1 Night Riders

Jeremy sat next to Justin while he smoked a cigerette. They watched some moms and their kids start heading home from the park from the gazebo. Jeremy watched Justin staring them down anyway. He cleared his throat, and Justin turned. Putting out his smoke.

"Listen, once everybody is gone, they'll be here."

"They said they would be here at 6, it's almost 8", Jeremy said, looking bothered. Justin sighed,

"They'll be here."

That's when the distant rumble of engines neared, and they whipped around the corner of the parking lot on their shiny chrome dirt bikes and motorcycle. The sun was just barely rolling over the horizon when they set their rides up, helmets off and there were four new to the party. A blue, a green dirt bikw, and a ruby red motorcycle,  were parked beside Justin and Jeremy's generic dirt bikes, and revealing his face first was the owner of the crimson ride.

"Hey guys, sorry we're a little late".

"We had to veer the back way to avoid the cops, Chase has expired plates", said a Blonde young man, whom had an extra passenger behind him, struggling freedom from their helmet. But once let out, gold tresses sprouted and ran down her bare shoulders.

Chase was last to take off his helmet and he sighed,

"My bad."

Jeremy shrugged, strolling over to his bike while Justin tossed the crimson rider, the Couple and Chase a few cigerettes.

"I'll pay you back a pack", said crimson rider to Justin. Whom just smiled in return,

"Quit,Grey".

"So, see you brought a girl Tim, care to introduce?", Jeremy playfully inquired.

Golden haired Tim blinked, looking surprised and glancing back at the girl who snickered.

"N-no. It's my step sister. Ma said I had to take her out of the house."

Jeremy raised a brow,

"Oh. What's up?".

The step-sister punched Tim's arm,

"And I have a fucking name."

"Oh, she's just peachy", Justin whispered after she groaned,

"And it's Britney. But. Just call me B."

"B, which stands for Bitch", Tim added with a cheeky grin, and that got him another wack on the bicep.

"Alright alright.  Anyway, tonight I say, let's go towards the Orchards on Bend Road, there's supposed to be a big moon show tonight, closest it's ever been to earth in over a 1,000 years and it's full and gonna be like, blood red or something, and up there it's the highest elevation in town. And there's only those hops that just started growing up there. No trees, nothing, just plain orchard and pastures", Grey suggested, running a hand through his trimmed brown hair.

"Ain't that called like, a blood moon?".

"What ever", Grey said gingerly.

Justin glanced at Jeremy, who was already strapping his helmet on. They all shrugged in agreement, and Justin called to Jeremy.

"What do you say to a light show tonight? In the country."

Jeremy smiled,

"Sounds like a great plan."

They all resaddled their mechanical steeds and rummed off towards the falling sun.

It was 10:30, at night. Deep into the rural countryside. The gloaming was a blue blanket over the world. They coasted the open, empty streets. Weaving around one another at speeds of 30 to 45 to 50, to 60 miles per hour as Grey raced past Justin, and then swiftly past Jeremy whom it startled and lost balance. But Jeremy recovered quickly and barked something no one could understand under his helmet, and the wind and the sound of their roaring engines. Jeremy sighed, befuddled, and slowed. Tim and Britney passed him, and Chase was last up until Jeremy came down beside him.

Chase opened his visor and called out to Jeremy and he caught on to him, and nodded, flipping up his own.

"So? How's it been since the break up?", Chase said loudly, but only to be heard over all the background noise. His visage read sincere and Jeremy shrugged.

"Rough, and dumb."

"Dumb?"

"Yeah, dumb! 'cause I still think about her."

Chase shrugged, glancing at Jeremy, then back onto the road.

"Eh, well of course you're gonna still think about her! But you gotta understand, she cheated on YOU. J, she fucked YOU over! So, forget about her. You'll find another fish, I mean. Dawn likes you!".

It couldnt be seen but Jeremy looked surprised and hot under his helmet,

"Really? How do you know that?".

"Over heard her when Grey was trying to go out with her sister!"

Jeremy thought about it, but his mind drifted over a face too painful to think about.

"Eh, uh.. I dunno Chase. I dunno."

Chase was quiet, glancing back at Jeremy, then the road. Seeing Grey and Justin probably a couple miles ahead of them. Tim and Britney were talking and only 10 feet away, and crusing.

"You don't gotta know Jeremy. Not now anyway! You just gotta rest. That bitch cut you good!"

Jeremy was about to say something when Tim said,

"Oh, well God damn it! Do they really got to race that far ahead!."

Chase and Jeremy looked ahead and found their friend's taillight's absent of the darknes and their eadlights that illuminated the road.

"Where'd they go?", Chase called to Tim and Britney who replied,

"Theres a sharp right turn just ahead. They probably just went around that really fast!".

Jeremy and Chase nodded at one another before speeding up. Ahead on the other side of the road, there were some high beams, blinding the bikers as they slowed to a dirt pull off, and there they found an SUV, Grey with his helmet off looking pale with fear and sickly green, hands in his hair, gripping the strands tightly.

Jeremy practically threw himself off his bike, and as his jogged closer he could find the bits and pieces of bike leading towards the rest of Jusgin's dirt bike.

"Where the fuck is Justin", Jeremy called to Grey. The driver of the SUV was still in their car, but dialing 911. Grey couldnt speak, even when Jeremy shook him, screamed his name in his face. He was like a statue, hands glued to his head, standing stiff, and white.

Jeremy almost missed it when Tim shouted for help as Brintey screamed. Jeremy looked up at Grey desperately, before he had to run and he came up to Justin. His helmet had been knocked off upon impact and it was somewhere in a ditch while his head laid on the ground. Cracked like an egg and his skull's precious red liquid spilling out. He spasmed and Chase and Tim were busy trying to keep him on his back and something under his head. Justin was Jeremy's best friend since they were in pre-school. They were practically brothers. Reduced to a bloody fucking mess all over the pavement. They had spent up to every fucking, moment together. Jeremy didn't want this to be their last.

Soon police and an ambulance arrived and they took Justin immediately, questioned everyone else, and it was taken care of rather shortly. The paramedics took Grey too when he was frozen and unresponsive. Said he was in shock probably from just seeing his friend in a wreck.

Britney took Tim's motorcycle to follow them. Making sure everyone turned out okay, leaving Tim, Jeremy and Chase by themselves that lonely country road.

Jeremy kicked gravel around, looking miserable. Chase was arms crossed, and leant up against his and Grey's motorcycles. A tow truck took Justin's away and here they all were. In the darkness, not even a street lamp to illuminate their surroundings.

"He'll be okay-", Tim started before Jeremy snapped,

"Did you see his fucking head? Guys he's dead. Fucking hell."

Chase retorted, "Knock it the fuck off Jeremy. He's going to be fine. His helmet took the brunt of it. His head probably just got scraped and he's got an concussion", he reasoned with and Jeremy seemed taken with it. He breathed calmly. And brought himself down to sit on his bike.

"Let's start heading back. I know where Grey lives and I'll walk it back. He's right where we come back into town and he's like a block away from me", Jeremy offered. Tim and Chase liked that idea, though Chase added,

"Yeah, but can you walk both bikes by yourself?".

"Yeah, they aren't that heavy."

Chase nodded, but took a second glance at Jeremy's short and skinny stature.

"You sure?".

Jeremy frowned,

"Yeah."

Chase raised his hands in mock surrender, and then he smiled,

"K. Good, then you Tim can just ride with me and I'll take you home and we call it a night. See if we all made it in the morning."

Jeremy didnt like how Chase said it like that, but agreed with that plan. What else could they really do? As the moon hid behind the dark, thick clouds above.