade of light shone down from the window just above her bed.
Dawn rolled on to her back and opened her gray eyes. The dark blond froze feeling something wasn't right. but Dawn couldn't quite pinpoint what was so different.
But then it hit her.
those weren't her walls, that wasn't her celilng. This bed wasn't as comfortable as hers. And where was this light coming from? her bedroom had blinds across her windows. And she rarely opened them.
But then everything from the day before flashed in her mind. and once it did she felt like an idiot.
Dawn out hailed heavily and chuckled to herself. grinning to herself she Remembered where she really was. recalling her cousin Jim's red truck racing down the street, Picking her up from the train station. Then everything that happened afterward.
Including last night at the bar.
Including the man with the white blond hair.
The little grin on her face faded.
The gray eyed girl replayed the moment in her head when the serious blond man and herself made eye contact. She couldn't explain why she was so focused on this Bubba Zanetti.
'I don't know… maybe it's because I'd never seen anyone like him before. truthfully I hadn't seen any person who looked like those bikies did. There was no one like that in my little town. I remember one time, this girl I went to school with, Lacy Clark was her name. we didn't really have many or really any interactions. But I remember her because one day she rocked up to school with bright purple hair and pink hair. Personally, I thought it was cool. The colours in her were so pretty and looked good on her. she had pretty olive skin and dark blue eyes, with very, very high cheek bones. the shades of purple and pink she choose went well with how she looked. then again, Lacy was so beautiful I think any colour in her hair would have looked good. Anyway. a lot of the parents would be whispering about her and her family to the other parents. She'd get stared at in the halls, and a few people made fun of her at lunch. But I think the ones that would tease her, were the students with the judgmental parents. I couldn't understand why it mattered so much… and still don't. anyway a couple of weeks later when she walked in to the school gate, her purple and pink hair were gone. Replaced with a brown bob. Which she still pulled off effortlessly, and still looked lovely. But I noticed she got a lot more approving looks with the new haircut. I felt bad for her, I couldn't understand why people cared so much. when I asked my mum about it, she said that Lacy probably changed it because she was pressured to. mum, she told that a few of the older people in our little town said that colours in the hair would lead to rock music. And that would lead to drugs, then sex, then unwanted pregnancies. I laughed so hard I had to pee'. At the memory, Dawn giggled.
The dark blond sat up in her bed and swung her legs over the side of the bed. Placing both of her feet on the wooden floor.
Her mind when back to Bubba Zanetti one last time before stretching out her back, she finally stood up and went to her suitcase. She hadn't unpacked the day before feeling tired from the long train ride. Throwing on a pair of faded blue jeans and a light blue and yellow jumper. She walked out of the bedroom in to the kitchen to meet her cousin who was already awake.
Jim was at the kitchen, a blow of cornflakes in front of him. the copper was wearing a dark pair of sun glasses. Still a bit hungover from the night before. he smiled when he saw her.
"morning beautiful".
"morning cuzy". She hugged herself feeling a little cold.
"sleep well".
she nodded. Yeah, the bed wasn't as comfortable as hers back home. but it was still a bed and she was grateful to have it.
"Good to hear".
She took a seat across from him and cracked her neck. Signing in instant relief.
He copied the neck cracking a second later.
"I gotta go to work this morning". he got up from, the table and throw his bowl in the sink. He went over to his couch and picked up a shirt that was laying there, throwing it on. "you gonna be okay here today?".
"yeah I'll be fine, I brought some books with me".
"books". He scoffed. Tossing on his leather jacket. "there's a T.V right there". He throws his thump over his shoulder, pointing to the T.V on the other side of the room.
"not much of a reader I guess?". She snorted at him in response.
"why would I need a book when I got a perfectly good telly right behind me". he grab his keys off of the coffee table and made his way to the door. kissing Dawn on the cheek as he passed. "got plenty of tucker in the fridge. And…". He paused for a moment. "do you drive yet?".
Dawn nodded again.
"righto". He took something off of his key chain and tossed it to her. "that's the key to the truck if you wanna go anywhere and this…". he tossed another key to her. "is the one to the front door".
"thanks". She said surprised he'd trust her with his truck. "you don't need it?".
He grinned and shook his head. "Nah… taking the bike today?".
"you got a bike?". She perked up.
