Tana was driving down the highway. She turned right into a road which led back to Cadaver. That part of Nevada was nearly all deserted with little ghost towns here and there. The type of place you’d send someone on exile if such a thing still existed.
'I will sing the praises of our Lord, Jesus Christ...' she sang along to a song on the radio. It sounded like a familiar voice but, after all, most Christian country songs sounded the same to her.
Her phone rang on the passenger seat. It said "Joe."
She looked around, as if there was police in sight that could find her holding the phone to her ear while driving.
'Everything good over there?'
She could hear kids screaming in the background.
'Ehm, things are going-'
'I WANT MAMA!' A little boy spoke to the phone with a crying voice.
'I’m right here baby.'
'WHEN ARE YOU COMING HOME MAMA?'
'I'll be home as soon as I'm done...' She paused for a moment, thinking.
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'Listen babe, I've been trying to keep Aiden still, but he won't stop running in circles around the dinner table...'
Tana laughed.
'Should have called the babysitter, so I could come with you.'
'Mh... You know I don't trust the McLachlan girl to take care of Tommy anymore. He says she brings friends over when we are not around.'
'Ah...' Joe exclaimed, 'That's who has been taking my beers!'
'I bet.'
'So, how's the trip to Cadaver?'
'It's fine. I was just going...' She paused for a split second thinking again.
'Going?'
'I... Was... Going...' Tana stopped the car right in front of a sign that said "Welcome To Cadaver" and below it, some vandals had spray-painted in black "Prepare to Vomit"
Tana walked out of the car, and could feel the smell faintly.
'Babe, anything wrong?'
'I just... I just can't remember why I came here.'
'What do you mean? I thought you said you were going to...'
Joe paused for a second. He knew she told him why she was travelling to Cadaver, but he just couldn’t remember. The kids were still screaming in the background.
'Weird, right? I just don't know why I'm here.'
'Well, if you got nothing to do, come back home. Don't know if I can take a couple more hours with them on my own...'
Tana took a look at the orange horizon panning down on the distant town. From where she was, she could see the silhouette of the small town and Cadaver mountain obstructing the view of the sun.
'Alright, honey. Mama's coming back home, ok?'
'YAY!' The kid screamed so loud the phone's speaker screeched.
Joe ended the call.
Tana stood there, a light breeze making her hair flow here and there. To her, it felt like when you have a word at the tip of your tongue but it's perpetually out of reach.
She got back in her car, went back home and never came back.