You know what they say about the drivers of big cars, right?
Tyler wasn’t exactly driving a Hummer (much as he hated to admit it, it was hard to reach the pedals) but the inexpensive SUV he used to travel did its job satisfactorily. That job, tonight, was delivering boxes of trading cards back to his shop for their midnight launch. Not so glamorous as his brother David’s big night out, no doubt, but work was work, and he enjoyed the time out on the road by himself listening to the radio and clearing his mind without David pinning him to the ground with inevitable ease - sure, the big lug was just messing around, but that didn’t mean he had to enjoy his humiliations. Tyler let out a sigh – why was he even thinking about this? He had plenty of time to contemplate it when the big blue brute next put him in a headlock. Right now, it was Tyler time, and he planned to enjoy it as fully as possible.
Cranking up the music player attached to the dash, Tyler rocked out for a few miles to some of his favourite bands – none of that top 40 nonsense David blasted to fit in with the rest of the football team jocks. He swore that they didn’t have a brain cell to share between them – ah! He was doing it again! Muttering under his breath, he focused on the road quickly slipping by him on the quiet highway, watching the darkening evening horizon as the moon started to peer out from some clouds. He’d have to get back sooner rather than later, but his rumbling stomach demanded he make a pit stop before the last stretch home. Pulling in quietly to a truck stop, the dragon locked up the car and walked on in, observing the scenery. Amidst the concrete grey were parked a few trucks, seemingly from R&D firms judging by their names and logos. Maybe a scientific conference was coming to town? Tyler made a note to check it out – he had a passing interest in sciences, mainly on the “get buff quick” side of biology. He pushed the creaky diner door open as a little bell chimed his presence, plumping himself down on a stool that was slightly too uncomfortably short. He fumed slightly as the waitress, an attractive young squirrel with a finely brushed tail leaned over the counter to greet him.
“Howdy, lil’ guy, what can I get you?” she said, a warm, friendly, and most importantly genuine smile spread across her face. “I’m Nat and I’ll be your waitress.”
Little guy? Oh, that burned! Sure, he was a small fellow, but he sure didn’t like to be reminded of it!
“Can I get the steak, please?” Tyler huffed, puffing his chest out in a manner most observers would class adorable. “Medium rare.”
“Right away, hun.” chirped the squirrel, tail whishing behind her as she went back into the kitchen. Still slightly annoyed, Tyler took a good look around the diner, finding it to be mostly empty. A couple of burly truckers sat in a corner, a large, buff otter that reminded Tyler of his brother, and a slimmer horse munching away at a salad. Both wore a white cap emblazoned with the logos he had seen on the trucks outside, so he could guess where they worked.
As the waitress placed a steak hot from the grill in front of Tyler, turning to pick up some cutlery, the purple dragon watched her face contort in fear as she pointed behind him. Turning his head quickly, he experienced time slow to a crawl, watching second after second tick by agonizingly as a huge white barrel smashed through the glass of the diner window, tumble onto the floor as its lid cracked off, and disgorge its milky, white payload all over the dragon, his mouth unfortunate enough to be hanging open in sheer disbelief. A moment passed as the barrel rolled awkwardly over the floor, dripping the last few drops from inside, as Tyler took a deep breath to scream his frustration... but what happened next was something unexpected.
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