They had arrived. Just some months after she arrived in Santa Carla to live with her great uncle. Lucy had always seemed like an aunt to her, and maybe now, they all would grow closer.

"Aunt Lucy! Michael! Sam!"

"Kaylah! So good to see you! My goodness, you are growing into quite a gorgeous young woman!"

"I'll say. I never thought I would see you dressed like this."

"All it is is fancy, Michael."

"Too fancy."

"No such thing."

"That accent of yours has gotten thick."

"You think, Sam? I am from Indiana. By the way, my room has already been established. It's the one with the biggest closet."

"Why the biggest closet?"

"You oughta see my clothes collection. But you will. All in good time."

The boys made their way into their grandpa's house, fighting over who gets the bigger bedroom, but both being curious about the town.

"Hey Grandpa. Is it true that Santa Carla is the murder capitol of the world?"

"Michael, when you're done packing, there is something outside I wanna show you?"

"What could you possibly have outside that I would want to see?"

"Well, don't strain yourself thinking about it."

"Down dog, down!"

"Sam! Àed doesn't understand English."

"Why?"

"Because he's an Irish wolfhound, so I trained him in Irish Gaelic. I'll teach you the commands, don't worry."

"I'm fine with that."

"So what is that you wanted to show me, Kaylah?"

"Follow me, Michael."

She leads him outside to a tarp hidden object.

"What is that?"

"Take off the tarp and see."

He pulled off the tarp to reveal an Indian Black Hawk 500 motorcycle.

"Who's is this?"

"Mine. Can you believe it?"

"No, I can't. How long have you had it?"

"About a year. Dad got this for me before he passed."

"I'm still sorry for that."

"You didn't kill him, so don't be."

"What is there to do around here?"

"Just the boardwalk and the amusement park, I swear. It's boring as hell. But, then again it ain't."

"What's the boardwalk like?"

"I don't know. I don't go there by myself."

"Why?"

"The missings. I'm always afraid that I'll be next. I mean, I've been during the day, but not at night. But, we can tour the boardwalk tonight if you want."

"Yeah, you might feel safer with me there."

"Sam will be scared though."

"I will not be scared!"

"Yes you will. You were scared to go the zoo once, remember?"

"Why would I be scared to go the zoo?!"

"I don't know. Why were you? I think you were just scared of some of the bigger animals. I wanted to jump into the lion pen just to freak you out."

"That would've killed me."

"What kinda bike you got, Michael?"

"A Honda."

"Thank God. No Harley Davidson. Indian was the first motorcycle company in America. Plus, I got a discount on this bike for being related to its namesake, Chief Black Hawk."

"Are you serious?"

"Yes. So if you wanna go to boardwalk this evening, Sam, you are NOT riding on my bike."

"Okay, why?"

"People might think that we're a couple. We both are the same age."

"Point taken. Is there anything interesting at boardwalk?"

"No."

"Kaylah, what is that on your arm?"

"A tattoo."

"When did you get a tattoo?!"

"You mean, when did I get tattoos? My arms and my back are covered. And those are the only places on me where I will get tattoos."

"I see you have one of your Dad."

"Of course I do. It's a Dad and daughter fishing. Just like we used to be. That's how come I'm so tan. That and baseball."

"Did you dye your hair?"

"Yeah. Platinum blonde. But it's the way Miranda Lambert has hers. It actually looks like a blonde instead of a bleach colour. I just wanna stay blonde."

"So, tattoos, dyed hair, more ear piercings. You've become a rebel."

"I've always been a renegade."

"Kaylah! You have more dogs?!"

"Yeah. Only two of my dogs were trained in English."

"Only two?"

"Yeah. My Beagle named Snoopy, and my Blue Heeler Border Collie mix named Dolly."

"Why did you name your Beagle Snoopy?"

"Because Snoopy was a Beagle. If you google search the world's most famous Beagle, Snoopy is what comes up."

"What are these other breeds?"

