14.6.2009
Impala Cruise 3
"I’m watching you," she said. "And it ain’t pretty." "I’m sorry. I was starving." He sucked down the last of his soft drink. "I need to…make a call." "Okay. Need to borrow my cell?" "Not that kind of call." He nodded toward the restrooms. Oh, I get it, she thought, euphemism. "Local or long distance?" "Long distance, I’m afraid." "No problem. I gonna get a large coffee to go. You want one too?" "That would be great. Thanks." The restroom was empty. Obadiah went into the lone stall. He had just sat down when he heard somebody else walk in. "Did you really think you could get away from me?" It was Jim. Obadiah stopped breathing. Maybe if he kept quiet… "I’m talking to you!" Jim kicked the side of the stall. "Say something!" He kicked it again. Obadiah was struck with the words of his Biblical namesake: What have I sinned, that thou wouldest deliver thy servant into the hand of Ahab, to slay me? But he knew exactly what his sins were. And this was judgment day. It would be fitting, he thought—for him to die half-naked in a public restroom. "Come out of there and face me like a man, you coward!" Jim kicked the stall even harder. "I’m coming out," said Obadiah. He stood and pulled up his pants. Then he heard somebody else come into the restroom. "What’s going on in here?" Obadiah recognized Impala’s voice. "It’s none of your business, Lady. Get out of here." "You’re wrong. It is my business. That’s my boyfriend." "It’s okay," said Obadiah. He opened the stall door and stepped out. Jim reached under his jacket and produced a large hunting knife. "You ever field dress a deer, Obadiah?" "Whoa. Put the knife away, Buddy," said Impala, "before somebody gets hurt." Jim ignored her. "You start by inserting the blade at the bottom of the sternum. Of course, with a deer, I make sure the animal’s dead first. But with you, I see no need to be humane." He began to walk toward Obadiah, who stepped backward until he was against the wall. Impala was ten feet behind Jim, clenching her teeth. "Put the knife down." Jim stepped in closer to Obadiah. "Imagine how she felt…just before she died." "I’m sorry," said Obadiah. "I’m truly sorry." "Oh, I know you are—now. But I have no sympathy for you whatsoever, because you knew better. And everybody trusted you. She trusted you. And you used her. You killed her!" Obadiah prayed to see Impala’s steel-toed boot fly up between Jim’s legs. But maybe she didn’t want to save him this time. Perhaps she was having second thoughts about him—after what she was hearing. "Get ready to meet your maker," said Jim. "Tell him you’re sorry." He lurched forward, pushing Obadiah’s arms upward with his left arm, exposing Obadiah’s chest. He rared back with the knife—oblivious to the fact that Impala was running toward him from behind. She jumped into the air and landed her boots at the back of his knees, causing him to lose his balance to go down backwards. Impala hopped out of the way. His head slammed down on the ceramic tile floor. She stomped his forearm and grabbed the knife out of his hand. Jim was dazed, but conscious. "Why are you helping him? He’s a murderer." "Forget about Obadiah," she said. "But you don’t understand." "Look—whatever he’s done, I’m sure he’ll pay for it. Just stay away from him. Or next time…I’ll kill you." Obadiah tiptoed his way around him. Impala wrapped the knife in paper towels and put it inside her jacket. As they came out of the restroom, Impala picked up the coffees she had left on a table. She handed one to Obadiah and they walked out of the restaurant. She took out the knife, wiped it off, and threw it into the woods. They got into the car and drove away. "Thanks for rescuing me—again," said Obadiah. "But I’m still not going to Beaumont." "Well, that’s where this car is going. So…" She slowed the car down and began to pull off to side of the road. "What are you doing?" "You’re either going all the way or not at all." "Oh, come on, Impala. Surely you’re not going to just leave me out here on a dark highway in the middle of nowhere." "It’s not the middle of nowhere. You can walk back to the McDonald’s. It’s five miles, tops." "I’m not going back there." "Afraid you might run into the deer hunter?" "That would be preferable to running into Zeela." "How can you say that? She’s your mother. She loves you." "I don’t need her kind of love." "Look. It won’t kill you to just talk to her. Ten minutes—that’s all I ask. Then you can do whatever you want." "How about a compromise? Drop me off in Silsbee. I’ve got an old friend who lives there. Then, after I get up my nerve, I’ll go into Beaumont and visit Zeela." "Hmm. I’ll have to think about it." She pulled back onto the road. It’s only two hours or so, which is going to put us there at 3:00 in the morning. So, we might as well stop at a motel and get some rest." "You do remember that I don’t have any money." "I’ve got it covered." Obadiah did need rest. But he wasn’t sure he could relax enough to fall asleep. He could almost feel Jim’s knife in his chest.
Impala Cruise 3
http://www.netsaga.is/media/files/Undir%20Br%C3%BAn%20Trommunar.mp3
Obadiah gobbled down two Big Macs, a super-sized fry, and a Coke while Impala ate her chicken sandwich. Every few seconds, his eyes did a quick scan of the room. "Ever feel like somebody’s watching you?"