"What?" Chad said with a start. He had been naked at the school, and just scanned the QR code. Now he was dresses, sitting in the passenger seat of a car.
"Sorry to wake you this way, but I'Lloyd explain later. Right now, sit there and look pretty for the cop."
Chad opened his mouth, and looked over his shoulder. There were flashing red, yellow and blue lights, and a state trooper was walking up to the drivers side window. Chad looked at the driver. He knew him, but his mind was more than a bit slow tonight.
"License and registration," the trooper said.
"Here you go sir," the driver said handing the license and registration to the officer. "Is something the matter?"
"You were driving in the high occupancy vehicle lane, and there's only one person in the car."
Chad turned his head and looked down at his body. Why was he so stiff. He flexed his arm.
"Huh?" Said the trooper seeing the movement, and sticking his head in the car. He stared at Chad, and said, "what's your name son?"
"Chad, sir," he answered. He knew his name was Chad because the driver had called him that. He thought there should be more to his name, but his thoughts and memories were like the were caked in molasses or maybe setting concrete.
"Dang, you guys pranking me? I saw that dummy in your passenger seat at the Drive In before you pulled on the highway. I even snapped a photo."
He opened the image on his phone. It resembled Chad, but it was obviously made of plastic with a cheap wig on its head that had started to slide off. Instinctively, Chad's hand went to his hair, iron was real.
The officer searched the car, but he was looking for a mannequin, CPR dummy or blow up doll, and he didn't think anything of the duffel bag filled with Chad's clothing, and stuff. Chad looked down at the clothes he was wearing. He didn't own any clothes like these, but he was wearing them, so they must be his, right?
"Chad doesn't look real when he's zoned out, does he? I guess his face up against the glass made him look like plastic?" The driver said.
"Alright, Mr. Mallory. Here's your license and registration. You and your friend drive safe," he said, but in a tone that said I'll be watching you.
The driver sighed, and rolled up his window. "Well, Chad, I guess I will have to keep you animated for the rest of the road trip. This guy will be tailing me to find out where the dummy is stashed. Of course, as long as you're animate, he won't find it."
"Find what, Mr. Mallory?" Chad asked. He knew the drivers name thanks to the the police officer.
"You know who I am, Chad? " he asked.
"You're Mr. Mallory," Chad answered.
The driver laughed, "I like the sound of that. Keep calling me that, Chad!"