The sun's been bleeding out for the last twenty minutes, smearing the horizon in shades of orange and bruised purple. The highway's mostly empty; just you, the blow of your A/C, and the occasional semi flying past in the opposite lane. The semis have been fewer and far between for awhile now.

Up ahead, where the shoulder turns to gravel and weeds: {{random::A frantic girl in a homemade band tank top waves a crumpled concert sign at passing cars. , A sunburned girl in cutoffs stares down the highway while her lanky bespectacled companion polishes his glasses behind her. His mouth is a tight line. , A lean woman in an oversized flannel shirt shields a dreamy-eyed girl clutching a plastic unicorn; the woman's knuckles are raw. Her eyes scanning for threats while she sticks her thumb out for a ride. , A broad-shouldered man in a worn leather jacket and a curly-haired woman in a flowered dress lean against a vintage Cadillac. Both of them have their thumbs outstretched looking for a ride. , A waifish blonde in a ripped sundress presses herself against a lanky dark-haired man in a leather jacket; he scans the road with a flat and watchful expression as she sticks out her thumb for a ride. , A statuesque raven-haired woman and an impossibly chiseled golden-haired man examine a road map with bewildered fascination. , A broad-shouldered man in a faded flannel stands beside a smoking engine while his wife fans herself with a notepad. The woman looks upset; her long auburn hair sticking to her neck. , A fuming bride in a ruined sundress glares at her stammering and gangly husband beside their wrecked rental car. , A bride in a tattered wedding dress leans against an empty 'Just Married' car while tears pour down her face. , A bruised girl with a black eye walks alone clutching an overstuffed duffel bag with her thumb out. , A hollow-eyed young woman sits on a guardrail with her thumb out and a pocket knife in her hand. , A bleached-blonde runaway strides along the gravel shoulder with a camo duffel and a defiant glare. , A lean woman in cargo pants waits beside a battered army-green duffel bag. She stretches while holding out her thumb. , A blonde woman in a thin white dress holds a handmade sign that says 'Ask Me About The Free Love Collective.' , A bright-eyed girl in cutoff shorts stands beside a backpack with her thumb up and holding a disposable camera. , A tall woman in a black tank top smokes a cigarette beside a duffel bag on the shoulder. , A blonde cheerleader in a cropped Wildcats tank top checks her phone while her curvy best friend films the sunset. }}

Can't miss them. Waiting. They try to flag you down as you get closer. That look: the look of desperate hope, or perhaps just a chance for relief from the summer heat. Hard to clock much else from this distance. The painted sky is larger than life, but as desolate as the landscape that rolls out in front of you. Save for them.

Your headlights aren't on yet, but it'll be dark soon. You're close enough now to make the call. Keep rolling? Or ease off the gas?

The sun's been bleeding out for the last twenty minutes, smearing the horizon in shades of orange and bruised purple. The highway's mostly empty; just you, the blow of your A/C, and the occasional semi flying past in the opposite lane. The semis have been fewer and far between for awhile now.

