Monster Truck Blues (Part 1 of 3)
At first, he was just bored, but as he passed all the local channels he spotted something interesting. It was the tail end of a commercial and by the time he surfed 20 channels back, it cut back to the program, a fishing show. This would have been a problem if not for the miraculous modern human technology that allowed him to rewind (and even record!) the last few minutes of live TV. He grinned, pressing and holding the rewind.
Once he was done, he plopped down on the carpet, sitting way too close to the big screen (but there was no one to yell at him to move, so there he stayed) and pressed “Play,” holding the remote tightly to his chest in anticipation.
Guitars trilled and motors revved as a flash of flames flooded the screen, cutting to a blue-colored truck with oversized wheels blasting up a hill and flinging itself through a ring of fire.
A booming voice began yelling out, “Witness as 20 of the Greatest Monster Trucks of All-Time face off in a fearsome battle royale! Last truck standing wins!” More video clips flashed with the cars crashing and smashing and rolling over each other. Explosions and clouds of dust covered the screen.
Sonic’s mouth was hanging wide open as brightly-colored text assaulted the screen, the voice continuing, “Tickets on sale now! Be there this Sunday night only at Magic City Arena for the Monster Truck Event of a Lifetime: Monster Brawl 2020! Call now or go online to reserve your VIP tickets now to win a chance to ride on your favorite monster truck! This is the brawl to end them all! Monster Brawl 2020!”
“The brawl to end them all,” Sonic repeated slowly, already imagining himself in the driver’s seat of the biggest, fiercest truck, wrecking everything in site, screaming at the top of his lungs, his fingers flashing the devil horns sign out the window to a raucous crowd in the stands that cheered his name.
Sonic rewound the commercial and watched it five more times, noticing new details he missed with each new viewing. His grin grew wider and wider. He couldn’t wait. And thankfully, he didn’t have to wait, because it was happening tomorrow night! What could be better!?
However, there one was only one thing left to do. Convince Donut Lord to drive him to Billings, Montana.
No problem, though! Definitely no problem! He was cool, calm, and collected. He just needed to butter him up a little, and Sonic knew exactly how to do that.
Seconds later, he was racing down the sidewalk of Main Street, coming to a halt just outside Tom’s favorite place, the Jellee Donut Shop. The bell tinkled as Sonic entered slowly, as Tom had taught him. This lack of speed was really inefficient, but he also didn’t want to spook Lacey behind the counter.
“Sonic!” The chubby older woman said brightly, leaning over the counter, “What can I do for you today?”
“Hey Lace, I’ve got a special order. I’d like-“
She shushed him, “Hold on. Who exactly is paying for this ‘special order’?”
“Paying?”
Oh right, he thought, Money. Pretty much the worst thing humans ever invented – mainly because he never had enough to do anything he wanted.
“Can’t you just add it to my tab?” He pleaded, trying to look as innocent as possible.
She crossed her arms. “No can do. Tom paid off your tab, and he told me not to add anything else to it.”
“Aw man,” Sonic slumped against the glass counter, staring at the glittering sugary treasures stuck inside. “But I don’t have any money…”
“Sorry, sugar-foot. No dough, no dough…nuts.” She chuckled.
Sonic moved his head up just enough to glare at her over the edge of the counter. The pun stung his pride most of all.
“Now, now, don’t give me that face. What on Earth do you want this ‘special order’ for, anyhow?”
“For Tom,” he admitted.
“Oh, I see now. You’re trying to butter him up for something.”
“How did you know?! Can you read minds?” He smirked at her.
She laughed brightly. “So you think you’re the first one who’s ever come in here trying to sweet-talk someone with sweets?”
Sonic sighed, laying his cheek against the cool glass. So much for this plan.
“Don’t look so glum. Tell you what, if you make a couple quick deliveries for me this morning, I’ll box up a half-dozen of his favorites. Is that a deal?”
“Deal!” Sonic said, jumping up to shake her hand over the counter. “Thanks, Lacey!”
“Here you go,” she said, setting a few pink boxes in a line on the counter. “The receipts have the delivery addresses on them.”
