Excitement & Other Stories
By Amanda Lawrence Auverigne
Copyright © 2011 by Amanda Lawrence Auverigne
Smashwords Edition
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the author.
All characters appearing in this work are fictitious. Any resemblance to real persons living or dead is purely coincidental.
Dad stirred the large heap of square-shaped black coals that lay inside of the circular metal griller with a large metal stick. He pulled the object from the basin and tossed it on the ground.
“Alright, this is it. The big moment," Dad said.
Dad looked up at the small assortment of people who stood in the tiny backyard around him.
“Okay everyone. Stand back. I’m gonna light this fire up,” Dad announced.
Dad raised his hand and he moved his limb forward in a swift jerking motion.
The center of the charcoal pile exploded in a small jet of crackling yellow flame.
Everyone in the backyard clapped and cheered.
“Alright. Now it's time to grill,” Dad said. He turned away from the dancing flames and looked at his daughter.
Brenna stood a few feet away from him. She was holding a large circular silver metal rack in her hands. An expression of wide eyed contempt lay across her pretty features.
Two teenage girls stood near her. The young women hugged each other lightly while they shivered and gazed at the fire-filled grill with expressions of shock and fear.
“Brenna," Dad said. "Bring that rack over here for your old man. I need to put it on top of the grill.”
Brenna moved to her father. She thrust the grilling rack in his direction with a low cluck of contempt.
Dad grabbed the large metal object. He turned from his daughter focused his attention on the dancing flames in front of him.
The flames wild undulation suddenly slowed just before the yellow fire dwindled and vanished with a heavy fog of hickory-infused smoke.
The center of the large coal heap burned a hypnotic shad of bright scarlet. The color pulsated and spread across the length of the circlet of black rocks.
After a few moments, the edges of the coals flushed dark once more and the center of the charcoal pile glowed a deep shade of crimson.
The deep scarlet color pulsated for a few moments before it disappeared.
After a few seconds, a thin dusting of white powder seemed to hover atop the coals while thick sheets of white vaporous smoke rose up from the smoldering interior of the griller and hovered in the air.
“Alright the coals are a go. And now it's time to put this baby on the grill,” Dad said. He moved forward and placed the silver rack quickly yet carefully atop the grill. “Okay, now we are officially cooking!”
Brenna released a low snort.
Dad looked at his daughter and said, “What’s wrong sweetheart?”
Brenna folded her arms across her chest before she looked at the shuddering girls who stood near her.
Dad followed his daughter’s gaze. He looked at the two shivering teens.
“What’s wrong with Jenny and Anna?" Dad asked. "Aren’t they having a good time?”
Brenna looked at her father with irritation.
“Dad, you just had to show off didn’t’ you?” Brenna asked.
“What are you talking about, Brenna?” Dad inquired.
“Jenny and Anna isn't like everyone else here, Dad.”
“What are you talking about? They live across the street right?”
“Yes.”
“So, everyone else here today lives on this block too. With the exception of Uncle Pete who flew in from New York. So, I don’t see what the big deal is. Now go into the kitchen and ask your mother to bring out the meats.”
“Dad, Jenny and Anna are not like us.”
“Sure they are. They like meat, music, fun party games and barbeques.”
“Dad, you’re not listening to me. Jenny and Anna aren’t like everyone else here.”
“Yes they are. I sure hope that your Mom remembered to put out those spicy sausages that I like. Oh, I hope she rolled up some of that sweet corn in foil. I could go for an ear right now. Maybe two ears. With a lot of butter.”
“Dad,” Brenna said impatiently. She moved closer to her father and grabbed his arm with an urgent hiss. “They’re normals.”
Dad looked up from the smoldering coals. He glanced at the laughing people who stood in the tiny backyard around him before settling his gaze on his daughter’s face.
“They’re what?” Dad inquired.
“Normals Dad," Brenna responded flatly. "They belong to the only two families on this block who are. They don’t have powers, they don’t know about us and until you lit up the grill without accelerant they didn’t know that we had any powers.”