"I have a female Scottish Deerhound named Seònaid, a male Welsh hound named Dewydd, a female English Otterhound named Adelaide, a Cretan Hound named Achilles, a Greek Harehound named Briseis, and two Tibetan Mastiffs, male and female, named Tsuganvsdahli and Siqua Agisi . Seònaid was trained in Scottish Gaelic, Dewydd was trained in Welsh, Adelaide in old English which is pretty much German,n Achilles and Briseis were trained in Ancient Greek, and Tsuganvsdahli and Siqua Agisi were trained in Cherokee."

"You'll teach us all of those commands, right?"

"Duh. Oh yeah, boys. I have a baseball game Friday morning. You better be there I will tie you both to my bike and drag you to the game if I have to, and I know that you don't want that to happen, right?"

"Right."

"Oh, and I am taking my guitar tonight."

"When did you start playing the guitar?"

"When I was ten."

"Are you any good?"

"Duh."

Night time fell upon Santa Carla, and the trio headed for boardwalk.

"Are you any good on that bike, Kaylah?"

"How about we race and see?"

"Sounds good to me."

They both revved up their engines, and Sam was holding onto Michael for dear life. Kaylah was fast and careful on the bike at the same time.

"Kaylah, are you crazy?!"

"The answer to your question should be obvious, Sam!"

"I don't think I can beat her."

"You can't, Michael. I have never lost a bike race, a poker game, a baseball game, or any other sport that I'm in. How about some music?"

She started blaring Underground by David Bowie, and turned it all the way up.

"David Bowie? Seriously?"

"Daddy, daddy, get me out of here. Heard about a place today. Ha, ha, I'm underground!"

"You and David Bowie. I will never understand it."

"You're not meant to, Michael."

Kaylah had beat Michael to the beach. They arrived at the Santa Carla Boardwalk, where at the bandstand, Tim Capello was doing a saxophone solo.

"So, this is it? This is what Santa Carla has to offer?"

"This is it, believe it or not. So what do you wanna do first?"

Michael's eyes caught notice of a pretty brunette. He decided to seek her out.

"Where is he going?"

"Well, Sam, it looks like Michael is going to find a pretty face in Santa Carla, like that's easy to do. Oh, yeah. Look over there. I see a store that pretty much has your name written all over it."

"A comic book shop! What are you gonna do?"

"I'm just gonna sit here and play my guitar."

"Why?"

"Why not? I'm bored. And I need novel inspiration. I can't just sit in front of my computer and expect the words to come to me that way. I need to get out in the open."

"Oh, I forgot. You're writing a novel. What's it about again?"

"A female Mafia boss. I think it's nearing completion, but don't quote me on that."

Sam headed for the comic book shop, and off in the distance, Kaylah could see Michael talking to the pretty brunette he saw.

"Are you following me?"

"Well, I-."

"Did you want to talk to me?"

"Well, yeah. Sure."

"Okay. Talk."

"I just wanted to, I, uh. What's your name?"

"Star."

"Star is great. I like Star."

"What's your name?"

"Michael."

"Michael's great. I like Michael."

Back in the comic book shop, Sam was having fun with the sons of the owners, the Frog Brothers.

"You can't put the Superman D.C. #3400 series with the #500's. It's an entirely different artist."

"He's right."

"And these Archies should be over here with the Richie Rich's."

"Where the hell are you from? Kryton?"

"No. Phoenix actually. And these Bullwinkle comics should be-."

"Are you just passing through Santa Carla?"

"No. I live here now as of today. You'll be seeing a lot of me in here. I've been collecting comic books my whole life. Maybe you'd like to see my collection?"

"If you're gonna live around here, then here's one you don't wanna be without."

"I don't like horror comics."

"This one could save your life."

The Frog Brothers just give Sam the comic, free of charge.

Sam went back outside to find Michael and Kaylah. He finds Michael first.

"Mom's here, Michael."

"Why do we have to leave early?"

"It was nice talking to you, Michael."

"Bring your own wheels tomorrow night, Michael, and you can stay as long as you want. Say till about 11:30?"

"Fine. We need to find Kaylah."

"Last I seen her, she sat down on a bench to ply her guitar. It was somewhere near the comic shop."

"Let's find her. I don't want her out here by herself."

They found Kaylah on a bench just outside of the comic shop, plucking away at her guitar.

"I got a pretty new truck. Had some pretty good luck. And some pretty red wine I'm sippin'. Got a pretty guitar. With a white pickguard. And a pretty good song if you're listenin'. It's pretty bitchin'. It's pretty bitchin'."