“Got it!” He picked up the first box, examining the tiny receipt stuck to the top. The first one was for the head librarian, Amanda. Too easy! The library wasn’t even that far from Main Street.
He spun the pink box on his finger like a basketball.
“Careful!” Lacey lunged over the counter to grab it, but he smirked, stepping out of her way, still spinning the box, “You make sure those arrive intact!” She shouted after him as he walked towards the door.
“Do-nut worry!” He said with a wink, the bell tinkling softly as he exited.
Lacey sighed, shaking her head, “That boy…”
A moment later he blasted away, blowing one poor pedestrian’s newspaper into their face.
It had been a lot easier when he didn’t have to slow down for everyone, but that was back then, back when he had to hide and steal to survive, back when he was living in the woods and having to dodge Crazy Carl’s latest contraptions every night. This felt good though. He was doing a good deed and getting what he wanted at the same time!
Operation: Bribe the Sheriff couldn’t fail.
Each of the deliveries went well, though everyone was surprised to see Sonic making the delivery. They all asked him if this was his first job and he wasn’t sure how to respond. He did enjoy delivering things, especially when the people were so happy not only to see him but receive their order.
A fleeting thought flickered through his mind. Maybe I could get a part-time job?
He’d have to ask for Donut Lord’s permission first though. But what could it hurt? It was in town, and here in Green Hills, he could just be himself. He didn’t have to hide from anyone here. He decided to file away the idea for later. Right now, he had one goal in mind: seeing the brawl to end them all.
Soon enough, Sonic returned after his last delivery.
“Lordy, that was fast!” Lacey said, offering him the small pink box, “I only just finished packing them up!”
“Sonic’s the name, speed’s my game!” He said with a wink and a pose.
“I wish I had half your energy, sugar-foot. Now, you tell Tom I said hello.”
“I will! Thanks again!”
“No, thank you. Now I can take an early lunch break.”
Lacey seemed really pleased, and that made Sonic happy too. He waved to her outside the Jellee Donut Shop window as she returned the gesture, flipping over her “Out To Lunch” sign.
He looked down at the small pink box in his hands. Then he zoomed back home with what he hoped was his golden ticket to see the brawl to end them all.
By the time he arrived back at 55 Plymouth Road, Donut Lord and Pretzel Lady were already engaging in their favorite Saturday morning past-time: lounging on the couch together, each armed with a tall coffee tumbler.
“Speak of the devil,” Tom said as Sonic opened the front door, immediately greeted by Ozzie who bounded up to Sonic and licked his face.
“Did you hear that Ozzie? He called me a devil? Do you think I’m a devil? What’s that? I’m a perfect little angel! You really are a hedgehog’s best friend.”
“I know you can’t really talk to him,” Tom said.
“You’ll never prove it,” Sonic laughed and Ozzie trotted beside him as he came in, holding out the pink box.
“What’s that?” Maddie asked.
“I bring an offering for the Mighty Donut Lord,” Sonic said, bowing on one knee to present the box to him.
Tom looked skeptical as he set his coffee tumbler aside and took the box, eyeing Sonic suspiciously as he opened it, “Where did you get these?”
“Uh, hello? Jellee Donut Shop. The only one in town… Unless you’re holding out on me? You’re not holding out on me, are you?” Sonic looked genuinely worried for a moment.
“No, it’s the only one,” Maddie confirmed and Sonic relaxed, folding his arms behind his head.
Tom indicated the box, “I mean how. How did you get these? You didn’t…” He lowered his voice, “You didn’t steal these, did you?”
“Tom!” Maddie exclaimed.
Sonic glared, folding his arms, “No! I earned ’em, fair and square. I did a few deliveries for Lacey today. Oh, and she says hi, by the way.”
Tom sighed with relief, collapsing back into the couch. The donut box sat open and uneaten on his lap.
Maddie elbowed him gently.
“What?” he mouthed.
“Apologize,” she mouthed back, nodding to Sonic.
“I’m sorry, Sonic.”
“It’s cool,” he waved it off, “Do you like them?”
Tom inspected the donuts. “Hey, these are all my favorites. What’s the occasion?”
