Page 22 of Cassian
Taking the cash, she decided to treat herself to some lunch.There would be enough leftover, she’d make sure of that.All she had to do was figure out where she wanted to go.There really weren’t all that many choices in the town, but she could make do.It was her favorite part of having money: having food that was hot and ready for her when she wanted it.
After dining out, she decided to head back home.There was only one thing she’d kept from her former life, and that was her cell phone.Even paying the bill monthly, she had a post office box for that; she didn’t mind because it afforded her some entertainment, as well as telling her what was around her so that she could get to it.The GPS was wonderful too for getting around town.She could also order things too when she had the money for it.
After getting back to the barn, she was careful not to be seen by anyone living in the house.She wished that it had stayed empty for a bit longer.Jaden was ready to move on in a little while anyway.There was only so much she could do in one town before people started asking questions.The guy at the Post Office had asked her a couple of questions today that she didn’t care for.Of course, they were just friendly questions about how she was liking the weather, but she didn’t like to be questioned at all.
Going to bed that night with her sleeping bag all laid out, she wasn’t happy when it started to rain.It hadn’t rained in a good long time, and now that it decided to do that, the water leaking in had her wishing she had picked a better place to sleep.Moving out of the way of the rain, she decided that tomorrow she was going to leave and find another place to live.There was no point in her hanging out here when she could be living in the Zanesville area.Things would be closer to her if she needed to go to Columbus, but she could also stay out of the limelight because she didn’t want to be seen around as someone who might be setting the fires.
“They always blame the new faces when shit like that comes around.”Giggling, she wondered what people would say about her if she were to hang out in the larger town.“Probably something about me being such a nice girl.Never bothering anyone.”
She looked around when she heard a noise and couldn’t see anything beyond where she was laying.The mice had been an issue since she moved in, and she hated the little suckers.Tonight, she figured that since she’d gotten into their box of books, they were going to mess with her.When she saw something like a flashlight moving around, she dug her way under the sleeping bag and waited.Whoever it was, it wouldn’t bode well for her to be caught in the barn before it went up in flames.
There wasn’t really any reason for her to burn the barn other than that she loved to do it.The last three places she’d stayed in had gone up too quickly for her to see much, and the fire department had been right on the spot for the second fire.Pouting to herself, she wondered if this place would go up fast or not.There was a great deal of wood that it was made of, and it was old, dried-out wood, too.She supposed she’d just have to wait and see what happened.
The light hadn’t been flaring again, for which she was grateful.It might well have been lightning that she’d seen and nothing more.Going back to her original place she’d been resting; she watched as the rain came down.There really wasn’t anything much for her to do other than that; her phone had long since died today, and she’d forgotten to charge it when she’d been in the car.
When she woke up, the rain had stopped, but she couldn’t figure out what had awakened her.There was very little noise in the barn, other than the scratches of the mice, and she didn’t think thatanyone was around.Just as she was rolling over to go back to sleep, someone spoke.
“You’re not supposed to be here.”She didn’t move for fear that someone really was in the barn with her.“You need to move on and leave Lord Savages place.You’re not supposed to be here.”
Sitting up when something flashed by her, she nearly screamed when the person spoke to her so close this time.More of the same stuff, she wasn’t supposed to be here, and that they were trespassing.
“I’ll be where I want to be, and there is nothing you can do about it.”Yes, she thought, she was out of here tomorrow.And the place just might not burn to the ground either now that someone knew who she was.“You’re trespassing, too, in the event that it didn’t occur to you.I’m not leaving here until I’m good and ready.”
Nothing more was said, but she had a feeling that they’d not left yet.There wasn’t a sound around her.No more scratches on the wood, nor were there any sounds of bugs in the night.It was as if everything had gone silent in that moment.The silence scared her more than the person did because she knew it meant that they were still looking around.
Lying back down, she didn’t move anymore.Knowing that her face was going to hurt tomorrow, she was so tense she didn’t like whoever was in the barn.They should have just left her alone with her thoughts, as she wasn’t hurting anyone.Then, as she was beginning to doze off, she saw another flash of light.She knew it wasn’t lightning this time, as it had been too close to her body to have been anything but a flashlight.
