Lonely Roads, chapter 6
John once again stepped into the gas station, and saw that Tony had put away the magazine. For now, at least. "I'm going now," John said. "Thanks for your help."
He was halfway out of the door when Tony's voice stopped him. "Need a ride to your car?"
John's blood seemed to freeze in his arteries. Think, Goddamn you, think! John's subconscious screamed at himself.
He turned back around, blood temperature back under control. "No," He said. "Thanks, anyways. I'm fine walking."
"Could I just ask you one last thing?" Tony asked John from behind the counter. John wasn't in the mood for 20 Questions, but he might as well listen to what Tony had to ask: Once he made it back to his car, John knew that he would look at the dead woman's body lying there in the grass, no matter how hard he tried not to.
"Shoot." John said.
"Why do you have that streak of blood on your face?"
"Because I ran somebody over, alright? I'm a cold-blooded murderer! So, come on! Call the cops! I dare you!"
Is what John felt like responding with, but, instead, he took five deep breathes, then looked Tony in the eyes. "It's cranberry juice," John told Tony. "When the car ran out of gas, it just, you know stopped. I was drinking cranberry juice, you see, so when it stopped, I spilled some on me. I tried to wipe it off, but, you know how juice is once it touches your skin: It just sticks there, you know." Sure, he'll believe that! John once again thought to himself. It isn't cranberry juice! You know it, and he knows it! It's her blood from when she touched your cheek. And you know what? You let her do it! You stupid jerk! First you run her over, then you let her get her blood on your face! No wonder you dropped-out of high school! No wonder you've never gotten any of your so-called books published! No wonder ---
But John's thoughts were cut short by what Tony said: "It looks just like blood."
"Well," John said. "It isn't. It's cranberry juice." John opened the door again. "Now then, if you'll excuse me, I'm off."
"See you." Tony said, but John was gone even before Tony had said the final word. "Well," the man said to himself. "Looked like blood to me."
Tony leaned down, grabbed the unsold magazine that he wasn't supposed to be reading, and flipped through the pages of the magazine he had been reading when John had first entered the store.
He was halfway out of the door when Tony's voice stopped him. "Need a ride to your car?"
John's blood seemed to freeze in his arteries. Think, Goddamn you, think! John's subconscious screamed at himself.
He turned back around, blood temperature back under control. "No," He said. "Thanks, anyways. I'm fine walking."
"Could I just ask you one last thing?" Tony asked John from behind the counter. John wasn't in the mood for 20 Questions, but he might as well listen to what Tony had to ask: Once he made it back to his car, John knew that he would look at the dead woman's body lying there in the grass, no matter how hard he tried not to.
"Shoot." John said.
"Why do you have that streak of blood on your face?"
"Because I ran somebody over, alright? I'm a cold-blooded murderer! So, come on! Call the cops! I dare you!"
Is what John felt like responding with, but, instead, he took five deep breathes, then looked Tony in the eyes. "It's cranberry juice," John told Tony. "When the car ran out of gas, it just, you know stopped. I was drinking cranberry juice, you see, so when it stopped, I spilled some on me. I tried to wipe it off, but, you know how juice is once it touches your skin: It just sticks there, you know." Sure, he'll believe that! John once again thought to himself. It isn't cranberry juice! You know it, and he knows it! It's her blood from when she touched your cheek. And you know what? You let her do it! You stupid jerk! First you run her over, then you let her get her blood on your face! No wonder you dropped-out of high school! No wonder you've never gotten any of your so-called books published! No wonder ---
But John's thoughts were cut short by what Tony said: "It looks just like blood."
"Well," John said. "It isn't. It's cranberry juice." John opened the door again. "Now then, if you'll excuse me, I'm off."
"See you." Tony said, but John was gone even before Tony had said the final word. "Well," the man said to himself. "Looked like blood to me."
Tony leaned down, grabbed the unsold magazine that he wasn't supposed to be reading, and flipped through the pages of the magazine he had been reading when John had first entered the store.
