guess. I understand numbers and math better than people. People are confusing. For instance my boss and the big guy in the suit. I knew something was up and figured I might be in danger, so I left work and it turns out I was followed. I don’t know what is going on except it scared me. I saw you driving away and, I don’t know, I thought maybe you could help so I followed you. I almost could not catch up because my car is wimpy but then I made it. Oh, you left the gate unlocked last night. I locked it for you,” she finished in a rush. Proof once again, she told herself, I have no business speaking to other people.
He nodded as if he followed what she said.
“That lock never catches right and I was in a hurry. Thanks. About your car, it may be a little slower right now. I am not in control of what I do for three days a month. I can promise to get it fixed at no cost. It is a plus of working at an auto shop,” he told her, looking nervous. It took Elizabeth a moment to realize what he’d said.
“My car?” she said and ran towards the door. She went out on the porch and stopped staring in shock. The tires on her little car were slashed, the doors were open and stuffing was strewn all over the place. She hardly noticed that his car had flat tires as well.
“I looked at it, it seems somehow I got tangled in the wires and the ignition harness is torn out,” he explained softly from behind her.
She felt tears come to her eyes. She had worked hard for her little blue Beetle. It had been a major landmark, her first car. Now it was in shreds. She wanted to scream at him, but logically he had not known what he was doing. She stood there and cried, not knowing what to do. It started a flood of emotions. He put his arm around her and she turned and cried on his chest. Her whole life was destroyed, she thought over and over. He walked her back inside as she slowed the flood finally and began hiccupping. He got her some water.
To distract herself she sat on one of the kitchen counter chairs and looked around. It was a nice cabin. A little bare of furniture, but that made sense considering what had happened to her car. He handed her a glass of water and she sipped on it. It did help loosen her throat. She tried to figure out what to do, but she came up blank.
“I don’t know what to do now. I guess I am safe from the people in the city for now. I can’t see how they could find me here, but can I be safe here?” she looked at him. He sighed in response.
“Yes, I can set something up. I usually lock myself up, but you came at exactly the wrong time so I had to lock you up instead. If you have to stay we can set it up so that you have out here and I have one of the other rooms. Why exactly did you come again?” he asked.
She went through the story and he sat next to her as she showed him the pictures on her phone. She was glad she had kept her bag with her in the room. Sitting next to him was starting another problem. She found herself getting turned on. He was an extremely handsome man. He said he had seen the big guy in the suit before and she nodded, leaning against him. He smelled amazing, wild, reckless and fun. She turned to look at him and he was looking at her. There was spark in his eyes that immediately caught her eyes and she couldn’t look away. It was something animal that a part of her responded to. She put a hand on his chest and inhaled his scent. It seemed to fill her with a wildness of her own. It was something foreign to her, yet deep down familiar. Her usual logical thinking went out the window and she leaned forward and kissed his chest. He shuddered and his arm went around her tightly.
“Are you sure about this Elizabeth? Once I start, I won’t be able to stop. Not at this time of the month,” he told her. She giggled and kissed him again. He shuddered again, as if holding back something primal.
“Then don’t stop,” she told him. Her voice had achieved a low sultry tone she had never
Justin Morrow, Brandace Morrow