Chapter 26: Redneck Mud Park

[Chapter 26: Redneck Mud Park]

"Yeah, I have my doubts too. If it was just about breeding him as a talent, why would they ask for guardianship? That doesn't make sense at all." The woman stepped out of the cafe, making a call to her friend on the corner, her expression filled with concern.

Far from home, she found herself in a strange environment. She wouldn't say she was trapped, but it felt like a sheep entering a lion's den.

"But still, he turned 14 last month. If I don't hand over guardianship, he can't even be taken to the U.S. alone. This might be his only chance in life, and I don't want him to grow up like I did," she continued.

"I want to go with him too, but I don't even have the money for a plane ticket to the U.S..."

After a while on the phone, the woman hung up and started pacing, nervously lighting a cigarette. She then noticed a hole in her sleeve, which reminded her of the fragility of their current lives, swaying in the wind like that torn fabric.

She stubbed out her cigarette, seeming to make up her mind, and quickly returned to the cafe.

She grabbed her son and headed for the exit.

"I can't accept those terms," she said without looking back.

"Wait! We can negotiate this. If you don't trust me, I can help you contact some big names and let them be your son's guardians. Justin Timberlake and a few others have expressed interest in him. I mean, they want to sign him," Scooter shouted after her retreating figure.

"Justin Timberlake!" the boy exclaimed, desperately trying to break free from his mother's grip.

The mother had no choice but to come to a halt.

...

"Vroom!"

A burst of thick black smoke came out of the exhaust pipe at the rear of the pickup truck. Along with the roar of the diesel engine, the pickup truck broke free from the mud with a kick of the accelerator, its gigantic wheels towering far above Ryan. The pickup truck cabin is made mini and compact, giving it a strange look and feel like a large horse-drawn cart.

Ryan, Abigail, and Taylor stood at the edge of the mud pit, splashes of mud hitting a few girls nearby, who wore American flag bikinis. Ryan heard some Southern accents cursing from the sidelines.

In big city centers across the U.S., you often found the most unusual characters, whereas the residents of suburban and rural areas seemed a bit more normal, at least on the surface.

Another 'monster truck' crashed into the mud pit, this one boasting wheels just as large as the earlier truck. This was a unique part of American car culture that combined with the rough-and-tumble nature of Southern folks, which aligned perfectly with Big Machine Records' logo -- a giant pickup truck.

The wild truck event resembled more of a monster truck exhibition; there was no real competition -- just a spectacle to behold. Ryan watched intently, enjoying it like a child watching a giant excavator, as men often had a natural curiosity about rugged machinery.

Taylor and Abigail seemed distracted, both tying their long hair back for convenience. Taylor's hair was long and thick, and could only be tied into a bun.

For a moment, Ryan even contemplated trying out both the handle bars, thinking about how open-minded they both were. As long as he played his cards right, a threesome is not impossible, right? He thought, feeling a bit hopeful.

...

Just then, Taylor spotted a rental place for four-wheeled ATVs nearby. They both tugged at Ryan, eager to ride off-road.

"Can you guys ride?" Ryan asked.

"How hard can it be?" Abigail hooked her arm around Ryan, not shy in front of Taylor, looking up at him. "But I don't really want to ride."

Taylor eyed the nearby mud pit, rather interested, but didn't want to risk her new outfit getting ruined because of her shaky driving skills.

Thus, the two girls plopped onto Ryan's ATV. Abigail sat up front, wrapped in Ryan's arms, while Taylor took the back, holding onto him. As soon as they settled in, Ryan lightly pressed the throttle, bringing the vehicle to life, making Taylor bump into his back.

Taylor frowned, realizing this was just Ryan's trick.

"Try to hit the gas," Ryan chuckled.

They veered the ATV toward the muddy path next to the pond, where rain had left the ground a bit soggy. The earthy smell blended nicely with the fresh greens surrounding them, combined with the scents of their different shampoos, refreshing Ryan.

But Abigail wasn't behaving, teasing Ryan with slight movements.

"Ouch!" Abigail yelped suddenly.

"What's wrong?" Taylor asked from behind.

"Ryan's not being subtle at all," Abigail whined.

"Stay away from him," Taylor warned, her eyebrows knitting together.

"Yeah, stay away." Abigail leaned back, feeling the breeze on her face.

Ryan thought it best not to quibble with the two girls. Instead, he scanned the area and noticed a long line of trucks parked by the pond, easily counting over a hundred, and a ton of Southern girls in bikinis had shown up.

They looked young but strong, their legs sturdy and sun-kissed from working outside. It struck Ryan as odd how so many farms could yield such a number of girls, or were people having seven or eight kids each -- something felt off.

Passing by a loud vehicle, a woman provocatively danced atop it and playfully flicked her hair at Ryan, and he quickly realized this entire event was just one big party. They had recruiters for the party here, drawing in girls simply by showing up in bikinis. That alone showed the recruiter had serious connections locally.

...

Around twenty minutes later, they wandered into a secluded area, a small, private muddy pond next to a tranquil forest.

Earlier, Taylor had been a bit reserved, thinking of her celebrity status, but now with the playtime opportunity before her, she quickly shed her top, revealing a backless swimsuit. Abigail threw her top on the grass, and the girls squealed as they jumped into the mud, playfully throwing mud at each other. Ryan couldn't resist and jumped in too, and the three of them had a blast.

As dusk settled, the three mud-covered friends made their way back, showering off at the public facilities. As night approached, loud music filled the air, and the place transformed into an outdoor barbecue party. Ryan was right; with this big setup and so many facilities, it could not have been a spontaneous gathering.

The bikini girls seemed to be insiders who could enter freely, while outside visitors had to pay up, clearly a commercial venture.

"We're all cleaned up," Taylor said, donning her clothes again and shaking her golden hair free of the swim cap.

Just as they were getting ready to leave, someone recognized Taylor and shouted, "Yee-haw! That's Taylor Swift!"

Before they could react, a crowd quickly surrounded them.

*****

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