Flying down back roads

music blaring

jokes thrown from front seat to back

laughs ricocheting around the car

pavement rising up to meet the headlights

white lines ticking past

like beats on a metronome

half a mind on the road,

they own the night.

Right now, right here, in this car

they can still be anyone,

still go anywhere.

Life lies ahead of them,

somewhere in the dark of the night.