My phone alarm wakes me from sleep. Turning it off, I get out of the bed with only my night pants on and start some exercising.
Tanker watches me go up and down with each push up I do. After reaching a hundred, I get up to my knees and breath in deeply. My hands run over the scars that litter my torso. Thoughts of how it all happen try to sneak up on me, but Tanker steps over and nudges me lightly. I shake my head and pet through his fur before standing from the floor and walk to the bathroom, to shower and brush my teeth for the morning.
I throw my clothes on and throw my hygiene items into my duffel. With a fast walk around the room, I unplug and bag all my chargers and ports that I now have fully batteries on for charging my phone being over the road once more. Which is another reason I will get a room every couple of days.
I hand in the room key and check out, before Tanker and I walk next door to the gas station here. I pick up more food and enough drinks to get through the day.
We get back in my truck. At some point I need to swing by a truck wash and have her cleaned. I crank her up and Tanker takes his normal spot, as I move the back curtain to the sleeper and step back there. Placing the duffel bag in the caddy and putting a bungie strap around it to keep in place through the day.
I look around in the small space above my duffel bag at the clothing options I have with me currently. It is probably time to go by the storage area I have paid for since being on the road. No need to have a house or apartment when it would barely get used, so instead I got the storage unit just inside the town my parents still live in.
Not that my parents would give a damn about me. They haven't seen the day my life changed for the worst and blame me for it all. Knowing that I am just some bad reminder to my parents, I don't even bother calling or stopping by. It ended in a fight the last time I called.
My hands grab Tanker's bowl and put his kibble in it. I walk to the front and place it on the seat for him to eat his breakfast. Before I grab mine from the bag and start to eat the chicken biscuit. The air pressure is finally coming up to levels where we will be able to head back out onto the road within the next few minutes, which gives me more than enough time to finish the food.
Flipping on the radio, I turn it to listen in on the traffic around the area. I push in the clutch and pop my brakes off before we set out for the day again. At least by night fall tonight we will make it to the factory for this delivery.
Then tomorrow if it's ready, Tanker and I will be getting loaded up a town over for a new shipment. That will be another few days drive away since it is back to the midwest with the new load to be delivered.
At least right now in the east I am close to my hometown by the time this load is done for. The weather is going to be nice and the trees will be green, so at least no snow or ice on the roads to make the time here around the area I know best miserable with traffic problems.
The sun sets right as we pull up to the factory here in Blue Sky's. This town does have its charm when for the small size it is for actual residents, but it gets lots of tourists from all the things I've heard and seen.
We get the paperwork done and the supervisor was more than impressed with the delivery being early. The workers were quick to get everything out of the trailer before we hit the road again.
Our drive doesn't take long for us to get back to the truck stop by the interstate.
I get the shower paid for and I carry my bag to me to the area. On the way in here I thought I may have seen someone familiar but the years have gone by since I seen the guy.
Just as I am putting on my boxers and jeans from after the shower while still in the cubicle with the water off, Tanker let's out a pained welp.
I pull the curtain back immediately and look down where he always sits by the shower and see him laying on his side. Tanker let's out a whine when he sees me.
I take a step out and lean down to see what is wrong. My breath is taken away as something hard hits my back and makes me fall to the ground.
Training kicks in and I spin to see my attacker.
"I knew it was you Shane. Some business you have coming back into this part of the country. Guess I got lucky just coming to this town today, to kick your ass." A bat and foot come down towards my face.
I grab the bat in time before it makes impact but the foot catches my forehead. Using the leverage on the bat, I swing it off me.
I am quick to stand and face him.
"What the fuck Jermey?" I seethe.
This fucker used to be a good friend to my brother and I before everything happened, but he didn't go in with my brother and I.
"You come in here to attack me and my dog for nothing. While I was in the hospital recovering you never once called or came by to see the state I was in. Then you never showed up for the funeral either with no word from your ass. There is not a thing you can say otherwise because you were informed on it all. I know you was because if one thing is for sure my parents made sure to tell me all about it before they started a fight with me." I fume.
A few guys step out of the showers with towels around their waist and sneak up behind Jermey. One takes the bat away and they hold him, just as police run in the door.
Thank God for small towns, the cops respond so much faster.
I bend down to Tanker and he is sitting up finally but whines when I pet over his stomach area.
"Sir?" I see a cop step up, so I stand and face him.
"We are taking your attacker into the station. There is enough witness to say what he done so charges will be pressed on him for it all. I hear your pooch whimpering, our vet here has after hours. You need to get checked out too." He hands me a card and looks at my face.
"Thanks Officer. Right now, I am more concerned for Tanker." I nod, taking the card and pick Tanker up to walk back to my semi.