Meanwhile outside, Carl meandered to the payphone and rifled through his pocket for change. But before he reached the booth someone stood in his way.
“You lookin’ for a good time honey?” he looked over at an attractive, blonde girl who would have been of average height if it wasn’t for her eight inch heels.
“I don’t pay for it,” he spoke sternly and moved to dodge passed her.
But she wasn’t going anywhere and she stepped over to block him.
“But you’re so sexy baby. I can show you a real good time. And cos you’re so hot I could always give you a discount?” she was pushing her luck.
“No,” he answered firmly. “Not interested,” and he tried to edge around her again.
But it only made her more determined. Zipping down the first few inches of her dress she exposed the top of her fake breasts.
“You like?”
“Not really,”
“Oh you talk lies honey. Everybody likes!” her voice was gravelly and intoxicated.
And once again he tried to get around her. And once again she blocked his path. This time she pushed right up close to him and caressed his face with her long acrylic finger nails.
“I can take you to the moon and back,” she whispered into his ear.
But Carl stood as straight as a board, scared to move in case she did something else. He hoped if he didn’t react at all then she’d get bored and move away. But he had no such luck. Instead she leaned in and kissed his lips grotesquely with her tongue writhing wildly. He thought for a moment he would throw up as he smelled her toxic breath. Eventually he regained his senses and pushed her away.
“Are you stupid? I said no!” he lost his temper and the woman stepped back upset. “Just get the fuck away from me immediately. Seriously, just go!” and his face was beet red.
With a deflated ego the girl scurried away and Carl saw her approach another man in the distance. He shook his head sadly and finally reached the phone booth.
~
Anna was waiting at the bar for what felt like forever when she decided she couldn’t escape the other customers’ flirtatious glances anymore. Sliding Carl’s backpack onto her shoulders and gripping onto his briefcase she ventured back outside to find him. She was sure the bar manager said to go left so she followed the sidewalk around the corner hoping to see Carl on his way back. But instead her stomach churned and her heart felt as though it stopped.
Right there in front of her stood Carl with the arms of another woman around him. They were kissing passionately and tears instantly began to fall down her face despite her not being conscious of it. As she ran back to the bar she didn’t remember much of what the girl looked like except for the fact she was tall and blonde with enormous breasts. She was in shock, she didn’t know what was going on anymore, but the world swirling around her and the anger that burned inside her made her want to run.
Her teeth began to hurt as she clenched her jaw in rage but what hurt most of all was the betrayal. Losing his trust made her feel as though she’d bottomed out and she wretched onto the sidewalk.
“Men are bastards,” she whispered to herself. “How could he?” her thinking was carrying her away to a dark place.
Pushing her way back into the bar she found the manager cleaning a table. Tapping him on the shoulder she saw his face light up as he saw her again. He saw her tears and his smile fell.
“Hey… you ok?”
“Still OK to get that ride?” she asked.
~
When Carl walked back into the bar he thought his eyes were deceiving him for a moment when he didn’t see Anna waiting for him. As he returned to his seat he desperately asked the barman.
“You seen my girlfriend?”
“The pretty red head who ran in here crying a minute ago? Yeah I seen her. And she just left,”
“She left? Did you say she was crying?”
“She sure was. Was sad as hell when she came back from outside,” he appeared to be enjoying breaking Carl’s heart.
Suddenly the penny dropped as Carl realized what she must have seen. “FUCK!” Was all he could scream in the moment, “Where did she go?”
“I dunno. I’m no psychic,” the barman sniggered and picked up a dirty glass.
CHAPTER 24
Vultures were circling the people carrier as John Reiner traversed the dusty desert. He was beginning to feel dizzy but he was sure it was just because of the heat. As soon as he reached the house he could lie down and cool off. And it wasn’t long until he’d get there. If he was right then he was less than half an hour away. But he noticed as the day moved on he was starting to forget little things. He noticed he was getting confused at just the smallest task but again he put it down to the heat.