"It's so quiet out here." Emily said. It wasn't silent, no, far from it. But the sounds were more gentle out here: the bird calls, the soft breeze, the plants rustling, and frogs croaking. Best of all, none of those sounds were competing with yelling, doors slamming, or car engines roaring.
"Welcome to rural America." John grumbled. Sweat clung to his forehead and back of his neck. The lug wrench kept slipping in his clammy hands, hitting the gravel shoulder several times already.
Surrounded by wheat fields as the sun was starting to peek over the horizon John and Emily were alone on this isolated stretch of road. The only building he could see was an old barn, paint weathered away.
"You said you knew how to change a flat tire." Emily leaned against the back of the car. The weight of the vehicle shifted forward as the wrench slipped again.
"I do. But really?" John picked up the wrench. "If you're tired you can sit in one of the lawn chairs." Most of their supplies was piled up in the grass between the road and the wheat field since the jack and the lug wrench were stored in a compartment in the bottom of the trunk. The lawn chairs were leaning against the stack, matching bright red bags with their names embroidered on the handles by Emily's mom.
"Watch, as soon as I get one unfolded, and find a piece of flat ground, you'll be done."
"Sitting on the ground is always an option." John was crouched trying to dry his hands on his jeans while Emily was still leaning against the car.
"Fine." Emily pushed off the car, the tip of her cane knocking a few pebbles around as she moves to the grass. "What's taking so long anyway?" She slowly lowered herself to the ground.
"Some of the nuts are really tight." He grumbled again. "And I'm hot."
“I can get you a water.”
“No thanks.”
“Why not.”
“Last time you dumped it on my head.”
Emily giggled. “Good times.”
“Maybe for...
Jon trailed off when a green streak of purple light streaked across the sky, right above the rising sun.
“Didn’t Skykar say something about their warp drive being purple?”
“Yeah, why?”
“They might have finally left Earth.”
“It’s bittersweet, and it sounds like a great time to celebrate with some water on the back of your neck.”
“As long as you wait until I’m done.”
“Deal.” John focused on changing the tire to his spare.
Word count: 419
