Green Desert - Chapter 3.4.4 - Umo

We reached the other end of town without seeing any signs for East Crater Road. I did a three-point turn in the middle of the empty highway.

I sighed. Lango twittered.

“Shut up.”

Amazingly, he did.

We had to ask for directions. I wasn’t about to waste my time wandering every street in town––even if it was a miniscule town like this. I turned the car into a gas station, parked in front of the convenience store.

“What are you doing?”

I ignored Lango and got out of the car, slammed the door. Three strides and I was inside the store. An old woman with a bad dye-job sat on a tall stool behind the counter, surrounded by cigarette cases, flipping through a glossy magazine. The glass door hit a string of bells and she looked up.

“I’m looking for East Crater Road.”

“Oh, well, you just need to go up this way.” She pointed back toward the stoplight. “Turn left at the light––that’s Main Street. Just keep going and you’ll get to East Crater Road.”

I frowned. “You mean if I go straight at the light, I’ll see East Crater Road?” We’d passed it on the way in.

“No, no.” She shook her head, her bronze-and-gray curls springing. “Turn left at the light.”

“But that’s Main Street.” I removed my sunglasses, folded them in one hand.

“Yes.”