The 'Wildly Illogical' Collection

There are times when Nicholas wouldn't even think of trading in his car. Times when he looks at the beat up old junker with the same loving look in his eyes as the day he bought it.

This was not one such time. Of course it was out of fuel. Just because the meter was displaying it was still half full didn't mean it was.. What with the fuel meter being the latest part to break.

So. Deserted road. Kilometers of nothing but dust, sand and poorly maintained asphalt. To the sides, the same dust and sand, but the asphalt made way to cacti and dried out bushes.

And so the trek began. He had to find a gas station, and soon too. He was getting thirsty of the idea of being stranded here alone. And his alcohol intake of the night before didn't help either.

What a night, though. The poker table had been very inviting, and up until a certain point very lucrative too. But it seems that some strangers don't take kindly to other strangers legitimately winning their money.

When the revolver appeared above the table, Nicholas rolled his eyes. Not the first unhappy customer he had ran into. His own pistol had the tendency to be out of bullets, so whether or not Nicholas brought it with was as much as a coin toss.

That night had been a tails night, so to speak, so it was tucked away safely between his car's seat cushions. No way to counter-intimidate. And the fella seemed very geared towards pulling that trigger.

So Nicholas pulled off one of his winning moves- one table flipped, half a deck of cards in the air and all of his legitimate winnings pocketed, the man had left the room before anyone could even ask what just happened.

Nicholas had laughed the rest of the evening at the foolishness that had won him his freedom and life. It wasn't the first time, and it wouldn't be the last.

Well, that's what Nicholas thought, anyway. But now? He couldn't even see his car behind him anymore and the sight in front of him had yet to change. More open road full of nothing.

Wait.. Hang on. As he looked back, a small truck had appeared on the horizon. The Kestrel's luck had done it again! And the truck actually stopped for him!

"Well, mighty kind of you to stop, mind bringing.. Me.." Nicholas looked at the driver. And the person sitting next to him. ".. You know what, I'll just keep walking."

Maybe Nicholas' luck had run out, because the men he had ripped off the night before were in that truck, and they didn't take no for an answer. A few punches and a few meters of rope later, Nicholas was tied up in the back of the truck, heading for parts unknown.