“Two words, Einstein, Stuntman Mike,” Chris said in a low whisper.

Frankie rolled her eyes.

“Isn’t that kind of three words. Besides it’s not just that the waitress vouched for him. It’s pouring cats and baby hippos out there. The car is dead and the tow truck is not coming,” Frankie whispered back.

With a firm tap, Chris moouched her friend’s forehead. Frankie batted her away. Lightning flashed in the diner’s big windows.

“Look Drama Queen, what do you have a death wish? One of those Dateline if I’m murdered binders? Rundown diner, two stupid women, a friendly trucker offering a ride. This scenario is direct from Blumhouse. Besides he doesn’t even want to take us. Let’s wait for that tow truck. It’s only been a trouple of hours,” Frankie whispered.

Thunder rumbled over head. The waitress snorted a laugh. The two twenty-somethings realized their whispers were audible in the near empty eatery. They returned to bickering in quieter whisperings. Their road trip of a lifetime, Best Friends 2024, was becoming a slog. Chris picked a bad stomach bug in Ohio leading to multiple emergency pitstops. Despite the onboard GPS, Frankie managed to get lost seven times before St. Louis. They hated each others road trip playlists. When Chris ran into a ditch trying to avoid a turtle, the axle wasn’t the only thing that cracked.

“Ladies not to interrupt your whisper shouting. But first I enjoyed Tarention’s eariier works, second the road to Falscraft is washed out so that tow truck would be here to half past a duck’s ass, and lastly just to clarify I’m not reluctant to gave you a ride to the Do Drop Inn. My mamma raised a gentlemen. Bianca here is right I’m safe. It’s just that well it’s a long story,” the truck driver said from the counter.

From their booth, Chris and Frankie waited. The truck driver studied his coffee.

“Come on, Al, you can leave them hanging. I’m going to get a couple slices of that apple pie on the house for everyone and you tell them your silly story and let them decide,” Bianca the waitress said and patted his hand.

Al eyed her back as she sashayed to the kitchen. Another flash and an answering rumble sounded. He scratched his temple and exhaled. Chris and Frankie were on the edge of their seats.

“Biance thinks I’m over dramatic. But I know what I know. I’m cursed with half- luck.”

Al looked crestfalled. Frankie and Chris exchanged looks. Without looking up Al explained. He hated explaining.

“You see some people have good luck, a buttered toast landing right side up life. Biance’s kind of lucky except for me. Others have bad luck where terrible things happened to them all the time. Me, I’m rare. I was struck by lightning. Twice. During a storm just like this. I suffered some minor burns and I was unconscious for nearly a week. I woke up with half luck. I bring good luck or bad luck to others. At the hospital three ofmy nurses won the lottery. My doctor broke his leg in two places doing a TikTok dance challenge. Friends and family some have found lost money, won cars, even true love. Others well let’s just say they were unfortunate. It’s been years and I am still between those two bolts of lightning, between luck and unlucky. I can’t take people expecting golden goose eggs to spill from my pockets. I can’t take the bad luck, the disappointment in their eyes directed at me”

The sky blazed white close followed by a room rattling thunder clap. The overhead lights dimmed and them brighten. In the corner the jukebox flashed red and orange. Witth armful of pie slices Bianaca sailed in.

“Al, that was Stumpy’s own damn foolishness for train hopping. No one is to be blamed for fate. There no such thing as curses, babe,” Bianca said handing him coconut cream pie with whipped cream.

Roaring to life the jukebox launched into “Good Luck, Bad Luck,” by Lynyd Skynyrd. Walking towards Chris and Frankie the waitress was startled by the music and stumbled. Two plates of pie went flying. Ligtning fast, Chris caught one without dropping a crumb of the strawberry rhubard, her favorite. A slice of key lime flipped and landed upside down on Frankie’s head. Frankie really liked key lime pie. All three turned towards Al.

“So ladies, what will it be? Are you feeling lucky?”