Tyler sat in a dinner, the night bringing in all kinds of characters, but mostly truckers. The waitress looked as though she could be his mother. She was probably a better mother than his own was, you know with actually having a job and all. She didn’t look like a druggy either, and her smile felt warm and inviting. He liked wondering what it would be like to have grown up with a different mother. Surely, just for this moment, he could pretend.<br/><br/>She came over, and gave one of her big smiles. “Anything else, hun?”<br/><br/>He smiled back, finished up the last of his thick and greasy fries, dipping it into some Ketchup. “No, just the bill please,” he said in a soft voice.<br/><br/>“Sure thing.” She walked away. Moments later she came with the bill. “It’ll be $13.54”<br/><br/>He reached into his pocket and pulled out a ten dollar bill. He felt again for more, but couldn’t find anything. He checked his bag and rummaged through it. No coins, no bills, he was out of money, and couldn’t even pay for his meal.<br/><br/>“Shit, I uh-“ he said in panic.<br/><br/>“Don’t worry, hun, save the ten. This one’s on me.” She said with a smile, and a wink.<br/><br/>His heart calmed. “Thanks, I really appreciate it,” he said in relief. Obviously she was a much better mother, and whoever her children were should be lucky. He still remembers his mother stealing every cent he brought home for drugs, to the point where he had to hide his money in the trees nearby, in a cashbox he buried.<br/><br/>He walked out of the dinner with a bit of hope. He knew that there was kindness in this world, and that sometimes people really did care. He walked up to his beaten old Pontiac GTO. He still had a lot of work to do on it, and half of it wasn’t even painted. Though he still loved it, and never saw it for what it was, but what it would soon be. It was something raw, and ready to change and grow.<br/><br/>He opened the door, it creaked. He threw his bag, all of his possessions, into the passenger seat and closed the door with a loud thump. He contemplated if he was going to drive some more, or if he would try and make some more money in this town before he headed out. He was tired though, and figured he would at least sleep here for the time being and decide in the morning. So he put his keys away.<br/><br/>He was about to put his seat back and close his eyes when he heard a “click” and a piece of cold metal pressed against his temple.