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| The Thicket; Part Two- "Secrets" | |
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| Topic Started: Aug 5 2007, 11:47 PM (282 Views) | |
| packmule | Aug 5 2007, 11:47 PM Post #1 |
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John Gabriel eased into the booth of the small Waffle House located along Main Street in the middle of tiny Barrows, North Carolina, population four thousand three hundred and eighteen people. "Hi, I'll be with you in a second," the redhaired waitress said pleasantly, setting a menu on the table in front of the dark haired ex soldier. "Thanks, no rush," Gabriel said, glancing down at the menu, then looking out the window as the drizzle outside turned into a steady rain. "Nice truck," an older, gray haired man said, seated at the counter nearby. Gabriel glanced over at the man, who was wearing bulky work boots, blue jeans, a flannel shirt and hooded jacket. "Thanks," Gabriel managed, the waitress setting a cup of coffee on the table. "I'll order something in a minute," Gabriel said to the waitress, who nodded and wandered over to the counter to check on another customer. "That an '80?" the older, gray haired man said gruffly, cocking his John Deere cap back. "No sir. It's a '78," Gabriel answered politely. "No need'in calling me sir. I haven't seen you around Barrows before. You come looking for work here?" the man asked, placing a small plug of smokeless tobacco in the corner of his mouth. Gabriel nodded no. "Just staying at a friend's cabin for the weekend. Maybe get in a little fishing," the ex Army Major replied, sipping coffee. "Lake Barrows' hopping this time of year with good sized brim and catfish, if you get up early enough and get out on the lake to get 'em," the older man harped. "I hope so, " John Gabriel replied, checking his watch. It was nearly 1 PM. "'Bout the only thing a man can do right now around here, besides getting drunk at the pool hall across the street," the gray haired man said, coughing. "What do you mean by that?" Gabriel asked, frowning. "I mean there's been bulletins posted at the Post Office in town here, and over at the town council office. About six months ago we started a gettin' weird animal mutilations...it started over in Forbin County, then it happened here," the older man said. Another man seated besides him, a bearded black man, nodded his head as he looked over at Gabriel. "Animal mutilations?" Gabriel repeated. "Picked a hell of thing to talk about with old Henry there," the waitress said to Gabriel, looking chidingly at the two older men seated at the counter. "Couple of my friends come upon a couple of dead cougars, and a black bear. He said it looked like something had been chewing on them pretty damn thorough like," the bearded black man groused with gravelly voice. "I saw a dead black bear on the side of the road earlier today...on one of the unpaved lake roads off Route 17," Gabriel said quietly, leaving out the part about the shadowy figure in the brush. "There's been a rumor going around that some kind of wild man may be a lurking in the woods of this county, maybe even over in Forbin County as well. The Sheriff in Forbin told me a few months ago one of his deputies heard someone tear off into the woods while he was writing a speeding ticket to this ornery old hag on Route 61, about five miles from here just outside Benton. There's damn sure somebody wandering around out there young man. You just be careful not to run into him," the older man said, stiffly removing himself from the stool, as did the older, bearded black man. Gabriel watched the two men leave the restaurant. The waitress returned to the table. "Don't believe everything you hear around here. Henry and Clyde are always talking like that. You ready to order?" the blue-eyed redhead asked. "Oh, uh yes," Gabriel said, rambling off his order to the Waffle House waitress, who went back over to the counter, barking Gabriel's order out to the cook in the restaurant's kitchen. A short time later the waitress returned with Gabriel's order. The former Army officer tore into his food, eating quickly. Rickey's Rock House____Eatonton, NC twelve miles north of Barrows John Gabriel couldn't help but grin as he sat at the bar's counter. It had been many years since he had visited a good old fashioned country style honky tonk bar. Gabriel, deciding to drive north for a while to clear his head, had spotted the facility and pulled in to have a few beers. Despite the fact it was only five in the afternoon the roadside bar was fairly busy with activity, numerous people at two different bars and the seating area half full with mostly males, who were cheering loudly as two bikini-clad women wrestled around in a 20' x 25' ring that sat on three foot timbers in the back corner. "Can I get you another?" the brunette bartender asked. "Sure," Gabriel replied, watching the green-eyed brunette, wearing a Carolina Panthers cap, walk off behind the counter with his beer mug. "Hello," a female voice said from behind. Gabriel swivelled around on the stool to see Kerren Greiss, who was wearing a white short sleeve shirt, blue jeans, and black boots. "Fancy meeting you here," Gabriel said, his dark eyes blinking, the ex soldier clearly surprised to see the brown-eyed blonde. "I work here, part time that is," she replied, easing onto the stool beside the dark haired