Rest Stop Novels & Stories

There was always something that needed to be done, some contract that needed to be looked over, investors or board members that needed to be schmoozed. He glanced up from his phone once again, now seeing the cause of standstill traffic; a collision on I-76 was being cleared up. As the stream of vehicles crawled by, he spotted one of the involved cars throughout the display of red and blue lights. It was laying on the flatbed of a tow truck, crushed into something nearly unrecognizable. He worked the whole drive into Emmaus, shooting emails and texts back and forth to keep his brain occupied. The accident had put him an hour behind schedule. As they pulled onto the expansive, cultivated groun

Mme Richert noted softly, brushing Ellie's shoulder with her arm before walking back up the aisle to the front of the bus. A few minutes later, after the bus had pulled back onto the road following the abrupt stop, the bus finally pulled into a small stop. Several buildings sat together, a small village. A sign above one building said General Store while a second building had a sign indicating it was a gas station. The bus pulled up to the gas station, ready to refuel for the final leg of the journey.

The car’s noticeable; I have to do without it if I don’t want to be found. I walk two blocks to the bus station, hoodie up, head down, blending into the evening crowd. Two towns over isn’t far enough to feel safe, but it’s far enough that my father’s reach might stretch thin. The motel is a dump called The Rest Stop. It has the regular cliché sign, flickering neon, the kind of place that rents by the hour and doesn’t ask for ID if you pay cash. Room seventeen smells like mildew and old cigarettes, but the lock worked, and the window faced the back alley, which is good enough—I'm not here for comfort anyway.

One corner of his mouth twitches slightly. Victory. Ten more minutes pass before I groan dramatically and throw my head back against the seat. "I need a break. My ass is numb. My legs are numb. My soul is numb." Aiden signals without arguing, which somehow annoys me even more. We pull into a roadside rest stop surrounded by trees, vending machines, and aggressively average picnic tables. I climb out immediately and stretch like I've escaped medieval imprisonment. "Oh wow," I groan. "My butt exists again."

Whatever her motivations, the information had value. The first rest stop came in early afternoon. We halted beside a stream that cut through a small valley, the sound of water masking conversations from anyone listening at a distance. Wolves spread out to secure the perimeter while the rest of the delegation stretched legs and refilled canteens. Wren found me at the water's edge, sitting on a flat rock while the stream burbled past my feet. "Now," I said without preamble. She sat beside me, close enough that her voice wouldn't carry but far enough that we appeared to be having a casual conversation.

"The next rest stop off Exit 4 has a public phone booth. We can call the main nurses' desk at Manhattan County Hospital directly." "Do it," Noah said, looking up at Luke. "Take Exit 4." Luke nodded once, pulling the van into the right-hand lane as the green highway sign for the rest area appeared through the light night mist. Two minutes later, the black van pulled into the quiet, dimly lit parking lot of an all-night highway rest stop. The station was mostly empty, holding a few long distance delivery trucks idling near the gas pumps and a small twenty-four-hour diner with a glowing neon sign in the window.

Casius signaled and guided the car off the highway. The rest stop was nothing special. Cracked pavement. Fluorescent lights humming overhead. The smell of stale coffee and exhaust hangs in the air. Families moved through with tired children, truckers stretched stiff legs, and no one paid attention to the three vehicles pulling in with too much precision to be accidental. To the world, it was just a pause. To Casius, it was a reminder of how thin the veil really was. He parked slightly apart from the others, habit dictating distance even now. The engine cut off, and the sudden quiet rang loud in Ash’s ears.

The scent of freshly cut grass and the faint hum of cicadas filled the air as I pulled into the motel parking lot. The building was a charming mix of rustic and modern, with a welcoming sign that promised a good night's sleep. As I stepped out of my car, I stretched my tired muscles and took a deep breath, feeling a sense of relief wash over me. I had been on the road for days, and this motel seemed like the perfect place to rest and recharge.

And Jayden. "So when are we leaving?" Kate asked with a smile. "I suggest we stay here for a bit. I need a break after all of that drama. I've heard Soare Luna is a beautiful country. We can take a much-needed vacation and spend some quality time together before we head home." "Count me in," Cameron agreed. "I don't remember the last time I took a break from work. A vacation with the gang sounds nice." "It'll be just like the good old days." Gray smiled, agreeing with Kate and Cam. "But if you want, we can go back home right away as well. You must have missed it."

He growled. “Yea, it would be” I agreed. The conversation continued as we got closer to Portland. Almost an hour before arriving we stopped at a rest stop to gas the cars and get something to eat. The station was eerily quiet as we stepped out of the car. A sense of unease settled over me. I looked around the popular rest stop noticing it’s not as busy as it normally is around this time. Usually there’s trucks lining the lot, families running after their children and a host of others coming and going.