Disclaimer: This is not my original story. I will leave it up to readers to take a guess on what this fanfic story is based on with some of my own details/creative liberties mixed in.
On a balmy afternoon a 1964 Chevrolet Ford noisily cranked its way down a long highway in Ocala. Arthur Kirkland casually lounged in the passenger seat of said car, both feet perched on the dashboard as he absentmindedly stared off into the distance watching dry fields, barbed wire fences, and trees pass by. The highway itself was scarcely traveled, miles upon miles of the tarred pathway passing across Florida. Making resources such as gas, food and restroom stops distanced far apart in each farm town the highway cut through. A red stop sign whizzed by in a blur, no small thanks to his younger brother's ridiculous driving.
"That was a stop sign," Arthur scolded and turned to look back at the strip of road they'd been driving on the past hour or so.
"You're kidding me, right?"
"In your car, yes. Not mine."
"On this road? I haven't seen anyone in fifty miles, Artie don't be a worry wart. We're on spring break you can relax." The carefree response from his younger sibling pulled Arthur's gaze from the road to shoot a mild glare his way. Alfred Jones, his cocky, go lucky half-brother gave him a mischievous smile before pressing on the gas pedal, speeding quicker than they'd been before, a cream colored RV puttering just ahead.
"Oh come on Al, really? Are you so bored that you want to blow right by that junk on wheels?"
Alfred grinned wider at his older brother's exasperation at his antics. Ever since they were little kids he'd always loved to wind Arthur up every now and then, a good source of entertainment that aged like fine wine. During their primary school years, Arthur would make a show of crossing his arms and sticking his nose in the air when Alfred was up to no good. Then as they grew older, Arthur took up the badge of honor of being the first to call him on his silliness, sniping sarcastic quips at him or scolding him. After all aside from Arthur, not many people save their parents and their youngest sibling Matt would try, the second oldest son of their family had always been well liked wherever he went, no small part of his handsomeness and charismatic attitude having anything to do with it.
The quickened pace of the car pulled them swiftly behind the RV giving a better view of the vehicle's car plate 6A4EVER.
"Gaaaayyyy fever! Gay forever! Ha, that's mine. That's three for little bro!" He laughed triumphantly reaching into the snack bag by Artie to grab a handful of potato chips.
"That would be a six, not a G, you dingbat. That's sexy forever, that's mine, that makes 5-2 in my favor." The young Brit finished pointing at the plate and waggled his finger near Alfred's face, snickering in amusement as Alfred visibly deflated at his false guess. He had fallen further behind in their car plate guessing game they'd been competing in for the past hour, Artie had won the last two times so he felt compelled to redeem himself.
"Oh fine. Here let's see if "sexy forever" lives up to the name."
Pulling the car forward, the boys leaned forward and craned their necks upwards to get a good view on the RV's driver as the car began its move to pass the slower bulky vehicle. A sixty-something odd year old man with a 1980s porno mustache and a round belly met their stares, eyes obscured by black wraparound shades. His wife peered over his shoulder from the passenger seat, frizzy shag hairdo bobbing in the wind and cigarette smoke billowing from between her wrinkled lips.
"Ugh!" They both exclaimed together, bursting out in laughter.
"Sexy forever indeed." Arthur snorted, snickering with his brother as he floored it to finally make the pass. He gave his brother a side eye. "You do know that'll be you in four years right?"
"Hhhmmmm, really? Ya know, I think there is a reason why you wanted to take the long way home."
"Maybe it is because I like the country?" Arthur's voice took on a more defensive sounding tone, which Alfred immediately picked up, prompting him to press Arthur. With Artie, he always bottled his emotions and needed someone to burrow under his skin a little to get him talking about his worries or issues. Despite their never ending sibling tit for tat, they always had each others backs and Alfred was one of few people Arthur could feel completely at ease to lower his guarded composure.
"Hhmm, yeah right." Alfred sarcastically murmured.
"Just drive brat."
"Hey-" Alfred sharply glanced at him making the move to burrow past Artie's defenses, ignoring the impulse to point that Arthur was now playing the part of the brat. "I'm only thinking the same thing mom and dad will be thinking- Arthur, Arthur why are you driving home for spring break with your brat brother and not going off somewhere nice with Mr. Suave poli sci French guy?"
Arthur huffed and rolled his eyes whilst inwardly cringing at his brother's imitation of their mother.
"Then I will tell them what I tell you– none of your bloody business."
"What? You don't think I can try to understand the complex nature of your relationships?"
"No, I look at you as a real expert" He dryly retorted, staring out the window again.
"Alright, whatever I don't care." After all, they still had at least two hours before getting out of this state, plenty of time for him to get more out of Artie. Yet he didn't want to leave this conversation on a sour note. "Listen, I'm only trying to help you get an explanation ready for mom and dad – after all, they are the ones who are so in love with him."
"Thanks Al." Softened up a bit, but still not wanting to think about his most recent relationship in college with Francis Bonnefoy, an eccentric, arrogant but clever and accomplished student with such hot- alright he badly needed a distraction. Aggressively twisting the knob to switch radio stations, all that came through were those obnoxious religious stations preaching about the sins of homosexuals and women who decided to get abortions, the last one he heard before finally turning the radio off was one about disguised demons that roamed the Earth amongst them.
"Well, you opted for the long way home." Alfred deadpanned. Snickering, he began to sing in a faux Texan accent. "You broke my heart in two, there's not enough tape to put it back together… come on boy, sing along!"
"Oh god Alfred, please don't."
As his younger brother gleefully continued to belt out that horrendous song, unbeknownst to them a rusting 1941 Chevy COE was back behind them steadily gaining ground. Alfred was too preoccupied singing and Arthur was in a state of such second hand embarrassment that he was seriously considering taking Francis back if only to avoid another long car ride home with his brother.