man. "Oh. You waitress here?" he asked. Kerren grinned. "No, actually I'm one of the wrestlers," the attractive blonde replied. "You?" Gabriel said. "A girl's got to make a living. My day job salary isn't the greatest. I make $125 a match here, and I usually can get Rickey to let me do one match per week," Kerren Greiss said, the brunette bartender returing with another cold beer for Gabriel, who handed her a twenty dollar bill. "Hi Molly," Kerren Greiss said. "Hi Kerren. Friend of yours?" the bartender asked with a grin. "Actually yes," the blonde answered. "Okay," the bartender said, her green eyes rolling as she walked off. "She's a nice girl. Gets a bit too friendly with too many guys who come in here," Kerren Greiss said evenly. "Are you...going to be working here today?" Gabriel asked. Kerren grinned. "As a matter of fact, yes. Me and Valerie have a match in about half an hour. You should hang around and watch. Besides, I'd still like to buy you dinner," the brown-eyed blonde said. "I'll be here...and be careful in that...ring," Gabriel said. Kerren smiled. "Thanks. I will. Me and Valerie are always careful. Some of it's scripted you know, like what you see on television," Kerren said. "Okay," John Gabriel said, nodding his head. "I'll see you in a little while," the blonde said, moving past and disappearing through a door in back adjacent to the ring. Gabriel, as a result of the beer, trudged off to the men's room to answer the call of nature. After relieving himself he exited the restroom and found a seat along one of the back rows facing the makeshift wrestling ring, and sat down. Two youthful looking men in t-shirts and jeans were inside the ring, adjusting the turnbuckles and the nylon ropes... “What's bothering you girlfriend?” Valerie Roberson asked, the 37 year old medium brown complexioned black woman sitting beside 30 year old Kerren Greiss, the two women clad in two piece bikinis in the tiny dressing room of the roadside bar called Rickey's Rock House. “Nothing, I'm fine,” the brown-eyed blonde said, rolling her neck and lightly stretching, locking her arms behind her head and leaning side to side. “You're not a good liar,” Valerie Roberson said plainly, her almond-colored eyes blinking. Kerren looked over at her darker skinned friend. “Does this have something to do with that nice looking white man you were talking to at the bar?” Valerie asked, playfully nudging the pretty, full figured blonde's arm. “He's seen Bill,” Kerren muttered quietly. The lovely, slender black woman blinked. “What's Bill Hobbes doing up here?” Valerie asked sharply. “I don't know. He told me a few weeks ago he wouldn't be in a cycle again for two more weeks...maybe it came early,” Kerren said wistfully, looking over at her black friend. “That's why we been getting these damn calls from people, saying they been seeing a big ass, hairy wild man in the woods. I should have guessed it,” Valerie Roberson said, the 37 year old county deputy shaking her head disapprovingly. “Val we all...accepted that his condition was different,” Kerren said ruefully. “Yeah, but his spur of the moment hunts up here are going to expose all of us. Remember girl what we all promised each other last year: if he does anything to expose us-” “I know what we talked about Val. Look, I think the man I was talking to, John, saw him. He's staying at Bill's cabin right now,” Kerren said, looking down. “Bill set him up for you, didn't he? Kerren, we're supposed to hunt. I like to hunt...and I thought you did too,” the black woman said, a red glow appearing in the corneas of her eyes. “It's just...my heart hasn't been it lately Val. Bill said if I didn't feed I might get sick,” Kerren said. Valerie opened her mouth, flashing enlarged teeth that resembled a dog's canines. Kerren glared at her friend's show of contempt, her own eyes turning a yellowy amber, her dark pupils becoming slits. “I don't want to fight Val, but you need to dial it down,” Kerren said, her voice momentarily deep, raspy and warped. Valerie blinked and her eyes reverted back to normal, as did those of the younger blonde. “Sorry, I have trouble controlling it sometimes,” the black woman said, knotiing her straight, dark brown hair back in a short knot. “I know. So do I. We better get out there,” Kerren said, rising out of her chair, as did her black friend. “Yeah, we better give those old men out there what they paid for,” Valerie said sourly. She and the blonde stepped through the door and out into the club, waving at the crowd of men who cheered. “So, what are you going to do with him?” Valerie asked in Kerren's ear as the two women stepped through the ring ropes. “The same thing I always do. Doesn't mean I have to like it though,” Kerren said. The announcer, a bald and bearded bartender named Howard, introduced the two women to the crowd of sixty five mostly male onlookers seated or standing outside the ring. Kerren spotted John Gabriel to her right and a few rows into the crowd and waved to him. The dark haired ex Army officer waved back. “Okay girls, you ready?” Howard blared. Kerren and Valerie waited at opposite corners of the ring. The bartender-referee blew his whistle and the wrestling match between Kerren Greiss and Valerie Roberson began... ...John Gabriel had to admit that watching Kerren Greiss and her attractive black opponent grapple about in the bar's makeshift ring, both women wearing