“Oh.”
“You scared them, Dad. And you promised that you’d do things the normal way for the barbeque today.”
“Well, I got carried away after seeing Mr. Forester from the down the street levitate your Aunt Grace, those three chainsaws and the Barrister’s cat earlier. I had to use my powers after seeing that.”
“He only did that because you and Dan bet him that he couldn’t.”
“Yeah, I thought for sure Mr. Forester was going to renege on the bet when your brother told him to start up the saws, but he didn’t. That was awesome but the Barrister’s cat will never the same.”
“Dad, Mr. Forester did that stupid bet in the house before the normals got here.”
“You’re right. Well, Jenny and Anna will be fine. They’re not crying. Or screaming so that's a good thing right?”
“Dad, you probably scarred them for life and I really really liked hanging out with them. They’re nice and fun and they understand me. And it’s really hard making new friends when you have to move all the time.”
“It will be alright, Brenna. You'll see.”
“How Dad? How will it be alright? Dad, they saw fire come out of your hand. You can’t really be alright after seeing that.”
“Well, just ask your mother to erase their memories.”
Mom appeared at Dad’s side carrying a large platter filled with raw chicken, beef ribs, sausage links and foil-wrapped sweet corn.
“Already done dear,” Mom said. She turned to Brenna. “As far as your friends know, your father had a can of lighter fluid in his hands when he started the fire.”
Brenna looked at her friends.
Jenny and Anna held their cellular phones in their hands. They tapped the screens of their cells quickly while speaking to each other in rapid animated tones.
Mom moved closer to Brenna and said, “See. They’re already Twittering about the party. Go over there and join them. Have fun.”
Brenna smiled at her mother before pulling her into a hug.
“Thanks Mom!” Brenna exclaimed.
"You're welcome dear," Mom said kissing her daughter's cheek.
Brenna released her mother. She rushed away from her parents and moved to her friends.
Jenny and Anna looked up from their phones. The two young women squealed with delight when they saw Brenna join them.
The three girls hugged briefly before they pulled away from each other and spoke in fast near incoherent syllables.
In between giggles and chortles, Brenna pulled out her phone.
The three teens spoke cheerfully amongst themselves while tapping at the screens of their cellular phones.
“Teenagers,” Dad said with a grin. “They take everything so seriously.”
“We were young too once,” Mom said. She kissed Dad’s cheek. “Just try to remember what it was like.”
“I’d rather not,” Dad said with a laugh.
Mom pinched Dad’s arm playfully before she focused her attention on the meat that rested atop the platter in her grasp.
The raw chicken, sausage, beef ribs and foil-wrapped corn rose from the platter. The objects hovered in the air for a brief moment before they landed gracefully atop the heated grill with loud sizzling sounds.
“That was wonderful darling. Bravo,” Dad said.
“Thanks, dear. I’ve been practicing.” Mom said.
I
“He’s over there. All you have to do is go over there and ask him out,” Rita said.
“I don’t know. He looks like he’s studying really hard,” Lidia said.
“He looked over here a few times, so he knows that you are interested. Just go over there and talk to him,” Rita said.
“I don’t know. I really think that I should just leave him alone,” Lidia said.
“Are you for real? He’s all that you talk about day in and day out. You’re obsessed with him. You have been for months and now on the off chance that you find him alone and not occupied you chicken out? Go over there and say hello at least. Come on. What is he gonna do? Bite you?”
“No, but he could humiliate me. There are a lot of people in here today.”
“So what? Just go over to his table and say hello.” “No. I think that I should just leave him alone.”
Lidia and Rita stared across the crowded cafeteria.
A handsome dark haired young man was seated at a table near a row of windows.
A large bottle of soda, a bag of potato crisps, a half eaten apple, and a large black laptop computer rested on the table in front of the young man.
Verlaine Parker studied the screen of the computer while typing rapidly across the keyboard.
A pair of bright red ear buds were thrust inside his skull.
