Page 14 of Ash

The cool water against her tongue was amazing. Even better down her throat.

She set the glass down and let out a long, pent-up sigh.

She knew food was coming.

She knew she could sit and wait in air-conditioned comfort and she wouldn't have to fight for some elbow room.

"Hey, girlie."

She cringed at the words and the tone of voice she heard.

"Good afternoon, sir."

She hadn't known Alice for long. Mere minutes, really. Still, she could hear the edge in the other woman's voice. She didn't like him. Not one bit.

Suzannah wondered if she knew him well.

"Gimmie a cheeseburger, fries, and... and that blonde over there."

Suzannah's spine tightened up in her seat and her hand clamped down on her glass of water.

"Sir, that's not... that's not something we allow here."

Suzannah wanted to turn around and look at the man, but she barely managed to keep her gaze facing forward.

"Oh, well. I'd treat her right."

Alice cleared her throat. "Sir. Do you want a drink with that order?"

"Coffee."

Was it strange that Suzannah felt like she could hear him smile?

"Hot and black. Like I like some of my women."

"Cheeseburger, fries, and coffee." Alice walked away.

Suzannah looked up at the clock on the wall. The time had passed like a wild horse running, seconds had turn to minutes and she only had a few minutes before she had to get back on the bus.

The bathroom in the corner was calling her name, because the bus driver had been right. The bathroom on the bus smelled.

When someone went to the back of the bus to use it, just opening the door sent a wall of smell rolling through the bus.

Suzannah got up from her seat and walked toward the bathroom.

Even though she was a few feet away from the man and his table, as she passed by, he grabbed onto her arm.

"Hey." The word squeaked out. "Let go."

He only held her tighter. "You look like you could use some help."

Suzannah turned to look at him.

He was younger than she'd assumed from his voice. His face was thinner than she'd imagined, but there was a cold glint in his eye that made her heart stutter in her chest.

"You want some money?"

His words sounded like a simple question, but then he licked his lips, and his gaze dropped to her chest.

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