On Java Road Novels & Stories

After the morning's riding session, everyone would pile into the battered old Horse Heaven minivan and head toward the coast. Privately excited at the prospect of seeing the ocean for the first time, Anna watched out the van's window as sandy scrub, cow pastures, and small dusty highways gave way to the streamlined elegance of I-95. Colorful billboards along the way extolled the virtues of the Kennedy Space Center Visitors' Complex and Ron-Jon Surf Shop. After about an hour on the road, the minivan veered off an exit that indicated International Speedway Boulevard. Head swiveling left and right, Anna saw that fast food joints and a mall lined the wide avenue.

“We had to turn around. Alhora scouted ahead. The human village is deserted.” “What road are you taking?” Again, she falls quiet. Nervously, I chew into my thumbnail, forcing myself to stay put. If I let all the fear in, I’ll follow her, and when that happens we might as well hand ourselves over to The Templars for slaughter. “Jackson says it’s the old huntsmen’s road?” My heart drops into my stomach. “Goddess, Willow, those roads are dangerous. Especially this time of the year with the melting snow and mud…and in this cold snap…tell him to get off that road.”

His knuckles were white against the steering wheel, his eyes alive with grim determination. Javyn twisted in his seat just enough to glimpse their pursuers—two shadowed figures in a black SUV, headlights slicing through the night. His jaw hardened. “They’re not giving up.” The road narrowed, weaving between fields and patches of forest. Branches whipped against the car’s sides as Zayn veered dangerously close to the shoulder, dodging potholes like second nature. “Zayn, take the old quarry road!” Javyn ordered. Zayn shot him a quick glare. “That road’s half-collapsed!”

“Rotation rate is increasing. Oberon, this is going to produce.” “Yes,” he said. He was entirely calm. “Where are we on escape routes?” She pulled up the road network. “East on County Road 24 gives you south to Highway 4 if it tracks northeast,” she said. “If it jogs east you stay on 24.” “Copy,” he said. He positioned the truck on a rise that gave clear sightlines in three directions, the wall cloud visible to their northwest, and she split her attention between the screen and the sky.

“Don...that’s drunk driving!” “Drunk driving?” he hissed, eyes blazing with bloodshot fury. “Fuck the rules. I only want Aria.” The engine howled. He pushed the car past its limits, racing through empty roads until the world blurred into nothing. At the edge of the wilderness, he finally braked. And his shoulders shook. And the Don...the man who could raze empires...broke down and cried.

he said, and got into his truck. I got into the Jeep and started driving towards Lowell Point Road slowly. I could see George’s crumpled up car on the side of the road and my head turned to look at the wreckage as I drove past it. Levi flashed his lights at me, and I sped up. I turned onto Lowell Canyon Drive, and Levi continued straight on to First Avenue, toward his house.

"My daughter died on this day." Faye immediately nodded. "We know. After the rescue, we'll all visit Maya together." "Please," Wanda sobbed. "You've saved so many children. Save Andy too. This is his only chance." Before I could answer, an engine roared nearby. A car pulled up in front of us. The door opened. Jayden stepped out, his sharp gaze locking onto my face.

Unfortunately, her worst fears came true. After leaving, James and the others moved to a corner to gossip about Beatrice. "Damn, do you think Ms. Thorne has some kind of special kink? I can't believe she's into that boy toy." James, well into his 50s, was the first to break the silence. Ignatius McKinney clicked his tongue. "I guess that's the kind of man young women prefer these days." James shook his head, confusion evident on his face. "Mr. Bainbridge was honestly far better. He's smart, capable, and, most importantly, knows how to read a room.

*Rob* After years in the military, I consider myself comfortable with GPS and getting around in new places. But following the GPS directions to the Hammond farm, even coming from a place as small as the college community around St. Mary’s, I feel like I’m navigating every rat run and Bob’s Road in the county. In the stretch of about a mile, I’m certain I’ve passed the entirety of the town. The endless acres of snow-dusted fields along either side of this graveled road I’m driving are starting to make me worried I’ve missed it when suddenly a building drifts out of the gloom up ahead and to my left.

I can replicate a code to start it. Nate feels a pang of nostalgia at the mention of riding. In particular, he remembers the Yamaha MT-09 that crashed in the ravine in Batangas. It was the perfect bike for riding a lot, whether on the highway or on a dirt road. Shadow probably hadn’t chosen it for those reasons though. He just listened to the Filipino salesman rave about how John Wick rode the bike in Chapter 3 - Parabellum. Nate has the helmet that Hyung Shadow gave him, scratches and all, in his on-campus dorm room. He should probably run and get it now.