Elsewhere
Published May 1st, 2010 | 
Harry and his girlfriend Janey were driving down the highway in their Ford Explorer, when the engine began to overheat and a big plume of white smoke sputtered out of the exhaust.
"Jesus Christ, Harry. I tole ya we shoulda stopped at that garage a while back."
“Will ya cool your Jets? There’s a garage just ahead.”
They entered a town called Elsewhere. How they’d gotten there Harry wasn’t certain. He didn’t even remember getting off of the Interstate. But there was a rusty sign just ahead: Los Angeles auto repair. Harry found the garage just up the road. A tall man with an unruly beard and droopy eye came out to greet them.
“What seems to be the trouble, folks?”
“Don’t know. Maybe you can tell us,” Harry said.
Janey winced at the sight of the man.
“Well, you step out of the car and let’s have a look.”
“Is this going to take long?” Janey asked.
“It’ll take as long as it takes. They’s a diner up ahead ‘bout a half a mile if you all’s hungry.”
Janey glared at him impatiently.
Harry grabbed her arm. “Thank you. That sounds like a good idea. By the way, what do you think’s the problem? Nothing serious, I hope.”
The man shrugged. “Could be the head gasket, if you’re lucky.”
Harry and Janey started walking toward the diner. After they were out of sight, another, smaller man came out of the garage. “New people. Is that right, Horace?”
Horace grinned. “More of ‘em comin’ every day.”
“How long you think they stayin’?”
“Stayin’ a spell, I reckon. Nobody ever really leaves this place anyways.”
