Drunkenness on the rise, morale at an all time low.

Zach had a strange feeling as he drove into the truckstop parking lot over to the diner. Something was definitely afoot, he thought. It was also good to come in expecting anything at the diner anyway. There was, he estimated at least a 50 percent chance something would be broke, someone would have called out, or something might be wrong. But this was different, this was something else. That instinct, the sixth sense that they said people had was strong, his 'spider sense', if you will, was tingling. He still had a slight hangover from the night before. It wasn't terrible as he had smoke a couple bowls before coming in, now driving up into the back, he thought he might feel the dreaded paranoia creeping in.

Zach pulled up near the back door, he could see Mike sitting out in the shed. As he got out he noticed that his was the only car parked there. Gary's not here, he thought. It was five minutes to four on a Friday, Gary was always there by then. Sure the guy was annoying sometimes, but damned if he didn't show up every day. Zach took a cigarette from his pack and walked toward the shed, 'Hey.' Mike said as he walked in, Zach nodded. He liked to have his time alone before work, and something about Mike had always seemed kind of off to him. The way he seemed to want to be everyone's buddy and go out to the shed all the time, yet he was at the same time always talking to Alex. Zach lit up his cigarette.

'I heard Sam got arrested in the center of town last night.' Mike said. 'Oh.' Zach replied. 'Who said that?' He asked casually. 'Jim and Judy. They saw him at the bar with you and Kevin and as they were driving home they saw him on the side of the road getting pulled over. Then Jackie heard from a cop she knew that he had gotten a D.U.I.' 'Shit, that sucks. Is he supposed to come in today?' Zach asked. 'Yeah, he said he'll be in at 5. You were with him was he totally hammered?' Mike replied. Who the fuck are you, the cops? Zach thought. 'I don't know he had a few beers, were all pretty buzzed.' 'You gotta be careful out there man.' Mike said finally. Zach looked at this phone, it was two minutes to 4, time to go, he thought. Zach put out his cigarette in the bowl that served as the ashtray and got up.

A gust of wind blew as he walked toward the back door, I think he's a fucking spy, Zach thought. He's definitely talking to Alex somehow, he thought as he walked inside. Though, it seemed strange, sense he was always outside constantly smoking weed with all of them. Still, that the genius of it. As he walked through the prep area he was greeted by the familiar diner scent, a mix a old grease, sweat, and despair. He walked up to the time clock and punched in his number. The board was clear of slips and he walked in, and Jeff one of the morning cooks, was slouched against the cutting board. 'Hey.' Jeff said as he walked out to the line. If have to hear about Sam's fucking D.U.I. again, Zach thought. 'One of our bosses got fired.' 'Which one?' Zach asked. 'Gary.' Jeff replied. 'What happened?' 'They were having an argument in the office, and Gary left. Later on Alex put up a note saying the Gary was no longer with us anymore.' 'Of course, a note.' Zach remarked. 'I heard they might offer you the job.' Jeff said. 'Yeah, maybe' 'Well you better speak up soon because Mike wants it bad.' 'Yeah.' Zach muttered. This was already far more conversation then he wanted to be having right now. After all he was still fairly stoned. Does everyone hear just talk about everyone else all the time? Zach thought as he walked out the kitchen to get coffee, he poured himself a cup, and a large cup of ice water. Don't they have anything better to do?

Ain't no time to hesitate at the gate. Do it now!

Just a few beers, a couple of drinks. Dangerous words for the people who spoke them. Who believed in his own fiction, the fiction which many sold to everyone, that it would be a short, brief drinking session which would not go to excess. And then there was the infamous 'One beer.' Just one beer, who could possibly begrudge someone one beer after a long days work. Had anyone in history ever actually drank just one beer? Ever stepped back after that first one and decided to call it quits? Had actually stayed good on their promise and left after the first one? Sam knew that there had to be someone, but it was few and far between. He wasn't sure why exactly he had lied to himself this time, had told himself that he would take it easy. Perhaps he had only thought of it as some people did, in terms of distances. Sure he might have a little too much, but he didn't have far to go. He lived nearby, and Andrea who he was going to see after he was done lived near town as well. It all within a 5 minutes distance, the logic went, so if he had a little more then he just it would all be fine. Still Sam had had more than a little bit more, indeed he had gone further then he had thought possible. But that was usually the case. Usually it would started with just a six pack and a couple of nips, then there would be that call for more, that deep monstrous urge which seemed to manifest itself the more he drank.

Sam remembered coming to the Afterworks. He even remembered the first draft of beer he'd had, cold steel rail from the tap. A few minutes after that he had seen Zach and Kevin from work, and they had had more shots and ended up smoking a joint outside. It's all led to this, Sam thought. It was two minutes to one, time to boogie, he thought. Sam got up slowly and made his way to the door, feeling a chill as he walked outside. Zach and Kevin had left a few minutes before and the streets felt desolate. The wind picked up as he walked over, the early explorers made it across the Atlantic under worse conditions then me, Sam thought as he walked to the van. Runaway slaves made their way north using the north star as their guide, surely I can navigate a minivan a few blocks. He had parked a few blocks away, so as not to be noticed by to local PD. To avoid any Imperial entanglements, as Obi Wan once said.

Sam saw his van, half covered in snow as he walked toward the darkened lot. It stood out like a beacon, to take me to freedom, he thought. Or deliver me into peril, he thought. It could go either way, he took out his key and unlocked it, stepping into the seat. He still locked it, even though there was nothing particular of value in it. In fact it had a rejection sticker, which made it even less attractive, still he locked it. It was pride maybe, he thought to himself, maybe instinct. It was always better, in his mind, to be sure. He got in, it was cold inside, but the alcohol made it feel warm. Less then a mile, he thought. I'll be fine, people had made it across the ocean in wooden boats, I can make it. He turned the key. After a slight hesitation it started and the radio came on, louder then he had remembered it being. Everything lit up, including the check engine light, as it always did. He didn't have enough money to fix it, and the van could never pass inspection without it. He pulled out his phone and texted Andrea, 'On my way.' He pulled out faster then he intended to and mad his out of the lot, the main street was deserted as he made his way down it. He could dimly make out the yellow lines in the middle of the road and he was following them as best as he could. Sam saw a car come into view quickly in his rearview mirror, then the lights. FUCK, he thought.

'You think he made it back ok?' Zach asked as he took the bowl from Kevin. 'Yeah he'll be ok.' Kevin remarked, seeming indifferent. He took a hit as someone passed it to him, pondering options. Andrea had cancelled on him at the last minute, and he wondered if all this had something to do with it. Something was going on. It was getting late past one, and he began to ponder options. Kevin had gone out with Zach and he was his way of getting back, but he wondered if maybe he didn't have to go home after all. He had a feeling she might be around later, somehow. It was worth checking out.

It was almost half past one and they had been at the Hot-L for an hour, they were the only one's there besides a couple people. 'I talked to Alex I think they want to promote me to assistant manager.' Zach mentioned. 'Which seemed strange to me because Gerry is still there.' 'Yeah.' Kevin nodded, indifferent. He seemed to be somewhere else most of the time. It's probably time to be getting on anyway. 'Hey do you think you could drop me off somewhere else on the way back?' Kevin asked. 'Yeah sure. Probably time to get back anyway. Just let me finish my beer.'

'Ok.' Kevin said. He dialed the number as he remembered it. 'Hi.' She said. 'You want to hang out?' He asked. 'Sure.' She replied.