"sure do, she's my pride and joy. Take you for a ride later".
"really". She said excitedly.
"sure". he laughed, not expecting her to be eager. "like bikes do you?".
"oh yes, never saw them back in town".
"Nah, wouldn't reckon you would, would you". He chuckled. "think you'll go out today?". he wanted to make sure his cousin was home before sundown. 'that's when all the junkies start to lurk around. he thought grimly.
"yeah…I think I'll walk in to town, I need to get a few things. It's not too far is it?".
"Nah, not too far". For a moment she thought he looked nervous but wound to sure…. until he spoke. "you might not want to stay there too long though…. In town".
She tilted her head at him.
"Look Dawny…". Jim slowly walked to the table and lent on one of the chairs. "those Fella's you saw last night at the bar…. Are the worst kind of men. They're sly, shameless, and have no respect for the law".
"sly?". She frowned.
"their a lot smarter than they look". goose scoffed. "or at least some of them are. we have one in custody right now".
Dawn noticed Jim's jaw tighten, and his eyes go hard.
"but it doesn't look like he'll be staying there".
She watched as his knuckles turn white, gripping the chair in front of him.
"why's that ?".
He scoffed again. "the fucking lawyers said there were no witnesses, but that's bullshit. The fucking bikies got to them". Jim spat.
"got to…".
"scared them out of testifying". The blond men growled.
"Oh". She sunk down in her seat a little.
There was stillness for a moment before she looked to the clock. "Jim your gonna be late".
He glanced at the clock then back at it again. making sure he saw it right. "Oh shit". He ran to the door. but before slamming it behind him he called out to her. "don't be in town too long, love ya".
Dawn sat at the table and listen to him running down driveway. after a loud revving sound, there was silence.
'so I guess he's gone. She rested her chin in the palm of her hand.
She was already bored.
Later.
After cleaning up most of Jim's house. By Straightening up some shelves, tidying up the cardboards, and whipping down most of the furniture, with some clothes she found under the sink. she also swept and mopped the bathroom and kitchen floor. The dark blond sat cross legged on the couch. Her gray eyes panned around the room, trying to look for other things to clean. But she had gotten to every inch of the living room.
Bored again.
She thought about going in to Jim's room and giving that a bit of a tidy, then changed her mind. not knowing how her cousin would react to coming home from a long at work and finding his bedroom different.
Goose's words replayed in her mind about the bikers.
"screw it". jumping off of the couch, and placing the house key in her jacket pocket, she made her way to the door.
Dawn hesitated before closing the door. second guessing whether or not to stay indoors.
The biker gang flashes in her night last time.
"what are the odds of running in to them". Taking a deep breath she closed the door before her.
In town.
Dawn walked down the sunning street, slipping on a vanilla milkshake. She got from a place called the Milk Bar. And holding a bag full of magazines, different foods, deodorant, a few different snacks for her and Jim later, and some pads.
She had brought some with her, but figured she'd want to have some extra around just in case she had a breakthrough, and ran out.
She'd do anything to avoid that awkward conversation with Jim.
She had been out a few hours by now. not having a lot to do Dawn mainly just walked up and down the street window shopping.
As Dawn strolled down the street, she'd zoned out pretty far by now. it was only when she heard loud cackles of laughter, as she knocked out of her trace.
She froze in her place as she watched the bikers from the night before, fall out of the Milk Bar. The place she was in not too long ago, buying herself a vanilla milkshake.
She looked behind her to see how far the street corner went. hoping she's had time to get away unseen. But in a flash of panic Dawn leaped behind a store and in to an ally. Dropping her shake on the way.
"shit". She cursed 'I was enjoying that.
She had her back to the wall and slowly peeked out from behind the corner. She watches as one by one they come out of the store. All laughing and pushing each around.
the big one. Toecutter, she thought his name may have a name. if she was remembering what Jesse had told her correctly. Was standing in front of them. looking proud of himself. Dawn wasn't sure why.
she wished she'd just turned the other way when she had the chance. Because none of them were getting on their bikes. They were all just standing around and paly fighter.
Jessie's words replayed in my mind.
"I don't know where the rest of them are tonight. probably scaring some poor defenseless girl. Or setting fire to the elderly"
Feeling an ache in her chest at the thought, she dashed back behind the wall.