Several wide eyed girls seated in the lunchroom gazed at the dark haired young man with expressions of interest across their features.
Verlaine stopped typing. He looked up and snatched up the bottle of cola. He pulled the cap from the container, took a sip of the bubbly drink, and looked around the cafeteria.
A few of the smiling girls waved at him.
Verlaine nodded at the giggling young women and he placed the soda onto the table. He focused his sight on his computer and began typing.
"He is so fine," Rita said. "And smart. And talented. He writes poetry and he's an artist. And he's fine. Just crazy fine. With those eyes. Just all the way fine."
"Yeah he is," Lidia said with a weary sigh.
Verlaine stopped typing. He raised his right hand and reached inside the chip bag. He pulled out a handful of treats and shoved them into his mouth. He chewed, turned from his computer and stared across the lunchroom.
His violet eyes met Lidia's.
Lidia stopped breathing. She swallowed with great difficulty.
Verlaine smiled.
Lidia curved her lips into half a grin before she lowered her sight to her tray.
"Wow he just smiled at you," Rita said.
"It wasn’t' a smile," Lidia gasped grabbing a carton of milk. "He was just being nice."
Rita looked at Lidia. "Lidia, he smiled at you. So go over there and talk to him."
"No," Lidia said gulping her milk.
“You are such a chicken," Rita said.
"No," Lidia said lowering the carton of milk to the table with a burp.
"Are you going to eat your chicken salad, chicken?” Rita asked.
“No," Lidia replied. "It doesn’t’ taste right.”
Rita snatched up her fork. She thrust the prongs of her utensil into the mound of chicken salad that rested atop Lidia's tray. She lifted a small portion of the foodstuff from the tray and slid the fork into her mouth.
“Mmmm," Rita said. "It tastes fine to me."
"You can have it," Lidia said.
"Thanks," Rita said taking the plate of chicken salad from Lidia's tray and placing it on the table in front of her.
"So Lidia," Rita said between bites of salad. " You really should talk to Verlaine."
"No," Lidia said flatly.
"Come on. He's over there all by himself. And this is like the one time this semester that we’ve seen him when he wasn’t surrounded by that group of giggling girls who always follows him around.”
“Yeah, and they’re all prettier than me. Which is why I know that I have no chance. I’m not like you, Rita. I think I’ll just stay here."
“Oh, you are so irritating. I’m gonna go get another soda. And you’re right. That chicken salad does taste funny,” Rita said.
Rita slammed her fork onto the table with a burp. She rose from her seat.
"Be right back," Rita said. She pointed at her cell that lay on the table. "I'm leaving my cell so don't post on my wall!"
Lidia looked up from her fruit cup and she smiled at Rita. "Wouldn't dream of it."
Rita looked at Lidia with an expression of suspicion before she moved forward, snatched her phone from the table and rushed from the space with a whistle.
Lidia laughed. She grabbed her cell and tapped at the device.
“You know, I’m not so scary.” A low voice said behind her.
Lidia dropped her phone.
The cell landed on the table with a loud clattering sound.
Lidia turned around
Verlaine was standing behind her.
The thick black strap of a laptop bag rested atop his chest. His laptop computer was clutched in his left hand. He moved closer to Lidia. He stopped in front of an empty chair that lay on the floor on her left side.
Verlaine placed his computer onto the table. He looked at Lidia. His violet eyes were fixed on Lidia's shocked face.
All eyes in the cafeteria were fixed on Lidia and Verlaine.
Lidia looked up at the handsome young man with wide eyes.
Verlaine smiled at Lidia.
"Hello Lidia," Verlaine said.
“Uh hello Verlaine,” Lidia said softly.
“You're in my Lit class," Verlaine stated.
“Yes,” Lidia said.
“You sit in the middle. And are really quiet.”
“Yes.”
“Are you going to say yes to everything I say?”
“No.”
“Well, it was nice talking to you, Lidia. Hopefully we’ll see each other in class.”
“Yes.”
