《Year of the Harvest》


 Chapter 1: Intro

    A cold night fell on Ellis County, and it seemed as though winter would soon mark the year with yet another storm. Heavy rain had already begun to fall, and the northwesterly winds blew hard, bringing with them frost and a longing for warmer, better days. Beyond the stormy haze, only one sign stood to illuminate the highway. In bold neon light, it read: ¡°Daisy¡¯s Diner & Bar¡±¡ªa well-known yet isolated stop on Route 66.


    The serenity that had reigned so far was now disrupted by the growing rumble of an engine. Suddenly, high beams pierced the darkness. A bus, equipped with dual wipers, turned sharply into the parking lot, plowing straight through a puddle of murky water and sending it splashing everywhere. It passed by the old, decommissioned gas pumps¡ªrelics of a time when humanity had just walked on the moon, now reduced to local history. The curved driveway guided the bus until it came to a complete stop in front of Daisy¡¯s entrance.


    In one swift motion, the doors opened, and the engine shut off. For the first time, the pounding rhythm of the rain could be heard, accompanied by the gruff voice of the driver.


    ¡°Twenty minutes,¡± he said, stepping off the bus without so much as a glance at the passengers.


    Slowly, they began to descend, one by one, stepping onto the rain-soaked asphalt. Conversations soon bubbled up, lamenting the arrival of the rain. Meanwhile, the bus remained quiet. Some passengers chose to stay in their seats; others settled back into their slumber.Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    At the end of the bus, a young man opened his eyes. Chris Fenwick had just woken from what felt like an everlasting sleep. He looked out the window, trying to figure out where they had stopped. Searching for answers, he grabbed his backpack and joined the others.


    Inside, Daisy¡¯s was impressively designed¡ªa stark contrast to its unassuming exterior. Wooden tables adorned the bar area, and a deer skull hung on the bathroom door. Emerging from that very door, Chris paused for a moment before scanning the room. In the left corner, a pool table was already in use by two men.


    He chose the farthest empty booth and sat down uneasily. Across the room, the other customers seemed content, most of them appearing to know Daisy herself. She likely ran the only bar within a hundred-miles radius, he mused¡ªa rare commodity in these parts.


    From the bag, he pulled out a folded map and studied it intently. The unmistakable lines of Route 66 confirmed his location. After a moment, he refolded the map and replaced it in his bag, only to retrieve a worn notebook. Glancing around the room again, his eyes fell on a clock mounted above the bar. He opened the journal, flipping past pages filled with scribbled notes until he found a blank one. Carefully, he wrote: ¡°10:42 PM ¨C Diner on 66. Daisy doesn¡¯t know everyone... but everyone seems to know Daisy.¡±


    He lifted the pen, prepared to jot down another line, when he noticed a shadow of writing bleeding through from the following page. Confused, he flipped it and stared at the notes scribbled there.


    ¡°SAY NO¡±


    His heart skipped a beat. He couldn¡¯t recall ever writing this. The handwriting was unmistakably his, but the words made no sense.


    Below the strange note was a crude sketch. His eyes traced the rough lines¡ªa drawing of a massive machine crushing a man beneath its weight. The image was unsettling, but what disturbed him even more was the final phrase scrawled across the page:


    ¡°FIND HARLEY¡±

 Chapter 2: One for the road

    There was a sudden shift in music as Daisy adjusted the radio, tuning it to a station now playing a quiet and somewhat tender love song. The change settled slowly over the diner. A burst of laughter came from the bar, where a young couple sat chatting over a shared cigarette. Beside them stood a man in a black coat, sipping from a glass of dark beer while holding a magazine.


    Chris recognized him immediately as one of the passengers. The thought made him turn and look beyond the steamed window. Outside, the bus stood still, its engine off. The rain continued to fall steadily, collecting in rivulets that fed into the gutters.


    He leaned back, sitting stiffly in his seat. Before him, the familiar journal lay open on the table. He reached for it cautiously and pulled it closer. The entries remained exactly as they had been. One, in particular, caught his eye.Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.


    ¡°Harley?¡± he murmured.


    The name brought nothing to mind, yet a faint tingling began to spread across his cheek. Without thinking, he raised a hand to touch it. The feeling was familiar, though he couldn¡¯t place why.


    ¡°Would you like to hear about our specials?¡±


    Startled, Chris hurried to shut the journal and looked up. The sudden voice dispersed his thoughts, as though pulling him from a troubling dream. It belonged to a tidy waitress now standing beside his booth. She was in her early twenties, a bit round-faced, with a kind smile.


    ¡°Just regular coffee would be fine,¡± he said, trying to steady himself. ¡°And, uh, could you put it in one of those cups to go? I¡¯ll take it for the road.¡±


    The waitress scribbled something in her notepad. ¡°Sure. You want a regular cup, or for a little extra, you can get a bottomless one? Refills are free, so you can top it off before you head out. It¡¯s a better deal.¡±


    ¡°Yes, that would be great. Thanks.¡±


    She nodded, jotting it down. ¡°Alright, that¡¯ll be a dollar forty.¡±