'How the hell I am supposed to get out of this one". she bit her lip. the dark blond was now wishing she listened to her cousin, and just stayed in front of the T.V all day.
She shut her eyes tightly.
As if it would help.
Dawn groaned and decided to have another look. 'maybe I can sneak away if they are all too busy with each other. Or maybe I could just walk away and they wouldn't brother me'.
as she watched them something hit her.
where was the mysterious white, blond man?
where was Bubba Zanetti?.
'if he was Toecutter's right hand man. Then where was he?'. Dawn thought. She looked around herself to make sure he was nowhere in sight. She didn't know why she was so focused on the right hand man. It wasn't like she'd ever met him before.
Dawn jumped when a high pitched chackle, broke her out of her thoughts.
'Apparently, a tall man in all red, wearing a pair of love heart sun glasses. That reminds me of Lolita. I can't remember what Jess said his name was. Said something to the shorter man, Mudguts, I believe this name his. found amusing'. She huffed still debating whether or not she could make a run for it.
Then a miracle happened.
Out of nowhere the man with the long reddish blond hair. Who's name had also escaped Dawn's mind. ran straight up to the man in red and kicked him in the crunch. A loud yelp escaped from his mouth as the reddish blond zoomed passed him. but the man in red recovered quickly and chased him. tackling him to the ground. The group of bikies made a circle around the two. Cheering and hollowing as both men wrestled.
She took this as her chance and fled.
She ran for twenty minutes, as fast as she could. when she finally arrived home she slammed the door behind her and side down to the ground, trying to catch her breath. When dawn calmed down enough she ran to the bathroom and hopped in to the shower. Washing all the sweat off from her run.
While scrubbing her hair she thought to herself. 'I don't know why I'm that scared of them. so far I'm only heard things about them. I hadn't seen them really do anything. Yes, I did see two of them get in to a fight. But it more looked like they were just acting like children than anything else. But the things I have heard about them… the bad things. These are things I've heard from people I trust.
She got out of the shower feeling conflicted.
She needed to distract herself. She dried her hair and dressed. Then went to the fridge. Hoping the fridge was a mess. 'it could be another thing for me to clean. Right before she opened the fridge she noticed a photo of Jim and Max stuck to it.
That's when she got the idea.
Suddenly she wasn't so bored.
Forty minutes later.
Thankfully for the dark blond, Jim's work wasn't too far away. It was only maybe a twenty/twenty-five-minute walk from the house.
In the opposite direction of town.
But that didn't stop her from being aware of her surrounding on her walk.
Dawn had no clue if Jim had eaten or not. But she wanted to be useful. So Dawn had prepared some turkey, chicken, and beef rolls. She'd picked up at the shops while she was out. She even made some salad to go with them.
She'd made a couple for Jim, and some extra if anyone else wanted some.
She stopped just outside of a big gate, with the words.
Halls Of Justice.
On the front of them. 'it looks like an old sign. It's all rusty, and a couple of the words have fallen'.
She shrugged it off and walked in to the building. Hoping her presents would be welcome.
Inside.
"it's my turn".
"no, it's mine".
"it mine".
"Charlie, I'm sick of having this fight with you, I'm the one driving, I'm the one in charge".
Jim and Max couldn't help but laugh at both their colleagues from where they sat. Goose sat back in his chair, with his feet up on the desk. And max was sitting on top of the desk, going through some documents. They watched as both Charlie and Roop argued about who was driving the car for the one-hundredth time…. that day. it was well known around the office that Charlie couldn't completely be trusted in the driver's seat.
Both men caught a scoffing sound and looked to where it was coming from.
From a dark cells sat a Johnny The Boy.
He's been arrested a few days before. being arrested for vandalizing a truck. Apparently the owner of the truck and got in to an altercation with Johnny The Boy, at a bar. But, because the rest of the bikies had gotten to the witnesses first. they had no case. He was getting released today, one of the bikers was picking him up soon.
He smirked at them, giving them the finger.
Jim Goose took a deep breath. Knowing that if he'd lost his temper one more time he'd get suspended for a couple of weeks. He felt his face getting hot and red. his palms for becoming sore from clutching the desk. Keeping himself in his seat.
"hey".
Jim looked up at Max.