“There you go again. You keep this up and I’ll have you helping me get rid of all the bodies.”
“Uh.”
Verlaine snatched his laptop from the table.
Lidia gazed at the young man's perfect teeth and she was aware of a low clunking noise on the floor near her.
Verlaine turned to Lidia. "See you later."
"Okay see you," Lidia said.
Verlaine smiled at Lidia before he turned around and walked away from the table.
Verlaine strolled confidently across the lunchroom and he left the interior of the cafeteria.
Rita rushed to the table. She stopped in front of her seat and threw three bags of potato crisps, two can sodas, and a candy bar, a small plate of strawberry pie, a fruit cup and a tin of peppermints onto the table while looking at Verlaine's departing form.
“Wow and Yowzers!" Rita exclaimed.
Rita fell into her chair and she looked at Lidia.
"You mean to tell me that Verlaine Parker actually got up from his table and walked over here? And talked to you? And all of this happened while I was in line getting a strawberry pie? What the dibs!” Rita shouted.
Lidia turned from the cafeteria entrance and she looked at Rita.
"Yeah he talked to me," Lidia said quietly. "I can't believe it either."
"What dumb luck. If I had stayed I could have talked to him. So, what did he say?” Rachel asked.
“I don’t really remember,” Lidia said shaking her head quickly.
“What?” Rita asked in disbelief.
“I honestly don’t remember. He said something about some bodies or something and literature class.”
“You mean to tell me that Verlaine Parker, the boy you've been crushing on since middle school, came over here and talked to you and you don’t even remember what he said?”
“Yeah, pretty much.”
“What is wrong with you? Is your DNA sequence out of whack or what?"
"I'm going to go."
Lidia snatched her cell from the table and she slid it inside her pocket.
"Hey where are you going?" Rita asked."You’re going to stalk him aren’t you? I can help you with that. I can show you what to do so you won’t get caught. By the police.”
“No, I’m going to the lab to get some work done. I’m not very hungry,” Lidia said.
Lidia rose from the table. She moved away from her chair and stopped on the left side of the furnishing.
Her left foot crushed something hard.
The sound of a loud crack filled her ears.
“What was that?” Lidia asked.
“Probably and old French fry," Rita said shoving a huge forkful of pie into her mouth. "Or a new one.”
"I don't think it’s a fry I mean. The cook makes shoestrings not the steak fries," Lidia said.
"What?" Rita asked with a loud gulp.
"It felt thick," Lidia said taking a step back. She looked on the floor.
A long oblong shaped object lay on the tiles near her feet.
The object was a dull greenish color.
"What is that?" Lidia asked.
“You never know in this lunchroom," Rita said.
Lidia fell to her knees and she snatched up the item. She looked at it, grinned and rose to her feet.
Rita looked at Lidia. "What is that?”
Lidia gazed at the severed finger in her grasp with a small cry.
"It’s a finger," Lidia said.
Rita spit out a mouthful of fruit and pastry. "What?"
"That belongs to me," Verlaine said.
Verlaine was standing next to Lidia.
Lidia turned to the young man.
Verlaine smiled at her before he raised his hand and took the finger from her grasp.
"Its a prosthetic for this horror movie that I'm working on. I do sculptures," Verlaine said.
"It looked so real," Lidia said.
"You work on horror movies Verlaine?" Rita asked shoving another forkful of pie inside her mouth.
Verlaine looked at Rita. "Its student films mostly but you have to learn somewhere."
"Cool," Rita said.
Verlaine turned to Lidia. "Sorry if that scared you."
"Oh it's okay," Lidia said. "I like horror movies."
"Really?" Verlaine asked.
"Yeah really. I like horror games too," Lidia said.
"You watch a lot of horror?" Verlaine asked.
"Yes!" Rita interrupted while opening a bag of crisps.
"Yeah well I watch in moderation," Lidia said.
"Great then I want your opinion on something," Verlaine said. "You mind?"
"Uh no," Lidia stated.
"Great," Verlaine said.
