She felt her kneck, probably about to choke. She waded towards the tree and stood like a stick. Ken was at her side momentarily, squaring his chest and taking in a deep breath. Annalene felt a touch envious. How could anyone- in this century- ever feel relaxed or be in such harmony with nature. She straightened her back and closed her eyes. She heaved in some air. That wasn't so bad, she thought, a smile curling on her face. She opened her eyes and saw Ken spreading the contents of the basket onto a pumkin-orange cloth. Annalene rubbed the back of her neck, trying to remember the last time she went on a picnic. He seemed to know what he was doing
The vivid color of the cloth and his conservative clothes brought the note to Annalene's mind, still lying on her floor where she had dropped it. How could she act normally with this perfect-seeming stranger today after the events of last night? Was she imagining the hunchback and the dead hippie? Maybe it was just thunder instead of a growl of 'You're mine' last night? If those things didn't happen...what did? Still, as she forced herself to approach the cloth, her mind was filled with disquieting images and questions. For instance, how did Ken know where she lived when he didn't even have her real last name?
"Um, Kennith?" Her head filled with questions. "Ken, please" he winked at her. He poured some juice in a plastic cup and handed it to her. "Ken, I know you hate questions." He rolled his eyes mockingly. She smiled. "Wierd things have happened to me...ever since I... ever since we met..." she shook her head, trying to find words.
She sniffed the juice. It didn't smell alcoholic, rather it smelled a bit like strawberries. She sipped gingerly and decided to ask a different way. "Can you tell me what you remember of yesterday?" She asked.
"What do you want me to remember?" he asked huskily, drawing near her as she sat down. He reached for a lock of hair that fell down her brow. Annalene felt numb and could hardly breathe. "I met you..." she managed to say.
She blushed, not sure whether to be terrified or excited. What had really happened yesterday? "...I'm afraid I was kind of upset, you know, losing my job. And, I don't know...maybe you could tell me about yesterday. You know, like instead of reading poetry," she hurried on, "to dispel the nightmare my life has been lately."
"Poetry?" Ken said lazily, gazing into her eyes, "Your eyes are a complete ballad." Annalene felt uncomfortable. He was twisting from the topic, something which gave her a hint of suspiscion where he was concerned. "Right." she moved back, putting down the cup. "Listen, I think I have all the right to be cautious. You're so mysterious...and, I don't like that." Ken gazed at her longingly, then said...
"Are those freckles?" Annalene became irritated. "How about you just tell me, because I don't understand anything." "I'm just really good at what I do." He picked a blade of grass and began twisting it around. Annalene felt a little pinch of fear on her side, and she looked at...
...and she looked at the glistening stream as it rushed by, not far away. Why did it occur to her that one swift push and she could be nothing more than a body floating in it? She shook her head to dispel the notion. Ken was doing nothing more than acting lovestruck, right? And evasive. "So tell me about what you do," she said, giving up on finding out more about yesterday. _________
Ken laughed and gave her a look that clearly said, "More questions?" Annalene suddenly felt nauseous and dizzy. She stood and staggered over to the edge of the stream, and dropped to her knees. She retched uncontrollably, and vomited into the water repeatedly. She lay there motionless for several minutes, then rinsed the foul taste from her mouth with clear water. She turned back to apologize to Ken, but he was nowhere in sight. The grass where he had laid out the picnic lunch looked undisturbed. No more, she thought. I can't take any more of this.
Time slid by unobserved until she realized she had been sitting, staring at the place where she could have sworn Ken was, for at least an hour. Annalene got to her feet a little shakily and went back up to the top of the embankment. Her car was gone.
She held her head in her hands. This wasn't happening! OK it was, but, why her? What had she done to deserve this, all at once? She managed to reach the tree, and leaned on it to clear her head. She tried to remember anything she had done or that happened to her before all this ocurred, any sign that all might make sense. A few leaves fell, cutting her from her muse. Looking up, she saw Skillet. Annalene could scream with happiness. So this was all true. Ken had been here, and...