"he won't be here too much longer. Just ignore him".
Johnny The Boy laughed at them again, trying to get a rise out of Jim.
"you always drive the car". Charlie hissed, walking alongside Roop with his arms crossed.
"Yeah, there's a reason for that". Roop muttered under his breath. "now let it go".
"why should I?".
"Jesus Christ, it's like working with my wife".
"blasphemy, Blasphemy again shouldn't have to work like this….". he didn't finish his sentence because both men almost knocked in to a dark blond girl.
"oh sorry". She said, even though she wasn't the one she bumped in to them.
"it's fine, are you here to file a report". That was Roop, getting right down to business.
"umm no, I'm actually here looking for my cousin, Jim. Is he around?".
"Cousin, ya say?". Roop smiled, with his hands on his hips. "so you're the cousin Jim was gushing about those past few weeks".
Dawn felt a blush appear on her cheeks.
"ya you what…. I think it's the hair and the shape of your face. you both have a similar head. what do you think Charlie?... Charlie?... Charlie!?". He nudged the thinner man. Who was staring at Dawn as if he'd been struck by lightning.
"Ha, what?".
Roop signed. "never mind". he looked over his shoulder. "JIM… YOUR COUSIN IS HERE". he turned back to grin at Dawn. "he's coming".
'the slightly shorter man had black hair and had a thicker build. But I thought was still handsome. While the other man was quite tall, with a shaved head, and was very thin'. She thought.
"Dawn!". He called coming around the corner. Followed by Max. "Dawny". He laughed. "whatcha doing here?".
"I brought you lunch…. I wasn't sure if you'd eaten or not. You don't have to eat it if you don't want to". she felt her face go red with all the men looking at her.
"your joking". He laughed again taking the bag of rolls from her. "come on love, let's go to the table". He swung his arm around her, moving her to a desk. Max followed with a grin.
"Right, come on Charlie". Roop began to walk when he realized the other man wasn't following him. but he was staring at Dawn following the other three. "here we go". Roop huffed.
Jim began taking the rolls out one by one.
"I made chicken, Tukey, and beef, With salad. And I made enough for everyone".
"you beauty". Jim tossed one to Max. who happily started to tuck in to his lunch. both Charlie and Roop grabbed one as well.
"Fifi!". Max called. "Lunch is here".
A tall bold man, with a lot of muscle wearing a hat. Came out of a room, holding on to a stack of papers. "what's this?". he asked. Still trying to head his papers.
"Jim's cousin made us lunch". Roop smiled at her, giving her a little well-done nudge.
"Cousin?... Oh yes the cousin he wouldn't shut up about".
The fella laughed at Jim as he nodded in agreement. "that's the one".
"well, it's a pleasure to meet you love". Coming over to the desk. Max tossed him a roll.
"This is fantastic". Max said looking at Dawn.
"thank you". she looked down, feeling a little embarrassed.
"yes Fantastic". Charlie nodded enthusiastically.
"I'm happy you like them".
"are you not having one?". Fifi said, noticing she wasn't tucking in like the rest of them.
"Oh I'm okay, by the time I'd made all of them, I wasn't hungry anymore".
"you gotta eat something love". Jim picked up one and passed it to her. "at least have a few bites so I know you ate something". He wanted to look after her. and making sure she was eating right was gonna be the start.
She agreed and took it from him. they all eat and laughed, unaware they were being watched. Unaware of the way Johnny The Boy was watching and listening.
To Dawn.
Thirty minutes later.
"well that was lovely, love. Thank you very much". Fifi tussled her hair before making his way back in to his office.
"yeah, thanks dawn. I don't think I'll eat another for another week". Max looked at Jim. "I gotta go finish that paperwork". he looked back at the gray eyed girl. "bye Dawn".
"bye Max". she said in return.
"shit". Roop looked at his watch. "come on Charlie, we're late". He huffed. "bye girly, lunch was great". He pattered her on the shoulder and walked off, dragging Charlie with him.
"thanks". He said waving goodbye to her. as the two men were walking out the door Charlie lent in to Roop and whispered. "it's like an angel come down from the heavens, and had sex with a mermaid. Then out the goose line".
"so Dawny, what are you gonna do now?".
"I'm just gonna walk back to the house".