HONK HONK.
The aged horn of the menacing truck startled the brothers, bodies simultaneously jolting at the sudden noise and close proximity of the truck to the trunk of their Ford.
HONK HONK.
The truck started swerving, acting like an angry driver hellbent on running over a herd of dumb turkeys.
"The hell is your problem man?!" Alfred's sky blue eyes narrowed in blatant irritation at this newcomer. The hell does this jerk think he is?
"Just get the bloody hell out of his way Alfred!" Arthur shouted, tensely gripping the back of his seat as he tried to get a better look at their hotheaded harasser. The truck picked up speed half a foot away from rear ending the back of the Ford and let out two more honks dangerously swerving as if he meant to run them off the road. "Just get off the road and let him pass!"
"Alright, alright! Dude, pass us!" He yelled out the window, hoping it would do the trick. Nope. His signal for the driver to pass them added fuel to the fire, the truck swerving with a renewed vigor. "For God's sake, pass and leave us alone!"
The Chevy COE honked twice and moved into the opposing lane, Alfred tried to see what the driver looked like and was annoyed that this jackass had tinted windows. He thought he saw a brief glance from the driver as he leaned to see who this driver was. All he could see was a black wide brimmed hat atop the dark silhouette of a man inside. The truck zoomed forward, passing them at last swiftly widening the gap of distance between their vehicles. The letters BEATNGU stamped onto the car plate.
"Jesus."
"Shit."
"What the bloody hell was his problem?!" Arthur shouted in outrage. He felt badly shaken up, he had seriously thought that whomever that was trying to run them off the road had been trying to kill them, if not he had a sick sense of messing around with people. He let out a shaky breath and leaned back into the seat, collecting himself.
"My first guess-" Alfred poked his head out the window and bellowed. "INBRED!"
The Chevy COE that had nearly caused them to be the victims of a dangerous accident now far ahead showing no signs of relenting on its ridiculous speed, disappearing over a distant hill in the horizon as Alfred expressed his contempt.
"Get a load of that nasty old thing, what is that the vehicle of choice for demented assholes and fucking serial killers?"
"You know what I just thought of, right?" Arthur gave him a grave look.
"Liz and Roderich?" Arthur nodded in confirmation to his brother. Alfred sighed. "Artie, they died about a hundred miles from here-"
"It is the same highway-"
"This highway runs the length of the state."
Arthur closed his eyes, still willing his nerves to get themselves in check. "Do you believe it?"
"That they had to go looking for her head?"
"No, that they never found it." Alfred quickly answered, hoping to close the topic of the conversation and stop focusing on what just occurred.
"They never found them, they only found the car." He opened his green eyes and found them being stared back into by Al's blue ones.
"No no, they never found her head. The police found the car, but they didn't find Roderich's body or Elizaveta's head."
"Blast it, I'm still shaking!" Arthur burst out, giving his hands a quick shake and running one through his short light blond hair. He just couldn't get rid of this feeling in his stomach, it was more than their near car accident that had him shook but the mysterious disappearance of two local teens would forever haunt the communities near this highway and had even been heard of by people outside the state of Florida. The story goes as this- twenty-three years ago Roderich Edelstein and Elizaveta Hedervary, two seniors from the graduating Wheaton High class of 1978 were driving from prom to an after party located on the outskirts of town. They opted to take the long way to the party by including a joyride into their big night. They never arrived at the party, their fellow friends and students had thought they'd enjoyed the ride too much and had changed their minds to spend the night getting in each other's pants. In the morning when it became apparent they never went to the party and never made it back home the police authorities became involved and they conducted a large search of the area. Eventually, under a tree right off the highway they had found the couple's convertible wrecked with Liz's body, head decapitated but no sign of the head in question or Roderich's body. It was a haunting mystery that had never been solved.
"Listen, every generation has their own cautionary tale to encourage folks not to drink and drive during prom night and I think the locals decided to use their disappearances as the model example."
"You want to know something Al?"
"Yeah, what's that?"
"When I first read that story," Arthur paused and restarted his sentence. "When I first read that story, I used to think this was the highway I would die on."
"Quite the cheery thinker today aren't we big bro?" He lightly shook his head, barely believing that his normally collected and emotionally composed older brother was saying such morbid thoughts and clearly still freaked about that nutty driver. It was very unlike him. Perhaps he should feel more scared. "Holy crap Artie, what has Mr. Suave poli sci French guy been doing to you anyway? Beating you? Wait, that was the plate on the truck we just saw. BEATNGU. Beating you…. that's mine! That's 3-5-"
"You cannot call it now!" Arthur indignantly exclaimed, in partial disbelief at his brother's sudden turn in mood.
"My ass, I saw it, I figured it out. Your feathers are all ruffled up because I beat you to it." Alfred threw back, unwilling to give up the point he'd finally achieved after getting his butt kicked in this game.
"Tough luck! You have to call it when you see it, not after taking forever to do so you know this." Arthur cheerily bantered, starting to rise out of his scaredy pants mood. As annoying as his brother could be at times they had always managed to have a good bantering session for any occasion.
"What?! Since when? It sounds to me like you just pulled that rule out of your ass."
"Jokes on you my dear younger brother, your memory is about as reliable as a career politician." He sarcastically remarked.
"Ouch. Well Art, as much I'd like to continue our fun little discord I've got to take a leak and I cannot wait until we happen upon the next gas station. I'm just going to find somewhere to pull off to go, under a tree or by some bushes."
"Good idea, I actually have to go too. I will leave it up to you to choose our spot." The sinking feeling in his stomach appeared again, but he ignored it. Mostly. Whatever wacky shenanigans happened today, he hoped they would not have anymore unpleasant surprises on their long way home.
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