Wild Read Free

direction, I saw a huge syringe and instantly regretted my decision.
    Suck it up already, chicken!
    With the eighty dollars I would get for the two studies I could afford to eat on my way back to Des Moines. So I clenched my teeth together and waited for the syringe to prick me.
    It was painful, but Elaine rubbed the spot instantly and I felt better.
    “You’re done.”
    I got dressed. She handed me a little card.
    “Here’s your appointment for next week, Friday at 2pm.”
    “And the money?” I panicked for an instant.
    “Of course, sure.” She opened the drawer, took out four crisp twenty dollar bills, handed them to me and had me sign a receipt. I shoved the money and the appointment card into my front jeans pocket.
    “Thanks. See you next week,” I lied again. I felt like running out of the building just in case she had seen through my lie and would want the money back, but I remained calm.
    When I got outside, it was almost dark. I waited at the bus stop. I wasn’t able to get on the first bus since it was completely packed. I overheard waiting passengers saying the N-Judah Muni line was out of order and therefore everyone was trying to get onto a bus instead.
    I looked at my watch. I still had plenty of time to get to the station. The money burned in my jeans. This was probably the most dishonest money I had ever earned. I wished I could have done it differently, but I just didn’t know any other way.
    When I finally got onto a number six bus back to Transbay Terminal, it broke down about four blocks before its destination.
    “Sorry, all passengers off, please. I’ve called for a replacement bus. It’ll be about fifteen minutes,” the bus driver announced. I knew what it meant when a Muni employee said fifteen minutes. It would be more like half an hour. I could walk the rest of the way in a much shorter time. As I got up out of my seat I felt a little bump on my thigh where the injection site was.
    An allergic reaction? I felt it through my jeans, but it didn’t itch. Never mind, it would disappear. I had participated in enough clinical trials to know that most of the stuff they gave you was harmless. Half the people received placebos anyway.
    I stepped out of the bus and started walking. It was dark now and the street lights had trouble penetrating the fog and the darkness.
    I took a shortcut from Market Street through to Mission Street and regretted it after taking the first ten steps. I was in an unlit alley. The alley was narrow and surrounded by high buildings on either side. I had taken it many times during the day and it had never bothered me, but it was quite different at night. I could see the light at the end of it where it was connecting to Mission Street, but I could also see the shadow of a person coming toward me.
    Something about the person’s demeanor told me I would not want to be too close to him. I turned and started to run back to where I had come from, promptly tripping over an unevenness on the sidewalk. I fell and hit my knees. It was painful, but I had to get up. The footsteps came closer and closer. Their sound was menacing in my ears.
    “Want some company?” I heard a male voice behind me and shrieked. I started running, but before I could make two steps his hand grabbed me.
    He slammed me against the wall before turning me around. He was Caucasian and in his thirties or forties.  I could smell the alcohol on his breath. His grin was evil. While he held me against the wall his free hand tried to rip my jeans open. For once I was glad I wore my tightest pair.
    “Help!” I screamed at the top of my lungs. I struggled, beat at him with my firsts, but it felt like my hands just bounced off him without doing any damage. I tried to pull free, but he was strong and towered over me. I was no match for him.
    He was still trying to pry my jeans off, but seemed to become more and more frustrated when he realized he didn’t make any progress. Maybe he would just let go. I wasn’t