“Do I need an occasion to spoil my best friend in the whole world?” Sonic said with the most sweet and innocent face he could muster.
“Call it a hunch, but I have a feeling you do. Now, what is it you want?”
This was it. Sonic had been practicing his presentation all morning in his mind as he ran his deliveries, determining the perfect words to express how amazing the Monster Brawl was and how even more amazing Tom would be for driving Sonic there. Who knows? Maybe Maddie and Ozzie could come along too! Or even Cousin Jojo and Aunt Rachel! What could be better than a real family road trip? (Especially one without a certain genocidal scientist chasing them across the west coast!)
Sonic grabbed the remote and queued up the recorded commercial. He faced the TV and took a deep breath, closing his eyes. This was it. Now or never.
Tom and Maddie nearly fell off the couch as Sonic raced around, pulling all the curtains shut and blocking out most of the available light by hanging up quilts and blankets, save for a floor lamp which he precariously arched toward him, using the lamp shade as a spotlight, beaming on himself standing in front of the TV. A song began to play from their stereo. Tom raised an eyebrow, was that the soundtrack to… Days of Thunder?
“Can you picture it, Tom?” Sonic was impossibly standing next to him, arm around his shoulder, the ‘spotlight’ somehow managing to follow him as he walked towards the TV.
“A family road trip the likes of which no Wachowski has seen before. An epic journey of unimaginable proportions!”
“And what will their final destination be?”
“Sonic, what are you-” The lights went out again, but only briefly, as the TV flickered on at maximum volume, Tom and Maddie covering their ears as the Monster Brawl commercial played in its full glory.
“Sonic! Turn it down!” But Sonic didn’t hear Tom at all. Ozzie began barking.
A variety of colored lights rippled around them – which was basically Sonic twirling handfuls of freshly snapped glowsticks from different locations, seemingly at the same time.
As the commercial ended, Sonic ended with a flourish, blinding all of them by flinging open the curtains and dropping all the blankets. They were covering their eyes so they missed the final pose he struck, flinging confetti into the air.
Sonic held his pose in silence for a few moments, breathing heavily, a little drunk on his own excitement, eagerly glancing between both of his guardians, looking for any shred of approval as they opened their eyes and looked around. The confetti settled all around them like a quiet snowfall.
“Ta-da!” Sonic said, emphasizing his pose.
“Is it over?” Maddie whispered softly.
“I think so,” Tom replied.
Ozzie whined and ran out of the living room, heading out the back doggie door.
Sonic was still holding the pose. He was getting tired of holding still for so long, but he kept up his giant grin. It had to have worked. It had to! They were just too thrilled to say anything! A piece of confetti landed on his nose. He blew it off with a quick puff.
“So, who’s ready for our first family road trip?” Sonic added, but he didn’t sound so sure of himself now.
Tom and Maddie looked at each other. Maddie seemed to shake her head slightly and he nodded. Sonic wasn’t sure what to make of that. They seemed to have their own little language sometimes.
Tom motioned him over and Sonic finally relaxed from his pose. Tom patted the ottoman in front of him and Sonic plopped down on it, hands clasped, feet swinging back and forth, stirring up a bit more confetti.
“You do realize that monster truck show is tomorrow night, right?” Tom said.
“I know! Isn’t it great? I hate waiting!”
“Magic City Arena is in Billings,” Maddie said, “That’s a three-hour drive from here, not counting the three hours back the other direction. That’s a long day of driving.”
“Alright! How about… We could stay the night there!? Drive back on Monday morning?”
“Tom and I have work on Monday, and you have school,” Maddie said gently.
“Then I’ll just run there myself!”
“No, you’re not going alone to a big city,” Tom said.
“Big city?! Billings is way smaller than San Francisco!”
“That may be true, but we can’t let you go to Billings all by yourself.”
“What!? C’mon! You guys never let me go anywhere outside of Green Hills!”
“That’s because you’re safe here,” she said.
“Safe from what!? Robotnik’s gone!”
“You watch your tone,” Tom said, “Frankly, it’s a miracle the U.S. government hasn’t sent any other maniacal scientists here looking for you. Is that what you want? You want them to find you and experiment on you?”