bikinis, was modestly entertaining. He was surprised at how adept, and skilled, both Kerren Greiss and her darker skinned opponent in the ring were, their throws and hand to hand grappling earnest and executed with a great degree of athleticism. After five minutes the paunchy, bald referee had stopped the action so that both women could take a water break. Gabriel returned to the men's room to relieve himself. The accumulation of beers in his system had made the ex Army officer moderately drunk. After taking a long piss the dark haired, dark-eyed former Green Beret exited the restroom and quickly bought another beer at the bar. He could see the two women grappling in the ring again. Gabriel found his seat near the small ring in back, the crowd of male onlookers outside the ring a mixture of loud cheers and boos... “Knew you'd make a mistake,” Valerie said in the blonde's ear, the black woman firmly gripping Kerren Greiss from behind around the shoulders. "Okay, you got me," the blue-eyed blonde admitted, managing a grin as Valerie slid her hands upwards and behind Kerren's neck. The black woman got Kerren into a deep full nelson. “Nobody's perfect...ow,” Kerren said, the black woman gingerly working the full nelson on the blonde, wriggling Kerren about by the shoulders. “Yeah,” Valerie said, the black woman grinning as she cinched the hold in further on her friend, her hands fully clasped against the back of Kerren's neck. “Sorry, I couldn't resist,” Valerie said in Kerren's ear, wriggling the blonde's shoulders. “Okay, enough of this,” Kerren said, heaving forward and throwing her black friend over her back. “Yeow!” Valerie blurted as she crashed to th ring canvas. Kerren went on the attack, wrenching the black woman into a simple but effective arm bar. The blonde pulled Valerie to her feet and hammerlocked the black woman's right arm firmly behind her back. “Damn,” Valerie muttered, she and Kerren managing smiles... ____________________________________________________________________ "So what did you think of our match?" Kerren Greiss asked, looking over at John Gabriel. The dark haired, dark eyed man managed a mild grin, despite still being tipsy. "You should join the WWE," Gabriel said. "Ha Ha," the brown-eyed blonde said, driving Gabriel's Jeep pickup truck. She turned right onto the dirt road and slowed the truck down as the vehicle began to enter ruts. "You need some coffee," Kerren declared. "I agree. I don't have much in the fridge," John Gabriel said quietly. "No problem. I dropped by the grocery store on the way. You were asleep in he truck during that, by the way," the blonde said. "Oh, doesn't surprise me," Gabriel muttered. Kerren Greiss looked over at the dark haired ex Army officer, her eyes becoming yellow, her corneas narrowing to black slits. Her mouth opened...revealing large canines, a small amount of saliva oozing from the right corner of her mouth. She blinked and her eyes were normal looking again, her canines receding back to normal molars. Gabriel's eyes were half closed as he stared at the truck window, unaware of the brief change in the blondes' appearance. Kerren pulled the truck up in front of the cabin. "Well, I'll get something cooking. Can you walk okay, to the cabin?" the blonde asked. "I'm alright.I just need some cold water on my face and some coffee," Gabriel growled, he and the blonde Forestry Service ranger exiting the truck. "Feeling better?" Kerren Greiss asked. John towelled off his face and sipped coffee, the aroma of meat filling his nostrils. "Yeah, as a matter of fact I am. What have you got going over here?" Gabriel asked, peering over the blondes' shoulder. "I'm cooking a couple of large steaks," she replied. "Large...that's got to be a half pound of beef in that frying pan," Gabriel declared in surprise, his dark eyes blinking. Kerren smiled, flipping the cooking meat over in the large skillet. Gabriel, unable to find a can opener, attempted to cut open a can of baked beans with his pocket knife. He cut the tip of his finger and cursed under his breath, reaching for a paper towel. "How bad is it?" Kerren asked, taking his hand. She studied the small cut on his index finger, which bled. The blonde sucked the blood off his finger until it had stopped bleeding. Gabriel looked at Kerren with an incredulous look on his face. "I'm sorry. I get weird sometimes," she said quickly. "Not altogether a bad thing, at least sometimes," Gabriel managed, opening the can of beans. Kerren cast the handsome ex-soldier a quick glance and walked to the pantry. "I'd better set the table. The meat's almost ready," she said. The blonde glanced out the small, secondary cabin window. A hulking, shadowy figure was moving along the near side of the thicket. It stopped and reared up, glowing yellow eyes blinking as Kerren stared at it. "I'll get this. You take care of those steaks," Gabriel said, gently removing the plates from the blondes' hands. Kerren jumped. "What's wrong?" John Gabriel asked. "Nothing," Kerren said quickly. "You see something out there?" "No. I was just thinking about something, that's all," she replied, attending to the cooking meat at the stove. Gabriel peered out the window. The trees beyond the thicket were moving and he could hear the wind outside picking up. Snow was beginning to fall. Gabriel began setting the table. |
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10:50 AM Nov 8
