Screen Burn

Episode 9

Despite the fact that Jake didn't approve of tattoos, he found himself sitting in Mateo's favorite tattoo parlor.

Mateo had convinced him to accompany him. He claimed it would be an 'educational experience', because it would teach Jake acceptance. Jake had tried to explain that while he disapproved of tattoos, it did not mean that he didn't accept people who had them. He had received a skeptical look in return for his efforts.

"Don't you have enough tattoos?" Jake whined, kicking the back of a nearby chair petulantly. "What are you even going to get? An infinity symbol? Something equally clichéd?"

"Why don't you wait and watch?"

"I don't have a choice in the matter, do I? Why couldn't you ask Mihir to come with you?"

"He's afraid of needles. Besides, I'm still pretending I'm angry about what he did yesterday," Mateo admitted, a crooked smile on his face.

"Don't even mention yesterday. My head is still aching from the hangover I had this morning."

"Is that why you haven't taken your shades off from the moment I picked you up?"

"Bright lights just make it worse," Jake revealed, placing his arm over his forehead to shield himself from the fluoroescent bulbs of the waiting room.

"How sad. I woke up feeling great."

Before Jake could use a variety of curse words, a woman in a wheel-chair made an appearance, pushing aside the curtain that hid the back-room from view.

"How long were you going to make me wait out here, Winnipeg?" Mateo spoke, walking over to give her a hug.

It was the first time Jake had seen Mateo hug anyone willingly, so he studied the new-comer with interest. She had dreadlocks, no visible tattoos and a pear-shaped figure. Her grey eyes were lined with kohl and looked slightly swollen. A narrow scar was wrapped around her neck.

"Sorry, I was talking to people who looked more interesting," she joked. Her voice was more husky than Jake had imagined it to be.

"Were they your imaginary friends?" Mateo shot back.

She simply elbowed his side and turned her chair around to go back to the room she had emerged from. Mateo followed her, while Jake did the same after a moment. He was stunned by the change in atmosphere once he stepped through the threshold.

The room was larger, less stuffy and was tastefully decorated. Slow, instrumental music was playing and the faint smell of insense lingered in the air. There were three tattoo stations set up with chairs that looked comfortable. Two of these were occupied by girls who appeared to be getting matching tattoos.

"Take a seat," Winnipeg gestured towards the remaining chair. "I'm already sitting, as you can see."

She positioned herself in front of the machine and started to prepare the equipment. She opened a box of needles, cleaned them and inserted them into a tube. When she was done, she turned to look at Jake and realized her was standing awkwardly in the corner.

"I'm sorry I didn't get a chair for you! I didn't realize you'd be sitting in here with us," she apologized, making her way to a closet.

"Is her name really Winnipeg?" Jake whispered to Mateo.

"No," he replied. "She doesn't tell anyone her name. I tried asking her one day, and she told me that she'd been to Winnipeg once, refusing to answer my question. So I started calling her Winnipeg as a joke, and I guess it stuck."

The woman they were talking about returned, holding a collapsible chair that she seemed to have liberated from the closet. She handed it to Jake, then went back to her station.