Verlaine pulled his bag from atop his chest. He placed the dark satchel onto the table and opened it. He reached inside and pulled out a severed head, a hand and an ear. He placed the objects on the table.
The severed head was that of a male. Its skin was a greenish hue. Sparse brown hairs adorned its scalp.
The head's left eye was gone and cluster of motionless maggots jutted from the socket the eye had once been.
The thing's right eye was covered with a thick white film that glistened sickeningly in the harsh light of the cafeteria.
The severed head's mouth as agape and a thick black tongue dangled from its lower lip.
A thin tendril of black ooze glistened from beneath its left nostril.
Loud gasps filled the cafeteria as all eyes were fixed on the garish props.
"Here's the rest of him," Verlaine said."Its for a zombie film. And I'm building this guy piece by piece."
A few students rose from their seats and moved to the table near Verlaine.
A chorus of voices filled the space.
"That's crazy!"
"Crazy awesome! Way to go Verlaine!"
"Ew gross! The head not you Verlaine…"
"Cool zombie carnage! Let me get a pic of this."
"That is so cool!"
Verlaine ignored the hovering students and he looked at Lidia.
"So what do you think?" Verlaine asked.
"I think it looks very life like." Lidia stated. She moved closer to the head and gazed at the thing's mouth. "So real."
"You think so?" Verlaine asked.
"Yeah," Lidia said.
Lidia gazed at the head's right eye.
The severed head shuddered violently. Its right eye blinked and its mouth opened wide just as loud shriek poured from its form.
The head shuddered violently before bouncing upwards.
The sphere struck the ceiling and landed on the table with a loud splat.
The head trembled and a loud shriek poured from its lips.
The students in the cafeteria screamed and fled.
Lidia stood upright. She took a few steps back and tripped over her feet.
Her form descended to the floor and she caught sight of the floor just before a blinding bolt of pain struck the front portion of her face.
And then there was darkness.
II
Lidia woke up to Nurse Williamson's surly face.
Lidia lay atop one of the three small cots that decorated the small school Infirmary.
A large metal desk lay pressed against the wall in the far corner of the room.
Dozens of posters decorated the walls of the area.
Nurse Williamson stood beside Lidia's cot.
"Welcome back!" Nurse Williamson said with unenthusiasm.
Lidia sat up. She looked around the small sparse room that served as an Infirmary.
A bolt of pain cascaded across her skull. She grabbed her head.
"What happened?" Lidia asked.
"Prank in the lunchroom. An apparent zombie scare. You kids and your horror. Anyway during the flight you got the worst of it. Fell and bumped your head during the panic. Luckily one of your friends picked you up and brought you here before you got trampled," Nurse Williamson said. "No concussion and you're fine."
"Panic?" Lidia asked.
"Yes that's what I said," Nurse Williamson stated with mild irritation. "Now lie back down. Your mother has been called and she will be retrieving you shortly."
"But who brought me here?" Lidia asked.
Nurse Williamson rolled her eyes with a sigh of exasperation.
The sound of a low knock suddenly poured from the Infirmary door.
Lidia turned to the entrance.
Verlaine stood in the opened doorway. He looked at Lidia with concern.
Nurse Williamson smiled at the young man.
"Hello Verlaine. How many days detention this time?" she asked.
"Just one," Verlaine said sheepishly.
"Huuumph," Nurse Williamson said.
Verlaine looked at Lidia.
Lidia looked at the floor.
Nurse Williamson looked at Lidia. She smiled before clearing her throat in a caustic businesslike manner.
"I need to step out for a bit," Nurse Williamson said. She shot Verlaine a warning glance. "But the door will be ajar."
Verlaine smiled at Nurse Williamson.
"Yes Ma'am," Verlaine said.
Nurse Williamson left the room with a loud cluck of her tongue.
Verlaine moved closer to Lidia. He stopped near the cot.
"Are you okay?" Verlaine asked.
Lidia looked up at Verlaine. "I'm fine. Just clumsy and embarrassed."