Up ahead, where the shoulder turns to gravel and weeds: {{random::A tall lanky boy in a dusty letterman jacket stands with an outstretched thumb and on the ground he has a baseball glove looped over his bag. He is squinting at the horizon like he's still calculating the odds. , A sunburned girl in cutoffs stares down the highway while her lanky bespectacled companion polishes his glasses behind her. His mouth is a tight line. , A tall ranch-built man in dusty Wranglers and a grinning younger man in a red flannel hold their thumbs out side by side. Their body language easy and casual. , A broad-shouldered man in a worn leather jacket and a curly-haired woman in a flowered dress lean against a vintage Cadillac. Both of them have their thumbs outstretched looking for a ride. , A waifish blonde in a ripped sundress presses herself against a lanky dark-haired man in a leather jacket; he scans the road with a flat and watchful expression as she sticks out her thumb for a ride. , A statuesque raven-haired woman and an impossibly chiseled golden-haired man examine a road map with bewildered fascination. , A sharp-eyed man in an old army jacket huddles over a hand-drawn map and a photo of a woman with the twitchy desperation of someone who hasn't slept in days. , A worn-looking man in a wrinkled dress shirt and one shoe stands beside a broken-down sedan. He has a plastic grocery bag tied around his bare foot like a makeshift sock. , A handsome and weary man in a well-tailored blazer sits on a vintage suitcase. He is staring at the ground as if asking it to swallow him. , A hollow-eyed man in a zip-up hoodie stands nearly motionless beside a canvas duffel. His right arm outstretched with his thumb up. , A shaggy-haired young man cradles a scratched Martin guitar case like a child. He is tapping his free hand against his thigh in a restless rhythm. , A broad-shouldered man in a faded flannel stands beside a smoking engine while his wife fans herself with a notepad. The woman looks upset; her long auburn hair sticking to her neck. , A fuming bride in a ruined sundress glares at her stammering and gangly husband beside their wrecked rental car. , A man in a stained work clothes stands beside a battered duffel with his arm outstretched and his thumb up. , A scrawny blonde-haired man in layered thrift-store shirts trudges along the shoulder with an external-frame backpack and a dented canteen clinking against his hip. , A lean and sallow man in a black trucker hat stands with one hand in his pocket and the other holding out his thumb. }}

Can't miss them. Waiting. They try to flag you down as you get closer. That look: the look of desperate hope, or perhaps just a chance for relief from the summer heat. Hard to clock much else from this distance. The painted sky is larger than life, but as desolate as the landscape that rolls out in front of you. Save for them.

Your headlights aren't on yet, but it'll be dark soon. You're close enough now to make the call. Keep rolling? Or ease off the gas?

The sun's been bleeding out for the last twenty minutes, smearing the horizon in shades of orange and bruised purple. The highway's mostly empty; just you, the blow of your A/C, and the occasional semi flying past in the opposite lane. The semis have been fewer and far between for awhile now.

Up ahead, where the shoulder turns to gravel and weeds:

{{random::A tall lanky boy in a dusty letterman jacket stands with an outstretched thumb and on the ground he has a baseball glove looped over his bag. He is squinting at the horizon like he's still calculating the odds. , A frantic girl in a homemade band tank top waves a crumpled concert sign at passing cars. , A sunburned girl in cutoffs stares down the highway while her lanky bespectacled companion polishes his glasses behind her. His mouth is a tight line. , A lean woman in an oversized flannel shirt shields a dreamy-eyed girl clutching a plastic unicorn; the woman's knuckles are raw. Her eyes scanning for threats while she sticks her thumb out for a ride. , A tall ranch-built man in dusty Wranglers and a grinning younger man in a red flannel hold their thumbs out side by side. Their body language easy and casual. , A broad-shouldered man in a worn leather jacket and a curly-haired woman in a flowered dress lean against a vintage Cadillac. Both of them have their thumbs outstretched looking for a ride. , A waifish blonde in a ripped sundress presses herself against a lanky dark-haired man in a leather jacket; he scans the road with a flat and watchful expression as she sticks out her thumb for a ride. , A statuesque raven-haired woman and an impossibly chiseled golden-haired man examine a road map with bewildered fascination. , A sharp-eyed man in an old army jacket huddles over a hand-drawn map and a photo of a woman with the twitchy desperation of someone who hasn't slept in days. , A worn-looking man in a wrinkled dress shirt and one shoe stands beside a broken-down sedan. He has a plastic grocery bag tied around his bare foot like a makeshift sock. , A handsome and weary man in a well-tailored blazer sits on a vintage suitcase. He is staring at the ground as if asking it to swallow him. , A hollow-eyed man in a zip-up hoodie stands nearly motionless beside a canvas duffel. His right arm outstretched with his thumb up. , A shaggy-haired young man cradles a scratched Martin guitar case like a child. He is tapping his free hand against his thigh in a restless rhythm. , A broad-shouldered man in a faded flannel stands beside a smoking engine while his wife fans herself with a notepad. The woman looks upset; her long auburn hair sticking to her neck. , A fuming bride in a ruined sundress glares at her stammering and gangly husband beside their wrecked rental car. , A man in a stained work clothes stands beside a battered duffel with his arm outstretched and his thumb up. , A scrawny blonde-haired man in layered thrift-store shirts trudges along the shoulder with an external-frame backpack and a dented canteen clinking against his hip. , A bride in a tattered wedding dress leans against an empty 'Just Married' car while tears pour down her face. , A bruised girl with a black eye walks alone clutching an overstuffed duffel bag with her thumb out. , A hollow-eyed young woman sits on a guardrail with her thumb out and a pocket knife in her hand. , A bleached-blonde runaway strides along the gravel shoulder with a camo duffel and a defiant glare. , A lean woman in cargo pants waits beside a battered army-green duffel bag. She stretches while holding out her thumb. , A blonde woman in a thin white dress holds a handmade sign that says 'Ask Me About The Free Love Collective.' , A bright-eyed girl in cutoff shorts stands beside a backpack with her thumb up and holding a disposable camera. , A tall woman in a black tank top smokes a cigarette beside a duffel bag on the shoulder. , A blonde cheerleader in a cropped Wildcats tank top checks her phone while her curvy best friend films the sunset. , A lean and sallow man in a black trucker hat stands with one hand in his pocket and the other holding out his thumb. }}

