(Review replies: Rodarian, as soon as possible. Don't kill me. Raven,
thanks for the input, but if you could tell me where I could work on it, I
would be much abliged!)
____________________________________________________________________________ ________ --Restrooms, Nathan Avenue--
All around her was a shuffling, scraping noise as if whatever it was dragged a gigantic piece of twisted iron and steel. As she listened she self-consciously took off the bandage, and began reaching for the stunner in her pocket.
The sounds were growing louder, and despite herself Deluge was getting a little scared. It didn't sound like just one person/thing anymore, is was more like an echo of a thousand low moans and creaking hinges. Somehow she just didn't feel one zap would be enough.
Should she proclaim weakness, or declare financial problems? The latter would be more truthful, and they might take her at her word. But the former would be more likely to let their guard down, and she doubted that they would be very concerned with money. Probably both.
"I have no money! Please don't hurt me!"
Almost as soon as the words were spoken, the fog lifted and the noises stopped. It was almost as if it had all been in her head from the start. It must have been the walk, or maybe the fog was playing tricks with her head. It didn't matter anyway. What she needed was some heat, and right in front of her was a car. She didn't have a license to drive, but she didn't plan to tool around in a beat-up rusty blue car of unidentifiable nature anyway. The car door was open, and a light snow had collected on the floor. It would melt soon enough. ____________________________________________________________________________ _________
I slid into the drivers seat, and hoped whoever it was left the keys. They had. I turned the start-thingy and let the warmth of an engine wash over me as I leaned the seat back.
"YEUURGK!!!"
The back seat wasn't exactly clean. Spilled pop, stinking garbage, tinfoil wrappings of a half-eaten subway with extra mold, hold the mustard. Used underwear and bad cologne made for an attractive perfume of eau de disgusting. I immediately sat up in the chair and covered my nose. The stench was awful! Did he leave a pet skunk in the car? No, that was a sock drenched in soot. Why, I don't know, but if I didn't lean back I couldn't really smell it.
____________________________________________________________________________ _________
She didn't really know how long she stayed in that smelly, rusty, and dented vehicle, but she supposed it was all night. It was 9:00 AM when she got out, and she was feeling pissed. The sleep in the car had been uncomfortable as all hell, and the stick shift was getting intensely personal. Not being able to lean the seat back had been worse, as she couldn't do so without taking in that stench.
The fog had cleared up a little at least, but the main road that she had been following had become blocked by an odd, makeshift wall with a door that was rusted shut to it. She would need oil for it, and she didn't intend to take the scenic route to the gate's right. She had been walking long enough. Whoever owned the car wouldn't mind if she emptied his oil tank.
____________________________________________________________________________ ________ --Restrooms, Nathan Avenue--
All around her was a shuffling, scraping noise as if whatever it was dragged a gigantic piece of twisted iron and steel. As she listened she self-consciously took off the bandage, and began reaching for the stunner in her pocket.
The sounds were growing louder, and despite herself Deluge was getting a little scared. It didn't sound like just one person/thing anymore, is was more like an echo of a thousand low moans and creaking hinges. Somehow she just didn't feel one zap would be enough.
Should she proclaim weakness, or declare financial problems? The latter would be more truthful, and they might take her at her word. But the former would be more likely to let their guard down, and she doubted that they would be very concerned with money. Probably both.
"I have no money! Please don't hurt me!"
Almost as soon as the words were spoken, the fog lifted and the noises stopped. It was almost as if it had all been in her head from the start. It must have been the walk, or maybe the fog was playing tricks with her head. It didn't matter anyway. What she needed was some heat, and right in front of her was a car. She didn't have a license to drive, but she didn't plan to tool around in a beat-up rusty blue car of unidentifiable nature anyway. The car door was open, and a light snow had collected on the floor. It would melt soon enough. ____________________________________________________________________________ _________
I slid into the drivers seat, and hoped whoever it was left the keys. They had. I turned the start-thingy and let the warmth of an engine wash over me as I leaned the seat back.
"YEUURGK!!!"
The back seat wasn't exactly clean. Spilled pop, stinking garbage, tinfoil wrappings of a half-eaten subway with extra mold, hold the mustard. Used underwear and bad cologne made for an attractive perfume of eau de disgusting. I immediately sat up in the chair and covered my nose. The stench was awful! Did he leave a pet skunk in the car? No, that was a sock drenched in soot. Why, I don't know, but if I didn't lean back I couldn't really smell it.
____________________________________________________________________________ _________
She didn't really know how long she stayed in that smelly, rusty, and dented vehicle, but she supposed it was all night. It was 9:00 AM when she got out, and she was feeling pissed. The sleep in the car had been uncomfortable as all hell, and the stick shift was getting intensely personal. Not being able to lean the seat back had been worse, as she couldn't do so without taking in that stench.
The fog had cleared up a little at least, but the main road that she had been following had become blocked by an odd, makeshift wall with a door that was rusted shut to it. She would need oil for it, and she didn't intend to take the scenic route to the gate's right. She had been walking long enough. Whoever owned the car wouldn't mind if she emptied his oil tank.