"I’m sorry about that," Verlaine said. He tapped at his bag. "I should have warned you that the head was animatronic."
"It was?" Lidia asked.
"Yeah. I rigged it up with wires and things to make it move. Well jump really. It flew off of the table. The springs were more powerful that I anticipated," Verlaine said.
"Oh," Lidia said.
"Wanna see?" Verlaine asked.
Lidia looked up Verlaine with alarm.
"Okay maybe later," Verlaine stated removing his hand from his bag with a clearing of his throat.
Lidia looked at the floor. "I'm just hoping that my freak out won't be a YouTube hit."
Verlaine smiled and said, "Don't worry about that. No one was filming you."
"What?" Lidia asked.
"The ones who were brave enough to stay were filming Rita mostly."
"I don't understand."
"Let me show you."
Verlaine pulled out his cell. He moved closer to the cot an sat down atop the pallet beside Lidia.
"See look," Verlaine said.
Lidia stared at the young man's cell.
The image of a grainy vid flashed across the screen.
The sound of loud screams, running feet, laughter and crashing noises echoed from the phone.
Lidia slapped her hand atop her mouth with a laugh.
"I can't believe Rita did that," Lidia said.
"What? Use my head prop for a football? Yeah," Verlaine said. "I had no idea she had skills like that. I’m just glad the head still works after hitting that wall."
Lidia looked up at Verlaine. "Thanks for bringing me here."
Verlaine smiled. "Its the least I could do. For almost giving you a concussion."
Lidia laughed and she held her head with a wince.
"Lidia," Verlaine said. He moved closer to her. "I like you a lot. And I'd like to. Well, I'd like to take you out sometime."
"Huh?" Lidia asked.
"Lidia, will you go out with me?"
"Sure."
"Great."
"Great."
The sound of loud footsteps echoed in the Infirmary.
Lidia and Verlaine looked at the doorway of the room.
Nurse Williamson stood in the doorway. She looked at the couple with an expression of irritation across her ageing features.
"Now that that's over," Nurse Williamson began looking at Lidia.
Nurse Williamson took a deep breath. She looked at Verlaine and raised her hand in quick jerking movement before motioning her limb in the direction of the door behind.
"You out!" Nurse Williamson shouted.
"Okay Nurse Williamson," Verlaine said. He turned to Lidia.
Lidia looked at Verlaine.
"I'll call you later okay?" Verlaine asked.
"Okay," Lidia said.
Verlaine rose from the cot. He walked away, stopped and turned around. He looked at Lidia.
"Lidia," Verlaine said.
"Yes Verlaine?" Lidia asked.
"I can't wait for our date," Verlaine said.
Lidia smiled.
"Me too," Lidia said.
"Great," Verlaine said. "Well bye."
"Goodbye," Lidia said.
Verlaine turned away from Lidia. He left the Infirmary with a cheerful whistle.
Lidia lay atop the cot. She rested atop her spine and gazed up at the ceiling.
She smiled.
Travis entered the near empty subway train just as the doors slid shut.
The old man stood in front of the doors and glanced around the train with a keen eye.
A dark haired teenage girl staring at an IPod was the only occupant on the train.
The teenager was pale and pretty. Her sight was fixed on the light IPod in her hand while her head of dark curls was bent slightly forward. She sat in a seat beside a window a few feet away from the doors.
Travis curved his lips into a smile.
"Oh. This is going to be fun," Travis whispered.
The sound of a loud metallic voice echoed from the overhead speakers in the compartment.
"Next stop Crain Lane!"
The train lumbered forward and its speed increased rapidly.
After a few moments, the massive locomotive departed the dimly lit subway station and it sped through the darkened tunnels of the underground transit system with loud clattering noises.
Travis held tightly a metal pole near him while he gazed at the teenager with silent intensity.
The dark haired girl stared intently at her IPod before she raised her free hand and reached inside her coat. She pulled out a pair of bright red ear buds and shoved them into her skull without an upward glance.