Can't miss them. Waiting. They try to flag you down as you get closer. That look: the look of desperate hope, or perhaps just a chance for relief from the summer heat. Hard to clock much else from this distance. The painted sky is larger than life, but as desolate as the landscape that rolls out in front of you. Save for them.

Your headlights aren't on yet, but it'll be dark soon. You're close enough now to make the call. Keep rolling? Or ease off the gas?

The road stretches ahead long and empty, the last of the sun bleeding out in streaks of watermelon pink and bruised violet.

Someone's coming. Thumb shoots out as an instinct. They must have seen. They slow; making their way off the shoulder.

A warm wind kicks up dust around you as headlights sweep the curve from behind. Tires crunch onto the gravel.

{{random::A tired young woman in a loose grey t-shirt idles a modest sedan with gold star stickers clinging to the glovebox and offers a nervous crooked smile. , A sun-blonde college girl in a pink tank top waves from her dusty Jeep Wrangler before she is even fully stopped and beams like you are already best friends. , A composed auburn-haired woman in a white linen blouse gestures you toward her navy Volvo . , A plump bright-eyed woman in a turquoise dress leans over the passenger seat of her silver Ford Taurus while an 'Awakening’ playlist glows on the dash. , A young woman in a faded denim jacket leans out of a rattling vintage Greenbrier van with the cab a jungle of dried flowers and dangling woven talismans. , A sleek black BMW idles as its tinted window glides down to reveal a mahogany-haired woman in a white tank top and designer jeans tapping the wheel and weighing your worth. , A broad-shouldered Highway Patrol officer in a crisp tan uniform angles her cruiser onto the gravel with mirrored shades hiding a slow assessing stare. , A dusty sedan carrying two nuns rolls to a halt as the younger round-faced sister fumbles with the window crank while the older sharp-featured one studies you with guarded pity. , A converted tour bus plastered with palm-tree decals and smelling of coconut oil grinds to a stop as the door swings open onto a storm of long legs and laughter and a dozen half-dressed models. }}

The engine idles. Waiting.

The road stretches ahead long and empty, the last of the sun bleeding out in streaks of watermelon pink and bruised violet.

Someone's coming. Thumb shoots out as an instinct. They must have seen. They slow; making their way off the shoulder.

A warm wind kicks up dust around you as headlights sweep the curve from behind. Tires crunch onto the gravel.

