Checkout Time [Led Astray]
Jackknife! Severen awoke with a start, kicking himself back across the soft ground, until he fell and hit something harder. It felt like a wood floor. He blinked, and he took stock of his surroundings. Well, he wasn't outside, that's for damn sure. The "soft ground" he was on before was actually a bed. The sheets were simple, and white, without any of the comforters he normally saw in a hotel room. A glance at the door confirmed it. No locks. It either mean this wasn't a hotel, or that the gang had rented one of them expensive suites. He listened for the usual noises of a hotel: vending machines, ice machines, staff wandering around, whatever. Nothing, except for a clock ticking outside the door.

Whatever here was, they'd been here a while. The windows were covered with Mylar and foil, as usual, but the tape showed obvious signs of settling. The glue had come out along the sides, catching dust and small bugs. On closer inspection, a small tear revealed that the window itself was painted black. I'm gonna have to patch it again. What? Looking again at the window, he noticed the covering was layered, and yes, some sections were patched.

Now, where was everyone else? He didn't hear anyone, but that didn't stop him from checking. "Hey, Jesse!" No response. "Daimondback! Mae? Homer?" As he said each name, and got no answer, he became a bit more hesitant. Must be out hunting, he thought to himself. Then again, that didn't explain why he got the bed. Normally he slept on a chair, or the floor. Wherever there was room, really, he weren't very picky. Jesse and Daimondback normally got the bed.

Severen tried to piece together what happened. None of it made any sense. Last thing he remembered, that damn Colton boy was trying to run him down with a Semi. Stupid kid. What the hell he think he was going to do with that truck? Ain't been the first time Severen was hit with a vehicle, and just like before, he survived. In fact, he wasn't any worse for wear. Caleb's sharp thinking with the cops at the hotel must have been a fluke. He had no sense, that kid, and now more than ever Severen wished he'd cut the boys head of like he was fixin' to when they first met. That little pigfucking cowboy tried to destroy their family, for what? So he could run back to the nothing town, become human again, and try to live a normal life? Turn his back on their hospitality? Their gift?

Mae sure could pick 'em. Next time she got her emotions involved and tried to turn someone, Severen would do them all a favor and get rid of whoever it was before he caused trouble. Maybe make sure he got a sunbath, and let Mae believe he tried to help the fucker. After all, he didn't want to hurt her feelings. His baby sister might make some mistakes, but it didn't mean she deserved to get her heart broken again.

None of this explained were he was now, however. Maybe the truck hurt him more than he thought. Damaged his head a little. It might explain why he was in the bed. It might explain why he couldn't remember anything since. It might, but it didn't explain all of it.

A hunger pang hit his stomach, interrupting his thoughts. Wherever he was, and whatever reason he had for being here, he needed to get some blood, and soon. He walked over to the dresser, and threw on a pair of pants, and a plain white t-shirt. He grabbed both his jacket and boots from the closet, and put them on. Then he got his keys and wallet from the first drawer of the nightstand, and walked out of the bedroom, through the rest of the apartment, and out the door. He locked it behind him without hesitation, instinctively knowing which key was the right one.

It didn't even cross his mind that any of his actions should have surprised him. Nor did he wonder how he got his second spur back.