Third (And Fourth) Wheels

As expected, riding on the back of a motorcycle was terrifying.

Suzanna had never moved that fast before in her life and felt like she would fall off at any time, so of course, she closed her eyes and squeezed tighter.

"I need to breathe to drive, you know," he croaked, as they zipped past cars, but she didn't hear him. The wind pulled the hair out of her face, exposing the plasters that it could not reach loose as they were, due to her head being kept low.

As the ride continued, they reached a certain equilibrium. The bike was perfectly stable, and the speed, while still there, no longer seemed foreign. She opened her eyes and took in the scenery, the buildings were reducing in size and number. The road was less tar and more dirt. They were clearly leaving the city limits or perhaps just a less populated part.

It didn't matter really. All that was the wind on her face. This feeling of weightlessness. Of... freedom. So engrossing was it, that she did not feel the wind clawing at the already loose plasters.

Yet, as soon as she embraced this feeling, it was gone because Simon had pulled into a lot with a series of garage doors.

"We're here," he said, turning his head, "You can let go now."

She pulled her arms back and straightened in her seat, "Sorry!" before getting off the bike and looking around the lot.

Simon lingered, touching his sore sides. His heart was still beating rapidly, so he took off his helmet and took some deep breaths to calm down.

"So... what'd you want to show me?" she asked.

He killed the engine and hopped off, "This way."

She followed him past the row of garage doors until they reached a massive one at the end numbered 50.

He pulled out another key with a tiny remote and pushed a red button, which slowly opened to reveal a pair of utterly humongous black tyres attached to long steel beams wrapped in springs. These beams were attached to a frame, which was covered by a dark green body with red stripes and brown-tinted windows-

"YOU HAVE A MONSTER TRUCK!" she shrieked.

He jammed a finger in her face, "His name is Crüger. Don't ever forget it."

"Uh... okay..." she said as he walked past, at which point she shook her head and frowned, "Hold on! I get called a mouse every day, but it- I mean, he gets a name? How does that work?"

"Simple," Simon said, while opening the door, "He earned his name a long time ago. You still have a ways to go," He then climbed up and into the truck, "Get in."

She looked upon the frightful vehicle again, "Get... in?"

"I told you it would be worth it," He said, opening the passenger side door, "But only if you're inside."

(A motorcycle and a monster truck... Simon's motorcycle... Simon's monster truck)

She followed suit.

(This is the best day ever!)

It was surprisingly spacious inside, perfectly suited for two large people to inhabit. In fact, it was one of the few times since her transformation that Suzanna felt even a little bit small in a seat. It was strangely comforting, familiar even. The roof and seats were flesh coloured, as though Crüger were a living being and they were inside its stomach.

Before her was a grab bar and a monitor screen. She looked over at his side to see the steering wheel and a control panel with various buttons.

"Make sure to strap in," he said, "Use the harness..."

He took another look at her and then looked ahead, "Oh, cripes..."

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"I... may not have... thought this... all the way through," he said, pinching his nose.

"What do you mean?" she asked, slowly, her earlier excitement giving way to deep concern.

"You're... going to have to... lift your dress."

"WHAT?!"

"It's for safety," he insisted,

"I'm out!" she declared, opening her door again.

"Wait," he grabbed her wrist, "Just... wait. It's just so you can reach the crotch belt."

She pulled her arm away, breaking his strong grip quite easily, "If you knew that, why didn't you tell me to wear pants?"

"I didn't tell you to wear a dress either."

"Oh, so it's my fault?"

"I didn't say that."

"Then what ARE you saying?!"

"I don't know!" he yelled, throwing his hands up.

Once again, silence fell between them. And it wasn't comfortable.

Suzanna decided to close the door again, "Simon, why are you doing all this?"

"Because I was forced to."

"I... know that," she said, having already acknowledged this reality, "I'm talking about..." she waved her hand about, "... this. With the restaurant and... the monst-"

He narrowed his eyes.

"-Crüger," she quickly corrected, "What are you trying to do?"

He let out a loud breath through his nose and tapped his fingers on the steering wheel. He then ran his fingers through his hair before saying, "I have... absolutely no idea."

There was a new silence. An expectant one.

He closed his eyes and groaned, "I'm... out of my depth here."

The expectant silence continued.

He gritted his teeth, "The phone calls weren't working, obviously, and I was running out of time, so I... I..."

"You... wanted to cheer me up?" she asked.

He pressed his lips inward and tapped the steering wheel again, "... Yes..."

"Then just... say that," she said.

He slowly nodded, keeping his eyes closed.

"Simon?"

"What?"

"Say it."

"Say what?"

" 'I wanted to cheer you up.' Just say it."

He looked out his window, "You already know, so what's the point?"

Suzanna hummed while pouting, "Say it, or I'll tell Mrs Gamal that you barely talked to me and then tried to bribe me with food."

He snapped his head to look at her in outrage, "Okay, that is not- Wait a minute," then narrowed his eyes, "Did you just threaten me?"

She blinked and darted her eyes about, having surprised herself, "I guess, I did..."

He cocked an eyebrow, "You realise, I'm your ride home, right?"

She frowned, "Okay, but now you just threatened me?"

He placed a hand on his chest, "I stated a fact," then pointed at her, "You just said you were going to get me fired, which is 1) a violation of today's rule and 2) would result in you losing the job you don't even really have yet," he leaned in, rather menacingly, "Are you really prepared to risk that?"

She averted her gaze, "I..." and then looked him dead in the eyes, "... am."

The staredown continued for a full minute before Simon backed off and clicked,

"Oh, for- I wanted to cheer you up! There, are you happy?"

"One more time, please."

He rolled his eyes, "Seriously?"

She sat back in her seat, "One more time," then looked straight at him, "Please."

He growled and then sighed and softened, "I... wanted to cheer you up."

She blushed and smiled, "Thank you."

"Now, can you please strap in?"

She tapped her index fingertips together.

"What now?"

"Is there any chance I could drive?"

He looked at her like she had just asked if she could shoot him... in the balls.

"Absolutely not!"

"Wha- But I know how?"

"No, you don't!"

"I do. Sarah taught me how to drive."

"Knowing you, you probably tore off the steering wheel."

She did, and Sarah stopped those lessons in favour of new, very painful ones.

"You... You weren't there..." she said, her voice quiet.

He pointed at the control panel in front of him with all the buttons and switches,

"Do you think these are for show?"

"Then you can teach me, can't you?" she implored.

"No," he stated firmly.

"Oh, come on."

"Listen to me," he warned, making her stiffen, "Crüger requires an expertly firm yet gentle touch. No one will ever drive but me. Got it?"

She pouted again, "Fine," and then grabbed the hem of her dress. She looked up at him, blushing again, "I-If you peek, I'll report you."

He looked away and focused on his own seat belts, "What do you take me for?"

They pulled the belts over their shoulders, thighs and between their legs to form the full five-point harness.

"Ready?" he asked.

She nodded.

"Right," he flipped the master and fuel pump switches while pushing down on the throttle, then pushed the big red power button, at which point Crüger roared with a power and volume that Suzanna could feel in her chest. So much so that she gasped.

He flipped a couple more switches and pressed another button to turn on the monitor screen in front of her. He then made some final checks before the truck rolled forward.

Suzanna decided to make full use of the grab more as it drove out of the lot and out into dust and dirt beyond, way too fast for a vehicle this size.