"Kaylah, there you are."

"No, Aunt Lucy, I am not getting paid for this. I'm just singing for the sake of singing."

"I say we let her finish this song, Mom."

"Okay."

"Remember, Aunt Lucy. Mike and I rode our bikes here."

"Sam, do you want to go ahead and leave?"

"Yeah, Mom."

"Okay, then. We'll see you both back at the house."

"We'll be there. Don't worry, Mom."

"Got a pretty Airstream rollin' down the road. You oughta see the pretty white walls spinnin'. Pretty pink carpet on the floor. No lock on the door. Help yourself to the Tito's in the pretty kitchen. It's pretty bitchin'. It's pretty bitchin'."

"How long is this song?"

"Let me finish it, and you'll see. I use what I got. I don't let it go to waste. I'm pretty from the back. Kinda pretty in the face. I hate to admit it. But it didn't stop me, did it? Yeah, life's pretty weird, life's pretty great. Life's pretty good if you live it. One, two, three Mississippi. Sitting pretty damn pretty. On this pretty life I've been given. It's pretty bitchin'. It's pretty bitchin'."

Michael could see a group of four boys walking towards them, with Star holding the arm of the platinum blonde one.

"We could hear you plucking your guitar over the saxophone guy."

"Is that a bad thing?"

Kaylah liked to get smart with strangers. It showed them who was boss.

"No, not really. You're good."

"Thanks."

"What's your name?"

"Kaylah, and this is my cousin Michael."

"Are you gonna finish the song?"

"Don't rush me, Michael. Well, I'm a pretty hot mess. But hell, I guess, I'm pretty sure it's a family tradition. I got a pretty good time in the checkout line with all the free press I've been gettin'. It's pretty bitchin'. It's pretty bitchin'."

"How much longer, Kaylah?"

"Hush it, Michael. Or you'll wake up with somethin' missin'."

"Like what?"

"Like, do I really need to go into detail? Cause I use what I got. I don't let it go to waste. I'm pretty from the back. Kinda pretty in the face. I hate to admit it. But it didn't stop me, did it? Yeah, life's pretty weird, life's pretty great. Life's pretty good if you live it. One, two, three Mississippi. Sitting pretty damn pretty. On this pretty life I've been given. It's pretty bitchin'. It's pretty bitchin'."

By the looks of them, Michael could tell they were a biker gang. It bothered him that they were impressed with Kaylah's singing.

"One more verse, Michael. I promise. I've had pretty good day. I'm in a pretty good place. I'd say pretty much I'm winnin'. I gotta pretty good band. Pretty damn good fans. And this pretty good life I'm livin'. It's pretty bitchin'. It's pretty bitchin'. It's pretty bitchin'. It's pretty bitchin'."

The crowd around her clapped, including the biker gang.

The curly haired blonde of the gang decided it was his turn to talk to Kaylah.

"I'm Marko."

"I didn't ask for your name anyways, but howdy."

"What was that song you were singing?"

"Pretty Bitchin' by Miranda Lambert."

"I like your accent. That is definitely not a California accent."

"I should hope not. I'm a Hoosier."

"All the way from Indiana?"

"Yup. Come on, Michael. Let's go find our bikes. I have a photoshoot tomorrow. I don't get to look this good without someone noticing."

The biker gang turned to leave, but Marko just stood there watching Kaylah leave the boardwalk and start her motorcycle.

"Hey, Paul. Do you see the model that she's driving?"

"Yeah. That looks like, an, Indian Black Hawk 500."

"She's got good taste in bikes."

Back on the road, Kaylah and Michael were having another race, with Kaylah blaring music again.

"There's not enough rain in Oklahoma. To wash the sins out of that house. There's not enough wind in Oklahoma. To rip the nails out of the past. Shatter every window till it's all blown away. Every brick, every board, every slamming door blown away. Till there's nothing left standing, nothing left of yesterday. Every tear-soaked whiskey memory blown away. Blown away. Blown away. Blown away. Blown away. Blown away!"

"You and those high notes."

"Hush it, Michael."

Marko could not wait to see more of Kaylah.