"you didn't drive the truck here?".
"yeah, I wanted to".
He stopped for a moment, thinking. "how about I take you for the ride?".
"really". She squealed excitedly.
"why not, your already here".
"sweet". She laughed. 'finally I can rub riding a motorbike off of my bucket list'. She thought as they walked to the door.
"here". he passed her his helmet. "I gotta go run, get the spear. It's around here somewhere, just wait out front". He ran off.
"okay". she called, going to wait by she walked Something caught her attention out the corner of her eye. She turned to see a destroyed truck. The windows were smashed, the tires were ripped apart, and there were massive holes in it, all over it. like someone had taken an ax to it. "sheesh…. What happened to that?". she said to herself out loud.
"Perhaps it's the result of an anxiety?".
Dawn let out a small yelp and almost jumped out of her skin. She swung around to see Bubba Zanetti, Leaning up against the brick wall with a cigarette hanging from his mouth. Not staring at her, but straight ahead. looking like he's rather been anywhere else but there.
"I didn't see you there". She said without thinking. Cursing herself she tried to figure out something better to say. "I mean… I just…. have a bad habit of talking to myself".
"you know….". he all so slightly turned in her direction. "they say talking to yourself is the first sign of madness?".
Dawn just stood not knowing how to respond. 'I guess he isn't wrong. "they also say smoking can kill you". she stood her ground.
Bubba huffed. If he were amused he didn't show it. he finished his smoke and tossed it to the ground, stepping on it.
"you should really put that in a bin".
He finally looked up at her, taking in her appearance.
"it's not good for the environment".
"afraid the world will end?". he looked at their surroundings. "then your too late".
"it's never too late".
He scoffed. "you look familiar".
"We haven't met".
"didn't say we have". He shot back.
"I was at the bar last night". The words spilled from her mouth before she could stop them.
For a second his dark eyes flashed with realization, before going back to being stone.
"with the bronze".
"with the bronze?". She parroted, not understanding what the Bronze was.
"I remember". he lent back in to his original position on the red bricks. "you were with the Rockatansky's, and their pain in the ass blond friend".
"I guess that's Max and Jessie's last name. and the pain in the ass blond friend must be my cousin'. "yeah?... what of it?".
The blond man shrugged. "nothing, just making an evaluation".
"well, maybe you should make your evaluation about someone else".
This time he actually cracked a smile at her words. He glanced at her for a moment, but once they both heard voices coming closer to them. he dropped his smile and went back to being serious.
Dawn followed his gaze to see both Goose and Max pulling along with them a man with curly dark hair. Once they got close enough to Bubba Zanetti they throw the other man at him.
"you got lucky this time Johnny, but next time you'll be all mine". Gosse hissed.
"see you later goose". This Johnny cackled at her cousin as he hit the back of his neck. Just as Jim walk off he noticed Dawn was right behind him.
"Dawn I thought you were waiting by the bike".
"I…I was but Umm…". She trailed off, looking at the blond biker. Jim followed her gaze back to Bubba Zanetti.
And went red.
"what did you say to her?". He snarled.
The blond biker didn't reply, he just stuck his hands up in surrender.
"it's fine Jim". She grabbed a hold of his arm. "please, just take me home".
"you should listen to her goosey". Johnny The Boy smirked at the. But the smirk dropped from his face when Bubba Zanetti pushed him away, in the other direction.
"None of your shit". He hissed through his teeth. Already irritated by the other man.
"fine…. Come on Dawny". He went to turn, but stopped. "stay away from her". he pointed at Zanetti. Who had no reaction to his words. Dawn stood in shock, trying to process it all as Jim walked passed her. Max had already gone back inside.
"you should follow your boyfriend". Bubba said looking at her. Johnny had already stormed off. he hated when Bubba pushed him around.
She turned and took a few steps…. Then something stopped her. she turned to see him still watching her. "He's not my boyfriend….. he's my cousin". She didn't know what possessed her to give him that information, but she had.
She turned without looking back and ran to Jim. "okay, where do I?...".
"here, like this". he helped her on, then sat on himself. "just put your arms around me and hold on". When Dawn was ready he sped off.
As they pulled out in to the road, she looked over her shoulder one last time.
To see the dark eyes of Bubba Zanetti.
And then they were gone.