APPRECIATION
Renee clutched the wheel and gritted her teeth. The earpiece buzzed angrily in her ear as the argument raged on.
“You’re being ridiculous!”
“YOU think I’m stupid and blind. I won’t do this anymore.”
With a shaky finger, she pushed the button ending the call. From the left barged a truck almost clipping her car. She smooshed the brakes and felt their stutter in the rain.
“Jerk!”
The driver shrugged and flipped the bird. He sped on.
"Yeah, thanks Buddy! Hope you have a firey crash...." She faked a huge smile and waved eagerly. Pulling into the gas station, she noticed most of the lanes had cones; closed. She waited for one that was open but was beat out by a guy who felt he was much more important. She honked raising her hands in the “What are you THINKING?”motion but was met with hateful stare as he barked at his phone. Her temples throbbed and her jaw hurt. She could feel a scream burning in her chest.
The attendant shuffled out, refusing to come to the driver side. He knocked on the window and wiggled his fingers. He was huffing and showing signs of great inconvenience at having to coax this chick along. The pump refused to continuously feed her car. The attendant was not amused.
“You just capping off?” he asked gruffly pulling his coat around him against the raw weather.
“No,” Renee confessed “I’m riding on fumes.”
He rolled his eyes and kept trying. The rain kept coming; steady and cold. It took twice as long as she expected. “Great.” She muttered; realizing she would now be late. Her mind attempted to process another lie from her boyfriend. She blinked back the tears and hurt. She just wanted this day to end but it had barely started.
The attendant came around. Renee noticed his fingers were ice cold as she reached to sign the receipt.
“Just getting started?” She asked
“No. Been out all night. Rain’s got to my bones. You know? I’ll be done soon.” He blew into his hands and rubbed them.
“I wish my day was ending.” She sighed. “Although, I wouldn’t want to be out in THIS all night. Here. You earned it. I’m sorry it was such a pain.” And she tipped him. The young man burst into a smile. She thought he was going to hug her.
“Thank you. I appreciate it. I really do.” He shook the money thoughtfully and patted her door. “I hope your day gets better.”
“Me too. Keep dry. Be safe.” She pulled away. Someone was a little happier she grinned to herself.
The radio bleated about more local robberies. They were violent and brutal. They squawked about horrific crimes and scandals. She kept driving. Jake’s lies had twisted around themselves and she’d caught him. He was a “trashy scandal” she thought over the radio. Even though she knew it was over, it still stung. A fresh wave of tears brimmed in her eyes.
The day did not improve. She had files to clear and endless reports to finish. Her boss was breathing down her neck and her partner was out sick. Between answering calls and juggling everyone else’s immediate needs, Renee was wiped out. Jake called several times and texted endlessly. It couldn’t have been any worse. The ride home was nothing short of typical: full of impatient drivers, honking horns and angry gestures. She drove down her quiet lane to the end. She saw the sun dip behind the trees and say goodnight. She sighed and lugged her briefcase, purse and dinner up the walk. She’d made it. The day was over.
The house was dark. She wove around her furniture to the kitchen. She missed the back door being open. She hadn’t turned the lights on yet to see the mess…the danger. It only took a blink from the bulb for Renee to realize just how bad her day had gotten. The dining room looked almost upside down. There were broken glasses; her silver was strewn all over. She stared in disbelief. Hate and Greed had stomped through her home, smashing it all up; taking what didn't belong to them.
He leapt from beside the china cabinet, catching her from behind. He stole her breath and knocked her to the ground. She smelled spoiled lunchmeat and sweat. Renee twisted and clawed at the rug trying to flip over and see him. His knees ground into her legs. He hit her in the back leaving her gasping and choking. The room began to spin. He kneed her side. Pain flashed all the way up to her eyes in splashes of yellows and greens: like those cartoon stars when someone gets walloped. She groaned.
He rolled her effortlessly.
“Shut up. Just shut up and do what I say.” His voice was dry and muffled under his knit mask.
“Don’t hurt me. Take what you want. Just leave me alone. Please.” Renee stopped moving but her body was tight; like a piano wire.
His glove stroked her face. He studied her. “You’re so pretty.” He almost crooned.
Renee’s stomach felt hot and sour. She crossed her feet and locked her knees. “No.” she whispered.
From upstairs came another voice:
“Hurry up. This shit’s heavy. What’re you doin? I wanna beat it before they git home…if I don’t I’ll just beat them.” There was laughter hollow and mean bouncing around up there in the dark.
Renee was petrified. She glanced frantically for something; some way to defend herself. She wondered if her last breath would be painful.
The animal above her stared into her face. The mask wrinkled into a dark mouthless grin. Their panting matched; fast and shallow.
“I’m comin. Just wait.” He shouted. He got up slowly and then wetly whispered “You gotta go; out the back. Be quiet or he’ll find you. You don’t want that.” He was shaking his head deliberately.
Renee scrambled from underneath him; her eyes unable to leave his. Her nod was the only indication that she’d heard him.
“Your shoes…You SHOES!” he hissed and kicked her feet. She clicked out of them and crept to the back.
“Thank you. Thank you so much.” Her voice quivered. Now she saw the glass: the broken door. She never made a sound; not even when the shards left in the frame bit her skin. She turned to him to make sure it wasn’t a sick joke. He stood watching her. When she stopped, he made the quick gesture for her to hurry. He turned and disappeared.
Renee staggered up the street. The Andersons weren’t home. It was opera night. She continued the run all the way to the Erikssons. Her lungs were burning. She was glad to have the sensation. She pounded on the door. It took almost ten minutes before they even got around to calling the police.
Sirens blaring, one car stopped at the Erikssons while the other sped down the lane to her own house. When she was finally allowed back in, her eyes could barely swallow the disaster. She gulped at her things, broken or gone. She saw blood on the floor; her own from the door she guessed. The police asked questions and searched. She made lists of all that was missing. She told her story and they wrote it all down.
“There have been a lot of brutal robberies in the area.” The sergeant said nodding.
“Yes, I’ve heard.” She sat hunched on her sofa staring at the spot where the man had pinned her to the floor. She felt small and naked; unsafe.
“You were lucky.” He added. “We’ll need to talk to Jake. Is he home?”
“I suppose so. What do I do now?
“Wait. We’ll let you know soon.” He patted her shoulder.
Renee tried to relax; not hear noises, see shadows. It was too surreal. While begging for sleep to come and terror to sleep, she walked around and cried.
“Please God, I’ve had enough. Why?” She whimpered into the room.
She brushed past it on the counter: a wrinkled paper lying with her purse. Thinking it was a receipt from her bag, she reached for it. It was a five dollar bill.
“You earned it. Be safe” was written on it.
“Thank you. I really appreciate it.” She said to no one.
A little different for me. I'm not sure I like it, but it was a neat idea I thought. Thanks for visiting. I hope you enjoyed yourself.