...she stopped right there. It was worrying that she was ready to scream with happiness simply because the guy who might be stalking her might be real. She watched Skillet as he gamboled about on the berm, hunting butterflies. Then Annalene scanned the trees. Where had Ken gone? And where was her car?
Looking around her, she saw someone walking along the street not far from where she was. He looked familiar. She leapt forward and broke into a run, waving her hands hysterically, "Bernie," she yelled. Bernie lazily looked around. He smirked when he saw her running his way. He took off his shades as she reached him. Panting, she bent over holding a stitch at her side. "Bernie..." she trailed, trying to catch her breath. "Well, well." Bernie raised a brow, "If it isn't Annalene-adrenalin." Annalene caught her breath. She had forgotten what she had said yesterday at work about Bernie.
How had Bernie come to appear on a deserted road? He was standing by his car, a fussily kept red Pontiac Sunfire. As he removed his sunglasses all she could think was Fink! Fink! Fink! and she hated herself even as she said, "I need a ride. Someone stole my car." She sincerely hoped that he would actually be nice about it. And she was NOT going to pose for any pictures for the internet.
He smirked once again. That was exactly what he had in mind. I never knew you about the photos, Bernie, it was a sheer dumb guess! she wanted to lie, but she knew that he knew that she knew about them. So now what? She spread out her hands, 'Fine, I'll call a cab.' Annalene turned to the road. The deserted road. Cab? yeah right! A swift breeze blew around her, and the sudden feeling she had yesterday when she ran over that creature overwhelmed her. She turned to Bernie again...
...and found Bernie staring at her with his usual finkish expression. What a shame that the shades and the leather jacket had no improving effect on his ratlike features and the red Firebird just said 'Pimp' rather than 'Stud'. Some guys couldn't avoid being what they were. "Come on," he said, as though luring a child with candy, "there's nothing here for miles. I'll take you back into town," he held up one hand as though swearing in court and she was somehow SURE that the fingers of his other hand were crossed in his pocket, "I just want to help."
She blew out air. She didn't want this to be yet another long day, so, not believing what she was about to do, she moved forward to his car. 'Under one condition, Bernie.' she stuck out her finger. Bernie rolled his eyes and said, " .....
"Considering what you did to me I don't think you're one to lay down the law. I'm willing to let bygones be bygones, though, okay?" Annalene stopped, glaring at him, then climbed into the car. "Just get me to town, please" She muttered through clenched teeth.
Bernie laughed as he pushed the pedal to the metal and skirted off. He now sported a cocky mask that was every bit as ugly as the rat fink he had donned in the office. Even his laugh was sickening. Annalene calmed herself by remembering she was only riding with him into town. She relaxed a little and sat back in the seat to discover he was listening to... Barry Manilow?
She raised an eyebrow and folded her arms protectively. Part of her didn't want to touch the car's interior any more than necessary, as though it was coated in slime. "So..." Barry Manilow was getting to her, "You and Roberta, huh? Did she fire you, too?"
Bernie's eyes closed for a couple seconds, then he blinked it out. He was clearly upset by the question. After a heavy sigh, he ran his fingers through his hair. "You know... I'd rather not talk about that."
I bet you wouldn't. "No problem, sorry," Annalene replied. And she actually did feel a little bit sorry. Bernie had tried to screw her over but she hated to see anyone unhappy. "So....what brought you out here to the middle of nowhere?"
Bernie was stuck for a moment. His shades hid puzzled eyes until he could come up with something suitable. "Uhh, I was actually on my way to E Z Spend to pick up a few trinkets for the house," he manged to spew. Annalene heard a little uncertainty in Bernie's voice, but really didn't care to probe. As she looked at his rear view mirror, a "chick magnet" accessory hung from it. Annalene's mouth turned up and she shook her head at the thought.
