Setting the scene:
Everett and Mirka were unsucessful getting gas in Jacksonville, FL. It had been cleaned out by the company Everett used to extract gas for. They only have fourteen gallons and are getting nine miles per gallon going over the dunes and around houses destroyed by the hurricane. If they can't get gas in Daytona, they don't have enough to leave.
Unfortunately, Daytona is buried in six feet of sand. Mirka suggests they go into the Speedway looking for gas. Everett doesn't want to as it was an evacuation point, but the tents provided didn't keep the 100,000 evactuees dry, turning them into 'faceless.' There are 100,000 two-year-old skeletons under six inches of sand inside the speedway.
Everett and Mirka are seventeen and self-married three days ago.
Iris is a dog.
The world is dead; no plants, no animals.
[Wow, that took a while to set up.]
NOTE: ROUGH ROUGH DRAFT
"I'm getting used to stepping on the skulls, I just don't like it when the ribs crack." She pointed at a front end loader. "Can we get gas out of that?"
"It's probably diesel. Pretty creepy it being here." He started walking toward it. Ribs cracked beneath his feet.
"Eew! It was to scoop the people up." She followed him. "Do you think Iris is OK? Like with me?"
"You stole me from her. You sit where she sat in the truck." He reached the loader. "I need to play with her more. You too."
"Yeah, I don't like the way she stares at me when we're having sex."
"It's diesel. And full." He leaned against the giant tire. "Why even bother scooping the people up? It's not like the big race is ever coming up again."
"Can we crank it and drive a lap? Uh, actually crunching the skulls would gross me out. And we'd have to push that car off the track."
"It's stuck in a foot of sand. It wouldn't budge."
"Push with the bulldozer. We could toss it in the air if we wanted."
Everett jumped to her. "You're brilliant." He kissed her. "We need both of our car batteries. And we can drive the LLV here, I think we're going to have enough gas."
They're now going to dig up the cars in the airport's long term parking and get the gas they need.
I love how much world building is seen in just the dialog alone. Great job!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Ver. Means a lot to me.
ReplyDeleteI agree with vero! This drew me in instantly. The title needs to be changed to freakingly awesome teaser tuesday.
ReplyDeleteMaybe this is why I keep having dreams about your characters. The imagery is so good, Wark!
ReplyDeleteNicely done, Wark! :D
ReplyDeleteVery interesting setting. I like the idea of a post-apocalyptic scenario taking place in Florida vs. the usual LA or NYC. The line "I just don't like it when the ribs crack" is a nice touch!
ReplyDeleteI really like the dialogue and the characters are awesome. I love the way they thing. Disturbing and wonderful, all at the same time.
ReplyDeleteDeniz, He starts out on Missouri and picks the girls up in Memphis. The dustbowl stops around Mobile, and then the sand dunes start after the panhandle.
ReplyDeleteThey're about to come on big big bay which almost stretches across FL. They find it starting at Palm Beach. If you look at Gmaps, you can tell how big it would be. Just turn the swamps between the lakes into lake.