It took longer than it should have but here's the first chapter, I'll have more sooner hopefully.

Chapter 1

If it was one thing Roger Brewer hated, it was hitchhiking. Every time he tried it he'd spend endless hours walking on the side of the road until he finally got picked up. So far, he had been walking on the road for 4 hours with no luck. So, he had decided to take a break at a truck stop.

He walked into one of the bathrooms and washed his face. As he dried his face with paper towels, he looked at himself in the mirror.

"No wonder I couldn't get a ride" Roger thought to himself.

He had long black hair that fell down to his shoulders and a scraggily black beard that looked like it hadn't been shaved in about 3 years. His face showed years of traveling and his light blue eyes gave a hint of sadness.

He walked out of the bathroom and sat down in one of the booths; he was eventually greeted by the waitress and ordered himself a grilled cheese and some coffee. As he was waiting, a man walked up to him.

"Mind if I take this seat" The man said.

"Aren't there other places to sit" Roger said looking around the mostly empty shop.

"Yeah, but you looked like you could use a friend" The man said.

The man was burly and had a happy look on his face. He had curly red hair under a black wool cap. He was wearing a plaid shirt with suspenders and seemed as though he had just spent the last hour or so chopping down trees.

Roger stared at him for a couple seconds and then spoke. "Fine, take a seat."

"Great!" The man yelled, laughing merrily.

The waitress came back and gave Roger his coffee. "Oh, didn't know you were expecting a friend" she said in a voice that reminded Roger of his grandmother.

"I wasn't" Roger replied bluntly looking at the man across from him.

"Oh….well would you like something to eat" the waitress said. Her grandmotherly voice had left and she began speaking softly.

The man ordered bacon and eggs, the waitress gave him an odd look and took the order down.

"Bacon and eggs at two?" Roger said giving the man an odd look.
"You know what I always wondered" The man said smiling at Roger. "Who decided that certain foods were only good during a certain time of the day?" Roger said chuckling to himself. "I mean, it's not like bacon tastes any different after 11."

Roger gave the man a blank stare and the man's smile ceased and he looked down at the table.

"So, breakfast man, what's your name?" Roger asked after a moment of silence.

"Oh, I go by a lot of names, but you can call me Ted." He said, his smile returning.

"Well, Ted, quite frankly, you're pissing me off!" Roger screamed as he jumped up from the table.

"Now how could I be pissin' you off, I ain't done a thing." Ted said his smile retreating, yet again. "All I wanted to do was offer you a ride" Ted revealed taking his cap off a lying it on the table.

"And how did you know I needed a ride" Roger snapped.

"I saw ya' comin' off the road and walkin' in here" Ted replied.

Roger had never met such a docile creature, even the nicest people get angry when accused, but not Ted. Ted had remained calm the entire argument, not raising his voice once. Whether or not this was the reason Roger decided to sit back down, he never figured out.

Soon after that the food came out and the silence was broken by Ted praying. After he finished he looked up at Roger.

"What, never seen a man pray grace before?" Ted asked the trademark grin returning again.

"It's not that, it's just…" Roger said, never finishing the thought.

"What? You surprised that I'm a Christian?" Ted asked.

"No, just, grace reminds me of my family" Roger said taking a bite of his grilled cheese.

"I see" Ted said continuing to eat, but Roger knew this part of the conversation wasn't over yet. Ted was just thinking. "So, I'm guessin' you and your family don't have that good of a relationship?"

"Yeah" Roger said.

"How bad is it?" Ted asked, Roger had to hand it to him, he was persistent.
"I haven't seen them in three years" Roger replied.

"That's rough" Ted said, to Roger's surprise, Ted spoke no more on the subject. Instead, he moved to another one entirely. "I tell you what, this place has got some damn good eggs." Ted said finishing off his plate. "How's the grilled cheese?" Ted asked.

"It's good" Roger said, realizing that he had barely eaten any of it.

Soon, they finished their meals and Roger found himself outside with Ted, not remembering if he ever agreed to ride with Ted.

"So, where am I takin' ya'?" Ted asked.

"I don't know. how close can you get me to Ashford?" Roger said.

"Well, I'm goin' straight inta Ashford you I can just drop you off there." Ted said happily.

"Great" Roger replied looking at the trucks to try and figure out which one was Ted's.

"Where you goin' off too?" Ted asked it was at that moment that Roger noticed him and Ted were facing two different directions.

"So, you don't drive a truck?" Roger said, confused.

"No, my car's right over there." Ted pointed to an old, sky blue Thunderbird.

Roger saw this as a surprise, he wasn't sure why, Ted never did say he drove a truck, but why else would he be at a stop like this.

After getting in the car and getting a mile or so away from the stop, Roger finally broke the silence.

"What exactly do you do, Ted?" Roger asked curiously.

"Well, I'ma contractor, I help build and destroy, even a little bit of restoratin'." Ted explained.

"So what's going on in Ashford" Roger asked, he was starting to wonder how different the town was.

"We're demolishing some old pizza place" Ted remarked, waving with his hand like it was nothing.

"Not Big Bob's Pizzas?" Roger said, he thought for a second to the memories that building held.

"Yeah that's the one" Ted said, looking over to Roger. "So this is your hometown we're goin' to, huh?"

"Yeah" Roger said quietly.

"So, you haven't been there in three years?" Ted continued.

"Yeah" Roger responded again.

"So, how do you feel about going back?" Ted asked.

"What are you a psychiatrist, why should my feelings matter to you" Roger retorted.

"Ah, see, that's just it, you gave away the very emotions you were just trying to hide." Ted said grinning.

"Oh really, what emotions are those?" Roger asked starkly.

"You're scared and nervous because you're comin' home after three years." Ted spoke "You don't know how your family's going to react, if any of your friends are still there, it's tough I know." Ted said trying to sympathize with him.

"Too bad, you're completely wrong" Roger lied.

"Am I?" Ted said, calling the bluff.

"Just drive, Ted" Roger commanded. Ted complied.

The next hour was silent, with the exception of a couple of coughs from Ted. Roger just looked out the window.

"I didn't mean to upset ya', Roger" Ted said as they stopped at a rest area. "I had no right gettin' inta your personal business. I have a habit of trying to fix everyone's problems." Ted finished and walked into the restrooms, leaving Roger in the car alone.

"So, Ted" Roger said when he returned to the car. "I was lying before" Roger revealed, admitting what both of them had already known. "I'm terrified of going home." Roger admitted. He wasn't quite sure why he was suddenly revealing all of this, but he felt that he could trust Ted.

"So…what happened?" Ted asked.

"It's kind of a long story" Roger explained.

"I think we've got the time." Ted replied grinning.