10/13/85

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Terrence helped Linda to put together a green tent, where they could hide from the strong yellow lights when the need to sleep. It was 23:42.

They both sat near a little fire Linda made, burning some pages from "7 Habits of Successful People", a book Terrence had on his briefcase. They dined a little bit of canned tuna with crackers, and drank some green tea.
"That was really good", said Terrence and sipped his tea.
Linda smiled at him.
"So, how old is your son?", she asked after a brief silence.
"Seven? Gosh, I don't see him since last Christmas..."
"You must love him so much."
"I do", said Terrence. "But I don't see him often. Maybe I should be more for him, you know?"
"You work too much?"
"Yeah. But fuck it. The first thing I'm gonna do after gettin' out of here, is quitting that blood-sucking job of mine. I think twenty years is too much time in a man's life. I have to put my shit together."
Linda smiled and her green eyes shined.
"What about you?", asked Terrence. "Do you have kids?"
"Oh, no. I would be a terrible mother."
"Really?"
"I spend too much time traveling. Is fun, but it takes a lot of time, and money."
"I can imagine."
"But I have a dog. She may miss me right now, poor Susie."
"Where are you from?"
"From a little town in Melbourne, Australia."
"You travel for a living?"
"Oh, no. I'm a school teacher."
"That's funny", Terrence said.
"What?"
"You don't look like a teacher at all."
"I don't know what to say about that..."
"Oh, nothing. I just imagined you were kind of a professional explorer."
"Like Indiana Jones?"
"Yes, ha ha. Maybe I been without food for too much time, I don't know what I'm saying. Sorry."
"Don't be", said Linda. "It's okay. You didn't say anything wrong."
"Yeah, you're right. So, you have a boyfriend?"
"Okay, maybe that's a bit personal, but no, I don't."
"Just chatting."
"Maybe we should go to sleep now. It's really late."
"Sure", said Terrence.
They laid inside the tent, back to back.
Terrence didn't say it, but he was happy to have the tent. If the monster was real, they would be protected that way. He closed his eyes, trying to catch some sleep, but the idea that he was probably living some hellish nightmare, made him think that his comfortable situation wouldn't last much. The terrible image of him and Linda, dying in the same way Gary did, hunted him for hours.

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