Jesus, FINALLY, some sign of life, I thought to myself. And just about fucking time too, because my engine is REALLY not enjoying running on fumes for so long. As I sped down the last stretch of interstate, I could already feel the slightly-offputting dampness of motel bedsheets. Christ, how long has it been?
I inched my speed downwards as the highway became Main St, a name it loaned from time to time, much like a celebrity taking on an alias so as to not be noticed. Without the wind in my face, the heat alone threatened to suffocate me, saying nothing of the lackluster-to-nonexistent air circulation system in the not-quite-vintage car I drove. It felt almost as though the air itself were clinging to me out of distress, calling out for any sign from the outside world.
As I drove through the outskirts, everything seemed fairly normal, apart from the fact that there were no people in sight. Somehow, even in this secluded, sleepy old town, corporate America had still gotten their claws in. It was inevitable, really. I passed by a McDonald's, a convenience store, and a Starbucks, all in varying states of disrepair. I imagined that not all that much maintenance work and materials for upkeep end up out here. Old buildings left to rot, just as those in any other town which used to be on an important highway which has since fallen into disuse. Though I scanned and scanned with my worn-out eyes, I had yet to find the one thing I was actually looking for.When I finally saw it, I was so relieved I nearly forgot that I was in a fully abandoned town. There it was. My fountain of youth. Or at least my fountain of getting another hundred miles or so. ExxonMobil, oh how I've missed you, is what I would've said if I was a total dweeb who actually said corny shit like that. Instead, I just started thinking about how much cash this was gonna set me back. Wait, am I reading that sign right? My surprise was due to the fact that the price display only read $1.09. Okay, well it read $1.09 and 9/10ths, but who even cares about the fractions of cents that oil companies charge? What even is up with that?