Tall stalks of summer corn rivaled the height of the dingy red vehicle. On it’s roof sat the dusk - touched pair. Bass thrummed out the windows of the three story ranch house in front of them. A neon purple light passed over them occasionally.

“Is this your idea of people watching?”

Sid snorted. She drains her glass Coke bottle and chucks it at the Prius a few yards away. It shatters on impact, some of the shards landing on the fiberglass roof.

“I thought it’d be a good place to talk. I don’t like that fucking gas station you work at.”

“Wouldn’t it be nice if tried out new places, for once?” Sheena asks, though she knows Sid would never willingly go anywhere outside of her stomping grounds. What’s wrong with liking the place you live? She’d ask, knowing she hates the town and almost all of the people in it and probably the entire state of Missouri.

A truck full of guys pull into the overcrowded dirt driveway and Sheena’s suddenly glad that they parked in the crops. They holler and howl like dogs tearing apart a fresh kill. The moon stays high in the sky.

“You’ve been different lately.” Sid says conversationally. Sheena keeps her eyes on the guys, who slowly load themselves into the overpopulated farm house. She bites her bottom lip, kneads it, and says “I guess so.”

Sid has a cigarette on her lip and the smoke floats up into the humid air. Sheena takes it from her, steals a drag, and slots it back neatly between her lips in a long practiced motion.

“I don’t know what’s wrong with you, but I’m here, if you, y’know” It sounds like Sid’ll continue but she doesn’t. Sheena knows what she means all the same. Sid rubs her back awkwardly, stiff as ever, and Sheena laughs short and harsh and it sounds more pained than anything else.

Sheena looks down at her beaten brown boots. “Why here, of all places?”

Sid leans against Sheena. Stays there for a moment. Says “Talia’s in there.”

“Yeah.” Sheena says.

“I guess she is.” Sheena says.