Page 4 of Waste
“I’m fine, thanks. I’ll stick around for the RAC,” she replied.
“Let me look. It might be something easy, like a spark plug has come loose,” the guy suggested.
Ghoul watched as she backed slightly away as the man kept coming forward.
“Thank you, but honestly, I’d rather wait for the RAC,” the woman insisted.
Ghoul cocked his head; he was picking up bad vibes from the man. It seemed she was too, as she tried to keep a distance between them.
“You don’t recognise me, do you?” the guy said, and Ghoul stiffened. What he was witnessing wasn’t a normal situation of someone breaking down. This wasn’t his business, but Ghoul couldn’t leave. The woman reeked of innocence.
“Should I?” she inquired as she continued backing away.
“Shelley, I visit your coffee shop all the time,” he crooned, and Shelley looked startled.
“Mr Black Americano with one sugar and a lashing of cinnamon,” she said, and he beamed at her.
“Exactly. See, I thought we’d clicked.”
“Huh?” Shelley asked.
“Yes. The way you call my name has a special tone to it. You like me as much as I do you,” Mr Black Americano pressed.
“Sorry, you seem to have misread my friendliness. I treat every customer the same,” Shelley said with a weak smile.
Anger crossed Mr Black Americano’s face, and he moved so swiftly that Shelley didn’t have a chance. “Don’t lie to me!” he snarled.
“I’m not!” Shelley stuttered as she tried to avoid him. He gripped her arms tightly, and Shelley emitted a whimper of pain. “Let me go!”
“Stop playing games with me, Shelley. You know you’re attracted to me; you flirt every time I come in!”
“I do not! I’m a friendly person, that’s all. Mr Black Americano, I’m sorry if you misunderstood me,” Shelley gasped and winced.
Ghoul noted how Mr Black Americano’s knuckles were turning white.
“You’re nothing but a tease. I thought you were something different, but you’re just a slut like all the others.” His fist raised and smashed down into Shelley’s frightened face.
Ghoul moved quickly. This wasn’t his kill, but he couldn’t stand by and watch an innocent woman beaten or possibly killed. Even so, Mr Black Americano punched Shelley three further times and she’d stumbled back against her car by the time Ghoul arrived. Her hands were elevated to protect herself as Ghoul appeared behind her assailant.
His hands fastened around his target’s throat, and he bit down hard. Waste rampaged as he drained the Sin inside the man, and then Ghoul snapped his neck with a single twist. The whole process took less than thirty seconds.
Shelley gaped and stepped back in shock. “He hurt me,” she whimpered.
“Call the cops,” Ghoul rasped and started retreating.
Shelley’s gaze latched onto him, and her eyes widened. “What are you?”
“Call the police and tell them what happened, and a monster intervened,” Ghoul said and continued moving away.
Shelley threw out a hand and grabbed his forearm. She looked down at his skin, confused. Ghoul understood why. He’d feel cold and clammy, even rubbery to her touch.
“Thank you, but he’s the monster, not you,” she whispered.
Her words pierced Ghoul’s heart as he tore free and headed back behind the bush. He glanced in the mirror of his previous target and called Mary Worth three times to portal home.
Shelly – two months later.
Shelley sighed as she finished another day at the coffee shop where she worked. Offering her co-workers a tired smile, she headed for her locker, intending to head straight home. Instead, she was impeded by her manager, Jo.