Sonic huffed and shook his head, his ears flattening.
Tom knelt down to him. “Look, I know how badly you want to go. I’ll take you to the monster truck show next year. I promise.”
“Next year!? I can’t wait that long! I wanna go now!” He was starting to whine a bit. He knew it, but he couldn’t help it. It wasn’t fair.
“You need to learn that you can’t always get what you want,” Maddie said, kneeling next to Tom.
“What are you guys gonna do, stop me?” Sonic snickered. As if.
Maddie’s eyes widened. “Excuse me?”
“Alright. You need to apologize to Maddie and lose that bad attitude right now,” Tom said.
“Or what?” Sonic dared.
“That’s it. You’re grounded. Go to your cave.”
“What?! What is grounded!?”
“It means you’re in big trouble.” Tom pointed up to the attic, “You’re not leaving your cave until we say so.”
“No!” Sonic stood up, clenching his fists. An energy began building up in him. He couldn’t control it.
“Okay then. Now you’re grounded for the rest of the weekend.”
“What?!”
“If you don’t want more, then go upstairs.”
“No! You can’t tell me what to do!” His irises turned bright blue and his quills began to glow.
Tom stood up. “When you live under my roof, yes, I can tell you what to do. Now go.”
Sonic glanced nervously between the both of them. They were both glaring now, but there was also a bit of fear. Fear at his power. His big mouth had gotten him into trouble once again. It just wasn’t fair though! Why was he being punished for asking for something he really wanted? Where was the sense in that? He could do anything he wanted when he was living by himself. Maybe he was just kidding himself? He felt the tears coming, but he pushed them back, replacing them with anger.
“Then maybe I don’t want to live under your roof anymore!” he yelled, his quills sparking.
Before Tom or Maddie could get in another word, they were blown back onto the couch by the force of Sonic’s speed, the front door slamming loudly behind him, rattling the entire house. A bunch of picture frames fell off the walls, including one recent one that had all three of them in it and Ozzie licking Sonic’s face. The left corner was cracked, spreading diagonally, a few shards tinkling on the floor.
“You okay?” Maddie asked as she offered Tom a hand up.
He rubbed his forehead. “What on Earth possessed me to take in a super-powered teenager from another planet?”
“Because you love him. And I do too,” she pulled him close and they hugged each other tightly. “He’s just got some growing up to do. He’s had to take care of himself for the last 10 years.”
“I know,” He kissed her forehead, “I’ll go after him.”
“Do you want me to come with?”
“No, you should stay here, in case he comes back.”
She nodded and kissed his cheek. “I’ll call you if he does.”
Tom had a good idea where Sonic might have gone.
Tom knelt down in front of the large hole in the forest floor. Sonic had been living here for 10 years, by himself, without anyone (save for Crazy Carl) being the wiser. If there was anywhere else he felt safe, it was probably here.
“Sonic?” He shouted into the hole. It echoed a little. “It’s me.”
Tom sat back on his haunches for a moment but heard no answer.
“Don’t make me crawl in there,” he muttered, but did so anyway. It wasn’t the first time, as it had taken him and Maddie quite a while to move all of his things out of here into his new room in their attic, but it wasn’t exactly designed for anyone taller than Sonic.
When Tom did emerge into the larger portion of the cave, he was surprised to see that Sonic wasn’t here. Something else was though. He reached down and picked up an envelope with his name on it.
Tom sighed. This wasn’t good.
After hesitating, he opened it and pulled out a hastily scribbled letter. He recognized Sonic’s handwriting immediately:
Dear Donut Lord,
By the time you read this, I’ll be in Billings. I borrowed your GPS from your truck, but I’ll bring it back. Please don’t follow me. I promise I won’t let anyone see me. I’ll be back home by 10:30pm tomorrow. Then you can ground me all you want.
Love,
Sonic
“Why did I show him how to work my GPS?” Tom said, but he knew that even lack of direction wouldn’t stop Sonic from finding what he wanted.
At the very least, Tom knew exactly where Sonic had gone, but bringing him back was going to be a headache. He had to go, though. If anything happened to that little blue devil, he’d never forgive himself.