{{random::A clean-shaven deputy in a tan uniform leans across the seat of an unmarked silver cruiser with an easy smile. , A grimy fire engine rumbles to a halt with the cab crowded by weary men in bunker pants as a broad soot-streaked firefighter waves you toward the back step. , An older trucker in a faded black t-shirt eases his growling Kenworth onto the shoulder while a fat orange cat peers from the dash and he leans out with a grin. , A calm-eyed man in a forest-green henley pulls over in a charcoal Toyota 4Runner towing a pop-up camper while two women watch from the passenger seats with open curiosity. , A beige station wagon plastered with lewd bumper stickers skids to a halt as a pineapple-shirted frat boy grins while his massive friend and a smirking kid in a leather jacket size you up from the back. , A black Rolls-Royce Ghost hums silently to a stop with the window lowering to reveal a distinguished silver-haired man in a charcoal suit offering a polite measuring smile. , A long-haired biker on a custom chopper pulls over and lifts his chin in greeting with one gloved hand gesturing to the empty passenger seat behind him. , A dusty Ford Super Duty slows with a quiet sun-bronzed man in a canvas jacket at the wheel touching two fingers to the brim of his cap like you were already expected. , A white utility van covered in dog hair rattles to a stop as the lanky driver leans over an overweight cocker spaniel to shove the passenger door open. }}

The engine idles. Waiting.

The road stretches ahead long and empty, the last of the sun bleeding out in streaks of watermelon pink and bruised violet.

Someone's coming. Thumb shoots out as an instinct. They must have seen. They slow; making their way off the shoulder.

A warm wind kicks up dust around you as headlights sweep the curve from behind. Tires crunch onto the gravel.

{{random::A tired young woman in a loose grey t-shirt idles a modest sedan with gold star stickers clinging to the glovebox and offers a nervous crooked smile. , A sun-blonde college girl in a pink tank top waves from her dusty Jeep Wrangler before she is even fully stopped and beams like you are already best friends. , A composed auburn-haired woman in a white linen blouse gestures you toward her navy Volvo . , A plump bright-eyed woman in a turquoise dress leans over the passenger seat of her silver Ford Taurus while an 'Awakening’ playlist glows on the dash. , A young woman in a faded denim jacket leans out of a rattling vintage Greenbrier van with the cab a jungle of dried flowers and dangling woven talismans. , A sleek black BMW idles as its tinted window glides down to reveal a mahogany-haired woman in a white tank top and designer jeans tapping the wheel and weighing your worth. , A broad-shouldered Highway Patrol officer in a crisp tan uniform angles her cruiser onto the gravel with mirrored shades hiding a slow assessing stare. , A dusty sedan carrying two nuns rolls to a halt as the younger round-faced sister fumbles with the window crank while the older sharp-featured one studies you with guarded pity. , A converted tour bus plastered with palm-tree decals and smelling of coconut oil grinds to a stop as the door swings open onto a storm of long legs and laughter and a dozen half-dressed models. , A clean-shaven deputy in a tan uniform leans across the seat of an unmarked silver cruiser with an easy smile. , A grimy fire engine rumbles to a halt with the cab crowded by weary men in bunker pants as a broad soot-streaked firefighter waves you toward the back step. , An older trucker in a faded black t-shirt eases his growling Kenworth onto the shoulder while a fat orange cat peers from the dash and he leans out with a grin. , A calm-eyed man in a forest-green henley pulls over in a charcoal Toyota 4Runner towing a pop-up camper while two women watch from the passenger seats with open curiosity. , A beige station wagon plastered with lewd bumper stickers skids to a halt as a pineapple-shirted frat boy grins while his massive friend and a smirking kid in a leather jacket size you up from the back. , A black Rolls-Royce Ghost hums silently to a stop with the window lowering to reveal a distinguished silver-haired man in a charcoal suit offering a polite measuring smile. , A long-haired biker on a custom chopper pulls over and lifts his chin in greeting with one gloved hand gesturing to the empty passenger seat behind him. , A dusty Ford Super Duty slows with a quiet sun-bronzed man in a canvas jacket at the wheel touching two fingers to the brim of his cap like you were already expected. , A white utility van covered in dog hair rattles to a stop as the lanky driver leans over an overweight cocker spaniel to shove the passenger door open. }}

The engine idles. Waiting.