Jason Brooks

Jason Brooks took another swig of coffee and blinked at the never-ending darkness before him.

He used to drive this route all the time, and he didn't remember it ever feeling this long.

Then again, he was older now.

Time didn't move like it used to, and his body wasn't as good at staying awake as it had been.

How long it had been?

Seven, eight years?

More?

God, he was a terrible son.

He'd been so caught up in work that he barely made time to call his mother, let alone drive six hours to see her.

But things would be different now.

He had a new job, one that allowed for more flexibility, and he was determined to be there for his mother the way she was always there for him.

He was finally becoming the kind of man he wanted to be, the kind of man his father would be proud of.

He couldn't have been more than an hour away, but his eyes kept slipping closed of their own accord.

He passed a sign for exit 13 that boasted of a motel, and he could already picture himself slipping into bed.

He could have sworn he passed that same exit miles earlier, but everything was becoming a blur.

With a sigh, he guided his Honda Accord towards the exit and followed the signs to the Rest Easy Inn.

The parking lot was surprisingly full for a seedy motel in the middle of nowhere.

The cars weren't all rust buckets either.

A silver Mercedes gleamed under the full moon, begging for a better view.

Jason parked beside it, staring at the car's curving lines and angles the way he would appreciate a woman.