Sing Down the Moon - When they were younger and living in the motels Michael couldn't sleep sometimes. The walls were thin and occasionally there would be people on the other side who... did things. Loudly. Michael was old enough to know what they were doing and young enough to blush and squirm against Lincoln's side as he tried to block out the moans and sometimes screams that didn't always sound as if both people in the other room were completely willing.
One night, during a particularly painful sounding bout of screams, Lincoln started singing. It was "Stayin' Alive" by The Beegee's and it was loud and off-key and horrible and Lincoln screamed and shrieked so loud and long that the next day all he could do was whisper and wince. But it was worth it to him to see Michael smile and giggle and laugh.
Carolina Stomp - When Teddy was twelve Jimmy taught him how to dance. They would go into town on the weekends and spend all night dancing with other young men like themselves. In all his years before and all his years since he does not think he's ever heard a sweeter sound then the crunching of teeth and jaw and neck as it snaps and shatters around and against pavement.
Dancing in the Dark - Sheets stick to skin and skin slides and burns and pulls. Muscles cramp and scream and lock and the headboard bangs and bangs against the cheap plaster of the wall. Breaths catch and release and stutter and stop. Voices are silent and throats groan and grunt and tighten and freeze and everything shatters and comes undone and the universe screams and everything just--
No Quarter - When Lincoln was nine and Mikey was five Mom took them to the store. After walking through three aisles Lincoln got bored and, with Mom's permission, helped Mikey out of the cart and they got to go and play in the toy aisle. Mikey ate two army-men and threw a small soccerball at some other kid and Lincoln stuffed a pack of silly-putty under his shirt and then they went to find Mom again to ask for quarters so they could get fake tattoes from the machine by the door. Mom said she needed their quarters to do laundry and that they could draw on each other with pens when they got home if they wanted too.
Lincoln got grounded for a week and got his Nintendo taken away when Mom found out what he did to the toy machine. Mom never believed him when he said Mikey made him do it but she could never say no to him either when his eyes got all big and watery.
The Black Mountain - Arizona was never supposed to be a part of The Plan. There was a very clear path they were supposed to take to get out of the country.
After they lost the plane though, and everyone knew it was T-Bag who caused it, they had to switch routes and Arizona was an easy place to cross the border; thousands crossed there every day. The ones who didn't die crossing rarely got caught, and no one ever really expects to find anyone trying to cross the border in to Mexico.
Sleeping in a hole in a mountain, in the middle of a city park, surrounded by stoned teenagers and swatting away bats ("They aren't bats!" "Yes, they are!" "No, they aren't!") was never supposed to be part of the plan. Neither were LJ or Sucre or Maricruz or T-Bag either, but nothing is written in stone.
Re: New titles
One night, during a particularly painful sounding bout of screams, Lincoln started singing. It was "Stayin' Alive" by The Beegee's and it was loud and off-key and horrible and Lincoln screamed and shrieked so loud and long that the next day all he could do was whisper and wince. But it was worth it to him to see Michael smile and giggle and laugh.
Carolina Stomp - When Teddy was twelve Jimmy taught him how to dance. They would go into town on the weekends and spend all night dancing with other young men like themselves. In all his years before and all his years since he does not think he's ever heard a sweeter sound then the crunching of teeth and jaw and neck as it snaps and shatters around and against pavement.
Dancing in the Dark - Sheets stick to skin and skin slides and burns and pulls. Muscles cramp and scream and lock and the headboard bangs and bangs against the cheap plaster of the wall. Breaths catch and release and stutter and stop. Voices are silent and throats groan and grunt and tighten and freeze and everything shatters and comes undone and the universe screams and everything just--
No Quarter - When Lincoln was nine and Mikey was five Mom took them to the store. After walking through three aisles Lincoln got bored and, with Mom's permission, helped Mikey out of the cart and they got to go and play in the toy aisle. Mikey ate two army-men and threw a small soccerball at some other kid and Lincoln stuffed a pack of silly-putty under his shirt and then they went to find Mom again to ask for quarters so they could get fake tattoes from the machine by the door. Mom said she needed their quarters to do laundry and that they could draw on each other with pens when they got home if they wanted too.
Lincoln got grounded for a week and got his Nintendo taken away when Mom found out what he did to the toy machine. Mom never believed him when he said Mikey made him do it but she could never say no to him either when his eyes got all big and watery.
The Black Mountain - Arizona was never supposed to be a part of The Plan. There was a very clear path they were supposed to take to get out of the country.
After they lost the plane though, and everyone knew it was T-Bag who caused it, they had to switch routes and Arizona was an easy place to cross the border; thousands crossed there every day. The ones who didn't die crossing rarely got caught, and no one ever really expects to find anyone trying to cross the border in to Mexico.
Sleeping in a hole in a mountain, in the middle of a city park, surrounded by stoned teenagers and swatting away bats ("They aren't bats!" "Yes, they are!" "No, they aren't!") was never supposed to be part of the plan. Neither were LJ or Sucre or Maricruz or T-Bag either, but nothing is written in stone.