Page 40 of His Road Dog

She waved and hurried off in the opposite direction, rejuvenated after working all day to have plans for the night. Even the pang in her chest, being reminded of Roy's dates to the casino, couldn't slow her excitement. Dancing and listening to music would get her mind off Roy and Priest.

As she walked, she put her hand in her pocket, making sure she had her tips on her. She'd use the money to splurge tonight. That way, she could save most of her paycheck after she paid for the motel.

Crossing the street, she jogged through the intersection and jumped onto the sidewalk. She moved out of the way of the customers exiting RadioShack and stopped at the end of the block.

A black car slowed in front of her. She waited until the vehicle completed the turn, and then she crossed the street.

Not even five o'clock and the heat of the day made the walk to the motel seem longer.

Ahead of her, a pair of shoes tied together hung above the street on the powerline. One of her regular clients mentioned it was to mark gang territory. If that was the case, the motel was smack-dab in the middle of their area.

Kids. They must be bored.

The same kind of things happened back home. Teenagers would start a trend that left the locals guessing at what kind of trouble infiltrated the area. The worst rumor was when Moonbeam, from the commune, spent all day lining up rocks into the shape of crosses in the public park and then burned a peace sign in the grass. The idiots in town believed there were satanic worshippers in the area and started rumors that the 'hippy farm' in the woods was making sacrifices.

Moonbeam left the next year for L.A., but the talk went on much longer.

A black car stopped beside her. She glanced over and kept walking. The motel was in the distance. Two more streets and she'd be able to get something to eat, get off her feet, then get ready for tonight.

The vehicle crept forward, staying beside her. She walked faster. At the crosswalk, she stopped, aware of the car turning and stopping, blocking her path. Changing directions, she crossed to the other side. The streetlight changed, forcing her to stop. Glancing back, she watched the sedan speed down the road and turn right.

The light changed. She jogged to the other side of the street, then waited again until traffic stopped. Rushing back to the other side of the street, she looked all around for the vehicle. Not seeing it, she went into the room and locked the door.

There were creeps everywhere. She knew the dangers, being a lone woman in a city.

Catcalls and the bar scene were easy to ignore, but men in vehicles always made her nervous when she was walking.

It was much easier to feel safe when she had a car. Walking the street put her in a vulnerable position.

Kicking off her shoes, she undressed. Glad to be out of her work clothes, she took a shower. She had several hours until she'd need to leave for the casino. Nothing got going until close to ten o'clock at night.

She soaped up the washcloth, running it over her body, between her legs. Swallowing, she thought of Priest. He was never far from her mind, and although she was never supposed to emit negative thoughts on herself or others, she couldn't help feeling frustrated with him.

Why had he made it difficult to enjoy being with him?

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