Kota follows her, and so do the other two. The bus stop is just down the street. The vehicle’s tires are plastered with yellow leaves. The driver is considerate enough to hiss to a halt and wait for the squad. No one else is aboard the bus, so the seating is free range; yet they still sit with each other. Kota pairs with Mike, Jim with Liz. Pizza Hut is five minutes away, so the stop is quick. Jimmy gets out and powerwalks into the dome roofed restaurant.
They watch him through the window as he nears the check-in counter. The place is empty. Jim receives service right off. About seven minutes later, he returns with three boxes. The bus hisses forward. Its tires roll on gravel for the next four miles. Liz pulls the string when she spots the forest sign.
The bus driver swerves to the curb and pauses the vehicle. “You kids be safe; it’s late,” the man cautions.
“Don’t worry, my house is close by.” Kota lies, sharing a malicious grin with his peeps.
“Have a good night.”
“You too.”
“Thanks, dude.” Liz winks at the driver as they dismount.
Mike’s eyes double in size. “I want a wink too.”
“I’ll give you one later.”
They wait for the bus to depart, so they’re not spotted going into the forest so late at night. When it shifts to make a left turn, the squad moves. Kota glances behind his shoulder at an empty road. “The coast is clear.” The entrance gate is a few yards away. When there, Kota goes to a bush, removing an 8-pack of beer and the satellite radio from its depths.
Liz leads the way into the woods. There’s a campsite not too far. Jimmy sets the pizza boxes on a boulder, then lights a match. The orange aura aids with visibility. The forest is pitch black beyond the flame.
“Help me find wood for the fire.” The other three assist Kota, scouring the area. Mike picks out a large log and carries it to a fire pit made of stone. Kota knocks on a log. It’s mushy. He frowns. “Make sure none are soggy. It won’t light if it is.”
Mike taps his finger on the wood. “No, it’s solid.” A total of four logs are brought to the fire spot. Him and Kota collect leaves and twigs to spark the bonfire.
Jimmy lights a row of matches, then toss them atop the gathered weeds, which sets aflame. “We have fire!!” he sings.
“And now let’s get music because your singing sucks.” Liz mocks him.
Mike extends the radio antenna for a signal. He presses the power button. “Hello, late-nighters,” a station host speaks. “I hope you’re ready for fiery tracks. Our callers have voted for this week’s hottest release and narrowed it down to a winning tune. Dio’s Rainbow in the Dark!” The heavy rock song streams. Guitar, piano, strings, and drums clash in harmony.
“Bump it!!” Jimmy opens the pack of beers. Mike turns the volume knob all the way up. Jim tosses a bottled beverage to everyone. The wind increases, and the fire swells, flickering embers into the darkness.
“When there’s lightning, you know it always brings me down.” The group howls. “Cuz it’s free, and I see that it’s me who’s lost and never found!! I cry out for magic. I feel it dancing in the light. It was cold. Lost my hold to the shadows of the night!!”
Liz downs her beer in a few gulps, then hand gestures to Jim for another one. She does a sexy finger nudge; her feistiness baffles him. “Who are you right now??” He throws her another bottle.
“I’m the funnest girl you’ll ever meet.” She winks as she catches it.
“Ooo!” Kota exclaims like an impressed little kid.
She sways to the music. A sexy enchantress performing a slithering dance. “Do your demons. Do they ever let you go?” Liz’s light voice is flawless with the melody. “When you try, do they hide deep inside? Is it someone that you know?!!”
The boys bellow, “You’re just a picture; you’re an image caught in time. We’re a lie. You and I, we’re words without a rhyme! There’s no sign of the morning coming. You’ve been left on your own. Like a rainbow in the dark. Just a rainbow in the dark. Yeah!!!”
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