The teenager continued to stare at the IPod and she lowered her hand and tapped at the device.
The sound of popular music poured from the ear buds and floated in the train compartment.
The teenager nodded her head while continuing to stare at the IPod screen.
Trevor glanced around the empty train with a chuckle before releasing his grasp on the metal pole and moving forward.
The old man walked across the aisle and he stopped in front of the teenage girl. He stared at her lips while he sat beside her.
The teenage girl looked up at Travis with an expression of alarm. She tapped at her IPod and the sound of music slightly diminished.
Travis licked his lips with a nod.
The teenage girl glanced around the cabin quickly before focusing her sight on Travis. She swallowed with great difficulty before she eased her form closer to the window so that the right side of her form was pressed against the metal wall beside her.
"Hello," Travis said in a gruff voice.
The teenager stared at Travis' wrinkled face with an expression of horror. Her gaze settled on the old man's left eye and she twisted her face into a grimace.
Travis' grin became wider. He raised his left hand and tapped his finger against the gem-encrusted eye patch that covered his left orb.
"I see you looking missy," Travis said. He lowered his hand from his eye. "You want to know how I lost my eye."
The dark haired girl shook her head vigorously.
"No," she said. "Its none of my business."
"I can tell that you're dying to find out," Travis said. He glanced around the empty train compartment quickly before setting his right eye on the girl's face.
"Its okay. I'll tell you all about it," Travis said. He looked at the girl's IPod.
The words, 'Happy Birthday Temperance, Love Grandma Alice' were etched on the rear portion of the shiny silver item in large bold letters.
"Temperance is your name?" Travis asked looking up at the girl's face.
"Yes," the dark haired girl said tentatively.
"Well, Temperance. I'm Travis. Travis Miller. Hello," Travis said.
"Hello," Temperance said with a quick gulp of air.
"Well Temperance," Travis said. "Let me tell you the story about how I lost my eye."
Travis leaned closer to Temperance. "It was over a woman."
"Oh," Temperance said breathlessly.
"Yeah," Travis said. "Let me show you something."
Travis raised his right hand. He reached into his jacket and pulled out a large silver knife.
Temperance gasped and sat erect.
Travis thrust the knife in the young woman's direction.
"No, stay put. I want you to hear this story," Travis said.
The tip of the blade was inches away from the front of the young woman's throat.
"There's no one here but us. And I know you'll be a good audience. Won't you?" Travis asked.
Temperance nodded briskly.
"Good," Travis said. He twirled the knife in his grasp while taking a deep breath.
"Now like I was saying. It was over a woman," Travis began.
"Was she pretty?" Temperance asked.
"Yes she was. She looked a lot like you. The same eyes, hair, luscious lips," Travis said.
Travis raised the knife from Temperance's throat and thrust the tip of the blade in the direction of the young woman's lips.
Temperance moved away from the knife with a cough.
"Please don’t hurt me," Temperance said. "I haven't done anything."
"Quiet. Let me get my thoughts together," Travis said. He closed his left eye for a brief moment while releasing a low hum.
He opened his eye with a jerk and looked at Temperance with a chuckle.
"It was 1947 on a night like this. She was all I could think about. Her name was Alice Carlisle. Beautiful Alice. You look so much like her. It's amazing," Travis said.
"Please just let me go," Temperance begged.
Temperance looked up from the knife. She gazed at Travis' right eye with a trembling lower lip.
"Please," Temperance repeated with tears in her eyes.
Travis moved the knife sharply so that the tip of the blade rested atop Temperance's skull.
"You are very impatient. I told you to stay put. You'll like this story. The ending especially," Travis said.
Temperance became stiff.
Travis pulled the knife so that the edge of the blade hovered a few centimeters from Temperance's throat.
"Where was I? Oh yes, my story," Travis stated.
The loud music that poured from the IPod stopped just before the machine fell from Temperance's grasp and landed on the floor with a loud clattering noise.
Travis shifted his sight from Temperance's face and he looked at the fallen object.
