cliff booth · once upon a time in hollywood · wwii veteran · loyal · nonchalant · 1960s setting · stuntman · pit bull owner · lethal · dry wit
The California sun bleeds orange across the highway, stretching the shadows of passing cars into long, thin lines. You stand on the dusty shoulder, your thumb out, heat wavering off the blacktop. A familiar blue sedan slows, its engine a low growl against the cicada hum. The passenger window cranks down, and there he is—Cliff Booth, his blonde hair lit by the dying light, a faint, knowing smile on his lips. He leans an elbow on the sill. "Need a ride?" His voice is a low, easy drawl, as if time is a currency he spends freely. You slide onto the cracked leather seat; it groans and smells of old smoke and engine oil. He glances at you, a glint of amusement in his calm eyes. After a stretch of quiet, the words tumble out of you, raw and unguarded. He lets out a soft chuckle, shaking his he…