"Hey, buddy. You need a ride somewhere?" The image of a stained man facing a rusting truck sat in front of the horizon. Rufus had found a road and followed it, and now he was faced with the first decision he had to make since leaving his residence. "You look like you need a hospital or somethin'. Hop in, I'll take you in to the city." All Rufus could manage was a slight nod, barely noticeable, before walking to the passenger side of the vehicle and climbing in.

"There ya go. Put your belt on, it's a long drive and this road gets a lot of official types traveling it." The hollow man did as he was instructed, staring emptily at the distance. "What's your name?" Rufus finally noticed the man's face. There was nothing special about it. The man was neither interesting nor attractive, nor ugly nor disfigured. Two brown eyes, brown hair, stubble, and a small birthmark on his cheek.

"Rufus."

"Ah, nice to meet'cha, Rufus. The name's Kellan. Put 'er there." Kellan extended his hand, which Rufus acknowledged by shaking it loosely. "So where you headed?"

"Nowhere. I'm lost." He only managed to mumble this out after clearing his throat.

"Where you from?"

"An asshole and his whore." Rufus rested his arm against the door and leaned his head into his hand.

"Heh, well, not much you can do about that, is there? What'ya say we get some food before heading to Midgar?" Rufus was annoyed by the man's way of speaking.

"I don't have money and I smell bad."

"I wasn't going to say anything, but if you keep the winda down, it shouldn't be too bad." He started the truck and accelerated gradually. It swerved slightly while he cranked the window handle; Rufus did the same.

No conversation took place after Kellan's last comment. Rufus twitched his fingers against the armrest, imagining music coming from each motion. Kellan kept his eyes on the road and help up his left arm in the windowpane. The truck made the ground a slideshow and the sky a slow-moving set piece.

Father wouldn't approve, he thought. Father...it was then that he noticed bloodstains on his shirt, pants, and hands. I can't get rid of you, can I, old man? You've been dead forever, and you still follow me around. Bastard. The ground shook as the truck rolled over a bump. I'm just like you. When I was younger, I was scared of you. You led me, as well as others, by fear, didn't you? You raised me to be exactly what you wanted because you knew I wouldn't notice. Fuck you. He looked up and saw his hands in front of his face.

"What happened that you got so bloody, kid?" Kellan glanced over for a second, nodding at Rufus's hands. "Get in a fight or what? Lemme tell ya, lots of punks out there these days." Each sentence was audible rape to the president's ears.

"I may have been drunk. It doesn't matter." Slowly, the sight of polished black and silver rolled into view. Midgar had been rebuilt to look almost identical to its former self, complete with the high-rising tower that overlooked the floating pizza. I'm home.

"That's too bad. Best fights is the ones you remember. We can get a room in Sector 4 so you can get cleaned up, unless you want to head out on your own once we get through the gate." Kellan scratched his crotch through his pants, making no effort to hide it. Rufus coughed and nervously looked away, trying not to gag. Two miles left.

"A shower would be nice. Will we be staying at the Chateau de Luna?" If they rebuilt it...

Kellan chuckled, bringing with it the contents of his lungs. After projecting the mucus out of the window, he stopped the truck. "You said you ain't got money, and I sure as hell can't afford that place. No hotel for us, no siree. It'll be the Sector 4 Sleep Suite. Cheapest place around."

"Just get me to a shower." The red smeared across his clothing made Rufus feel as if his father was imprisoning him. Nothing, it seemed, would keep the old man from Rufus.