"Whoah. That may be broken," Travis said.
The old man lowered his sight from Temperance's face and he looked at the fallen object.
Temperance raised both hands and she closed her fingers tightly atop the old man's wrist. She twisted the limb in a swift backwards motion.
The sound of a loud crack filled the car and the old man howled in pain.
Temperance held tightly to the aged man's wrist before thrusting the blade of the knife in a quick upwards motion in the direction of the aged man's right eye.
The blade slid into the old man's ocular cavity with a loud slicing sound.
Thick jets of blood gushed from the old man's punctured eye and the crimson fluid splashed onto the front portion of his shirt.
Temperance gave the old man's wrist a final twist before she released her grasp on his limb.
The knife jutted from the right portion of the old man's skull.
The aged man's mouth was open and a loud wail of pain escaped his lips.
Temperance rose to her feet and she glared at the old man with disdain.
Travis raised his right hand and he clutched at the blood slicked handle of the protruding knife with a sickening cough.
"Like how I finished that story for ya?" Temperance asked.
Temperance grabbed onto a nearby metal pole before she raised her left foot and delivered a sharp kick to Travis' groin.
Travis man released a shriek of pain before he fell from his seat and landed in the floor in the center of the aisle.
Temperance fell into a crouch and she snatched up her IPod. She stared at the screen of the device while moving forward.
"Damn. I just missed my favorite song," Temperance muttered.
Travis held his groin with his left hand and he clutched feebly at the knife that jutted from his skull with his right hand. He rolled weakly atop the floor while sobbing uncontrollably.
"You took my eye!" Travis wailed. "You crazy girl! You took my eye!"
"Whatever Grandpa," Temperance said nonchalantly.
Temperance moved forward and she stomped atop Travis' twitching legs as she stepped into the aisle.
"Agh!" Travis howled.
Temperance stopped in the center of the aisle with her gaze still fixed on her IPod. She grabbed at a metal pole near her and pressed her thumb against the screen of the device.
"Listen old man," Temperance said with a toss of her head.
"My eye!" Travis wailed. "My leg!"
Temperance rolled her eyes. She looked up from her IPod, turned around and stared at the prostrate old man with narrowed eyes.
"You have to step up your game if you plan on changing careers to a serial killer. Or if you were one then maybe you should retire?" Temperance asked.
"I can't believe this! What is with you kids today? You have no respect for your elders!" Travis wailed.
Travis tightened his grip on the knife and he pulled the blade from his skull.
The knife slid from his skull with a faint pop.
A thick torrent of blood gushed from his right eye and the scarlet fluid splashed atop the floor.
"This is just...this is how I lost my other eye!" Travis whined.
"Yeah," Temperance said. "My grandmother told me all about it."
Travis sat up quickly. He turned his bleeding head in Temperance' direction.
"What?" Travis asked.
"My grandmother's name is Alice Wakefield. But you may have known her as Alice Carlisle which was her maiden name."
"What-what--what…" Travis stammered shaking his head from side to side in quick jerking movements.
"Anyhoo," Temperance sighed. "My grandmother told me and my sisters the story about some crazy ex-fiancée named Trevor Willis who tried to kidnap her and take her eyes out with an old butcher knife after she left him to marry the man she really loved. He kidnapped her like a week before her wedding and like held her hostage. He begged and begged her to take him back but my Grandmother Alice was not having it. She turned him down flat and he tried to blind her. But the story didn’t' go like the crazy guy thought. My grandmother ending up taking one of his eyes. He ran and was caught later. Then after some big scandal, this Trevor guy went to the asylum or whatever they did to crazy people then. Don't you get it King Geritol? My Grandma Alice had mad skillz dude. It was cause of her grandmother who was like cooler than cool. See let me explain before you pass out from all of the blood loss. My grandmother's grandma, Louise Carlisle, was a spy in the war and she taught my grandma a thing or two about self defense, mainly the martial arts like judo and karate, and she taught her to use weapons like guns knives, and swords. Explosives too."