I placed my things on to the couch. Blake tossed her keys and purse onto the counter top. During my shift, Blake decided stay an hour until the end of my shift to catch a ride home with me.
Plopping down on the large comforting sofa, I turned on the television. Hoping that I could catch a report or any updates on the arising story, I turned to the local news channel.
"Any updates?" Blake flopped down next to me.
"I guess not." I watched the latest update on the upcoming weather. A week of rain.
"I really wonder what the hell happened to him. Mutilated?" She walked over to the refrigerator and pulled a bottle of one of her sport drinks. "Why do I picture like a mad man fucking his body up?"
She pulled a water bottle and tossed it over to me. Alert, I caught it.
"A mad man killing a mad man?" I questioned.
I could only wonder what he looked like after being dealt with. His body was dismantled? He was brutality beaten until he begged for mercy. Blake walked from the kitchen and sat down beside me. A strong scent of her favorite perfume took over the air around me.
"Hey?" Blake pulled me from the thoughts. "Who was that guy you were sitting with in the diner?"
A huge amount of water slipped down my throat. Choking a little, I desperately searched for the perfect answer to give before I was able to speak again.
"He is just a regular customer."
A regular customer that I fucked.
"Oh. For some reason, he looks......familiar."
"Familiar?"
"Yes, like I saw him before."
"Hmm." I shrugged.
"Maybe he just has one of those faces I guess." She took a gulp of her drink. I could still see her struggling to figure out where she knew him from. "Well, I'm going to bed. See you in the morning."
"Okay."
Picking up the remote, I continued to cycle through the many channels until I ended on an old black and white movie.
******
Darkness blanketed the ground as I searched through the old brittle trees for my exit. Barefoot and barely clothed, I was unsure of what was going on.
The wind howled through the forest trees. Nippy air brushed against my chill bumped skin, leaving behind the shivers I tried to fight.
My heart thrashing against my chest and my hands trembling by my side, I feared the silence of the forest. Not even a call of the nocturnal animals. Why? What has them so quiet?
I walked to an old tree for a moments rest. Ready to come to a stop, something caught my attention. The old bark was chipped away. Not in a way that would be done by Mother Nature herself or by the normal residents of this forest but by something. Tracing my fingers across the lashes, I could only imagine the large, monstrous creature that did this. I could only imagine the predator that was still out here.
Leaves crunched and twigs snapped from behind me. Shaken with disturbing fear, I was left wide eyed and frozen. Trembling fear took a hold of me.
Air blew against the back of my neck. What was chilling was the fact that it was no longer cool air of the night. Suddenly, it was warm. Continuous warmth that seemed like the breath of someone....or something.
Turning my head slightly to face my fears, I immediately regretted my insane decision. Tall. Monstrous. Something of a demon with its red piercing eyes. Its body hid in the shadows but its frame was so vivid. Tall, slouched slightly but was still towering over me.
Left in fear and could only imagine one possible thing to do, I turned to run. I turned to escape the beast that wanted me as its very prey.
Bad decision.
With its long legs and wide strides, he caught up to me within seconds. Grabbing me by my leg, it yanked me back and began dragging me deeper into the dense trees, ignoring my screams and wails.
The intense sun rays pierced into the living room's satin curtains. I groaned as I met my maker. Rising slightly from the couch, I noticed the peaked sun. How long was I asleep?
The better question is what is with these dreams? I ripped myself from the dented couch. My body screamed in discomfort and my skin cringed from the blanket of sweat that drenched my work clothes that I accidentally slept in.
I dragged myself to my bedroom. Undressing to my birthday suit I walked into my shared bathroom.
Showering off my aching body, which I assume was caused by my lack of comfort, I reminisced about these insane dreams. It felt so real. So lively.
They were getting annoying.
What's wrong with me?
Finishing my shower, I dressed for my day. Annoyed that I had missed a good day of class due to it being the mid-afternoon, I decided to get a little school work done until work.
****
"Order up!" Tonight, Alexa and I were working with our other hired cook, Ralph. Ralph usually worked the morning shifts, but tonight we had the 'pleasure' of working with the animal.
Snatching the semi-warm plates from the heating counter, I watched Ralph eye me. An unattractive glow on his face, I noticed his eyes maze across my body. His eyes screamed lust, mine screamed disgust as I turned away from him.
I walked over the night truckers and placed their food onto the tabletop. Their eyes widened as they eyed the delectable meal that rested in front of them.
"Thank you." Their eyes gleamed with delight as they dug into their meal.
Done with my current customers, I slipped into a counter stool. I opened my laptop and finished off a little work before the night end.
****
Shutting my laptop to a close, I looked up at the clock on the wall. It was getting late and I was growing tired. I had just finished up my latest paper for my class and had just sent it to my professor.
Leaning back into my chair, I was satisfied with my work. A small grin on my face, I turned my head and gazed at the far booth. My eyes narrowed to a look of wonder.
I was always weirded yet inquisitive about Silas always sitting in the same booth nightly. He was always quiet yet he still had a way of attracting my senses. Was it odd to say that tonight, I found it insanely disturbing that he was not here? I found it uncanny that I mentally searched for him. I looked for him as if he was expected of.
"Mama you okay?" Alexa returned the empty and cleaned coffee pots their stations.
"Yeah...just....looking for any messes. Want to make sure that things are done." I slid from the stool. "I don't want to shove my foot up the bosses ass."
"I know girl." She pulled a clean rag and a spray bottled that was filled was an orange liquid. She squeezed the handle, allowing the orange substance to sprinkle onto the counter top. Her hand rotating in a circular motion, she wiped the counter top clean.
"Have you heard from that perro Josh?" As his name left her tongue, I could hear the venomous hatred toward him as she questioned.
"Nope." I admitted. Deep down, a small part of me wanted to know where he was. I even wanted to speak to him. But for some reason, a large part of me found him disgusting. A part of me felt ripped from him. As if I could I never belong to him even if he and I wanted that.
"Good. Maybe he found a cougar to mooch off of." She wiped the table, a bright glint shined in her eyes as she probably thought of never seeing Josh again.
I turned my head slightly. Staring over at the usually occupied booth, I questioned my own reasons for even recognizing his absence.
"Yes." I carelessly responded to Alexa in a monotone.