“Who are you and what do you want?”She looked around to see if she could see anything, and there was no one around that she could see.“Go away before I find you.”
“You don’t believe in me, so you’ll never find me.”What the hell was that supposed to mean, she wondered.“I’m going to let Lord Savage know that someone is in his barn and they plan to set it on fire.That will have him out here in no time, even in the middle of the night.So you’d best pack up and get out before I return with him.”
She started doing just that.There was no point in arguing with the person, nor did she believe that he’d be back with this Savage person.But she wasn’t going to take any chances with it and gathered what few things she’d purchased for herself for her long stay.The sleeping bag was giving her trouble when she heard someone open the big doors at the bottom of the barn.
“I demand that you show yourself.I know you’re in here now.”She did wonder how he’d gotten here so quickly from what she supposed would have been the house, but didn’t say anything as she gathered the last of her things.How she was going to get out now was anyone’s guess, but she wasn’t going to be hanging around too much longer if she could help it.Then she heard the ladder being used.Someone was coming up to where she was.“I’ve called the police.They’ll be here soon.If you leave now, I’ll not press charges.Trespassing is against the law, as you probably well know.”
When the flashlight landed on her face, she stared at the man in front of her.It was the same one that had been in the barn earlier today.Damn it, why hadn’t she left when she could have?Now, not only had she been seen in the barn that she’d been wanting to burn out, but the man had seen her face, too.
“You’re not going to burn me out.I’ll have you arrested if you even try.So gather up your stuff, and I’m going to let the police handle you.”She wondered how he knew what she’d been planning, but she had worse problems than that.After all this time, she’d been caught, and she didn’t know what to do about it.
Chapter 10
Lisa watched the people at her table.She’d been here since six this morning, and the last people at one of her tables had decided to hang around longer than lunch was being served.Damn it all to hell.The worst part was she’d not get a good tip out of them either, as they weren’t ordering anything but coffee and water, which were free since they’d ordered them earlier.One of the men called her over, and she went.
“I’m sorry we’re keeping you late.We’ve been planning this lunch for a while now and forgot about the time.”She smiled and told them that was all right.She didn’t have to work tonight.“That’s good.If you would give us the check, we’ll be on our way.The next time we come, we’ll ask for you.If you don’t mind.”
“Not at all.Come anytime.”She took the check to them after getting it out of her apron and left them to it.Asking before she left if they wanted coffee or anything more, she was surprised when they asked for water to go.Lisa didn’t mind doing that at all for people, as it was hot out and she knew that bottled water was expensive.“There you go.”
Back up at the cash register, Marylynn asked her if she was going to do anything tonight, as they were short-staffed again.Not able to turn down any money that came her way, she told her that she could work if they really needed her to.
Sometimes Marylynn would have people come in, and they’d end up standing around a great deal with nothing to do.She never meant anything by it, Lisa thought that it was just hopeful business that she was counting on, rather than what was on the reservations for the night.Not that there were too many of them either.
The four men had left her a very good tip.It was more than she’d made in the last week at two hundred dollars.Excited about what she could do with the extra money, she decided that she and Davy were going to go out to eat, something that they’d not done in a long time.Davy would love it.
For as much as a seven-year-old could, she supposed.But he did love things that were different than the day-to-day.Also, when she was excited about something, he would be too.Even if it was a trip to his favorite restaurant, so long as he could have a kids’ meal.
She thought that he was getting a bit too old for the kids’ meal.Especially when she had to get him two extra burgers when the one in the box wasn’t enough.Laughing to herself, she wished now that she had not told Marylynn that she’d work so that she could spend some time with her son.Looking at her watch, she didn’t use her cell phone at work; she knew she was going to be late picking him up from daycare again.She called them to tell them she was going to be late.
“It’s all right, Lisa.We had a new person start today, and he and Davy have had a wonderful time getting to know one another.His mother is going to be late as well to pick up Tommy.”She hated that the daycare was so free with information, but didn’t say anything.It was the only place that she could afford, and they were right on her way home from work, too.“I’ll just stick around until you make it.All’s fine.”
