“During the long stretches of quiet two-lane highway, with the sunsetting in the distance, it wassomehow easier to say things aloud, and regardless of what was said, we justkept moving toward thathorizon.”

“It's a road," Corey said, pointing."A dirt road," Hayley muttered."So? We've been slogging through the forest for two days. What do you want? A six-lane highway?”

“Maybe what life needs is a good soundtrack, especially during the long stretches when nothing interesting is being said. A soundtrack might dignify things a bit, ennobling us with the proper drama and tension and pathos.”

“From The Self-Mover's Bible; The Longest Distance between Two Points is a ShortcutMost of us look at a map and instinctively plot a trip based on the shortest distance or as the crow flies. The difference here is that you aren’t flying a crow you’re driving a truck. Unless you are personally familiar with the alternative route your quickest and safest route is the Interstate. 500 miles of smooth sailing on a six-lane highway takes less time to drive than 400 miles on winding two-lane country roads. The Interstate was made for trucks.”

“The fields stretch out in long unbroken rows.We walk aware of what is far and close.Here distance is familiar as a friend.The feud we kept with space comes to an end.”

“You’re quiet this evening,” he said. I pasted on a pleasant smile. “It’s been a long week. I’m just trying to relax.” And I was trying to avoid more drama. He was quiet for two or three minutes, during which the two of us stood there together, black-clad vampires moving around us. “I can tell something’s bothering—”We had sex and you bailed, I silently thought, and now your contrition is driving me crazy. “I was just enjoying the music.”