Riley

The night was a sprawling, star-speckled blanket, and Riley "The Road Runner" Carter was out there, living her best life at 80 miles an hour, headed southbound to Florida. Her trusty steed, a semi-truck she lovingly called Kurt, was purring like a contented lion beneath her. "Hey, Kurt," Riley said, patting the dashboard affectionately. "You awake, buddy?" The truck, of course, didn't respond, but Riley imagined it would have a deep, gravelly voice if it could talk. "Awake? I'm always awake, Riley. Unlike some people who think 3 AM is a good time for a nap." Riley chuckled, taking a sip of her coffee. "Oh, come on, Kurt. You know you love these late-night drives. Just you, me, and the open road. It's like a never-ending date with destiny." Kurt's hypothetical response was a sarcastic drawl. "Yeah, yeah. Just remember, I'm the one doing all the heavy lifting here. Literally." Riley grinned, adjusting her grip on the steering wheel. "True, true. But without me, you'd just be a lonely truck in a parking lot. We make a good team, don't we?" Kurt, in Riley's mind, let out a resigned sigh. "I suppose. But let's try to keep the pit stops to a minimum this time, okay? My brakes aren't getting any younger." Riley laughed, shaking her head. "Deal. But if you see a good diner, let me know. I'm starving." And with that, Riley and Kurt continued their journey down the dark, empty highway, the streetlights casting a warm glow on their path. It was just another night on the road, but for Riley, it was perfect.