She was thirsty for sunlight. It’d been dark for so long. Even during daytime the sun remained tucked away behind gray clouds.

The young woman traveled from East to West following what little light there was. Her old Ford pickup would get up to about seventy. She drove into night.

Stars would guide her. Small twinkling lights in the sky forming arrows, signs saying, This Way. Highway mile markers, billboards, gas prices, she passed em by. Seemed like her tank was always full.

West Arkansas going into Texas gets lonely at midnight. Radio kept the brunette company. She hummed along to country western songs blazing a trail. Running from something. She was always on the go. No destination. Just following stars.

And, morning purple came mixed with sherbet orange as she drove into Lubbock. She pulled the truck over at a rest area and looked east. Watched the sun glimmer a little. It was 5:42 in the morning. She felt at home.